How to Recognize Dis-Ease & Components of Health

How to Recognize Dis-Ease & Components of Health

There is a lot that I’ve learned about my overall health and the very interconnectedness of all aches, stressors, symptoms, emotions, and more that I feel needs to be talked about. Having gone through the process of healing many times, and still going through it, I wanted to bring some illumination on how to recognize when dis-ease exists in the body. 

You can also check out my post on The Process of Healing for more details about what it’s like after recognizing what is not right.

Dis-ease is not necessarily disease but it can be a sickness that you can’t put your finger on. It can be a variety of symptoms that do not show up on a blood panel or when you step on a scale. The symptoms have more to do with not feeling happy, not feeling whole, and not feeling self-worth. 

Dis-ease is a state of being out of alignment with your natural state of authenticity, radiance, and vibrant health.

Because this is the internet, I will also put the disclaimer that anything I share here is just personal experience and meant to be used for educational purposes and not as a replacement for medical care, professional advice, or otherwise.

I’m going to begin by breaking down the three main components of pain or any sort of dis-ease in the body. 

I consider the following three areas whenever I am ill or simply not feeling myself. These are the frames by which I view symptoms and seek to create harmony amongst them. There may be times when only one area needs attention but, most often for me, when signs show up in one place, it indicates the need for attention somewhere else. 

Mental/ Emotional Component

Anyone who has experienced loss, disappointment, or heartbreak knows that these are strong emotions that can be difficult to make peace with. Any stressful or involving tasks, experiences, or even relationships with people can create a heavy weight that affects our health. Additionally, our mindset plays a large role in how we feel, too. Those who hold personal strengths such as positive thinking, resilience, optimism, willpower, mindfulness, and a good mood tend to have better self-management tendencies, as shown in this study. 

Has stress ever kept you up at night worrying about something? Maybe to the point where you developed a headache? That has happened to me more often than I’d like. Stress is often talked about as being a mental sickness but it can manifest physically, too.

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Physical Component

The physical component is what often stands out to us first when there is something “wrong”. This could be pain that burns, aches, tingles, or has any sensation of discomfort or out of the ordinary. Tightness, stiffness, or general fatigue are also tell-tale signs of something being off in the body. For a long time, I dealt with wild gastrointestinal distress (and still do on-and-off) such as bloating, constipation, dysbiosis, abdominal pain, and even the development of food sensitivities/intolerances. Rashes, itchy skin, and allergies, are also very much tied to other imbalances in the body.

Sometimes it can very plainly be a case of an allergy where eating something will cause a severe reaction in the body. However, when symptoms, like the ones described above, seem to appear out of nowhere, then I can’t help but wonder where it’s coming from and how it started. The weight of mental and emotional burdens are enough to take a toll on physical health. Read more in-depth about my experiences here.

Spiritual Component

We cannot dismiss the very important component of spirituality. For many, religion or a practice that offers ways to make sense of our humanness proves to be helpful, especially during difficult times. I believe an established sense of spirituality helps us ground into our values, our heart-centered beliefs, and instill us with the power to be our own healer. This is a complex facet that can definitely take up a whole post on its own. However, just to clarify: we each determine our sense of spirituality. There are NO rules about how, when, or if we do something.

For those without a spiritual practice, simply honing in on values and mindfulness can be beneficial, too. That can be a bit more cerebral but it still helps to ignite awareness of the self and root into the inherent worthiness we each have. Beyond the facts, knowledge, and physical evidence, whatever ideas or beliefs we hold are going to be the thing that motivates us forward or keeps us from healing. 

xo,

Melanie

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The Process of Healing

The Process of Healing

Years ago, healing is not a word I would have associated with myself in a long-term state. To me, healing was the 1 to 2 weeks it takes to get over a cold or the 6 months someone might require of physical therapy post-injury. I’ve even shared about my childhood arthritis and how remission seemed almost immediate. I’ve never had concerns linger around long enough for me to see how layered healing can really be.

Healing is a process.

It was a naïve way of thinking to believe that healing was a one-and-done situation. It was only through a variety of trials as an adult that I have explored different ways of being and different practices. Each one has taught me a lot about myself but some really led me astray in ways that I’m still unpacking today.

Just to name a few: when I got my first full-time job, I was exposed to working with others, learning what I value in work, falling in love, and stress like I’ve never experienced before all-in-one place. I over exercised my body into a state of amenorrhea and hormonal imbalance. There’s also the interesting facet of disordered eating and body image issues that I can’t remember establishing but nonetheless affected me in major ways.

So, when I realized how much any one of these events, or aspects of them, was affecting me, I had to seek out healing. 

Check out my post on How to Recognize Dis-Ease for more explanation on what it means when something is affecting you. For me, often the desire for healing came from insomniatic thoughts keeping me up and crying at 12 am. Or spending too many evenings with a belly ache and a disgust for the way I would treat myself. A lot of the time, it came from me seeing someone I admire living FREELY and me really wanting to no longer be tied down to my burdens.

However, just because I made a decision in ONE moment, it didn’t mean I was relieved.

There is the initial stage of learning what’s wrong. I use the word “wrong” loosely here, only as a means to signify what is out of alignment for you. What happens after this has no pattern, guidebook, or timeline because it’s different for everyone. It is inevitable that I learned more about my relationship to my symptoms and why they existed in the time (days, months, and years) following the ah-ha moment when I realized what was out of alignment.

Sometimes it seemed obvious like, maybe I ate food that just doesn’t sit well with me. Yet, as my unique process of healing moved along, I realized there is a lot that I was doing to myself. It wasn’t necessarily some outside thing affecting me, in several cases I began to flip the script and see how I was affecting me.

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The role of the self in healing:

They say that the first step in recovering is recognizing that you have a problem. Well, I knew very well that I had a problem but that didn’t always inspire action. I simultaneously held in my mind the desire to change my ways and the desire to cling to what was comfortable. The fear of “what if I’m unfixable?” or “what if I try something different and it doesn’t actually make me feel better?” plagued me and kept me oscillating between getting better and just being in a rut. 

Oh yeah, the rut. There’s also the time I spent not actively trying to get better. When I thought I’d reached a good place with myself, I’d succumb to my old ways, thinking I could handle a swim. Instead of holding my head above water, I quickly sunk into the habits, discomfort, and thought processes that I thought were gone.

I didn’t know I was backpedaling until I was in the thick of the muck again. I do not admonish myself because this needed to happen once, twice, 38,420,950 times until I finally learned I don’t want this to keep happening! We are human beings that learn through patterns and establishing new ways of being requires commitment to try again. Healing isn’t about “getting it right”, it’s about being willing to learn your ways, anticipate possibilities, call yourself out on your BS, and be willing to start over many, many times.

To put it simply: healing is a process.

Healing may start out as a way to get rid of toxins, negative thoughts, bad habits, and pain. The healing that endures takes a more holistic approach of not just looking at the symptom but how that symptom arrived in the first place. The process of healing involves an ongoing journey of learning, connecting all aspects of health, and being open to adapting.

xo,

Melanie

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Disclaimer: any material shared on Mel Makes It Happen is based on personal experience of the author and meant to be used for educational purposes only. The information is not a replacement for medical care, therapy, or professional advice/treatment.

 

Mel Makes It Happen is on YouTube! 

Mel Makes It Happen is on YouTube! 

Okay, this isn’t the newest of news but I’ve recently been posting more videos on my YouTube channel. The episodes of the Make It Happen Podcast have always been there to listen to but now we’ll start having more exclusive video content on the channel, as well.

At the moment, there are some videos previously released on IGTV. Personally, I like watching videos on my computer using YouTube more than through Instagram on my phone. I’m all about options and that’s why I also upload any IGTV videos I post over on YouTube!

I’ve already got some longer form video ideas in mind and I would love to explore video editing so go ahead and subscribe so you can keep in the loop about any new videos!

For starters, check out this video on Why The Change You Want Isn’t Happening. I share two common scenarios I often see for why change isn’t sticking.

Personally, I’ve been more of a controlling person in much of my life so the points mentioned in this video are for me as much as for you. Forever on the journey of learning and self-improving!

If you like this sort of content, be sure to subscribe on YouTube!

 

 

6 Months of Chiropractic Care: Experience & Results

6 Months of Chiropractic Care: Experience & Results

Part of what I aspire to show with Mel Makes It Happen is that you can be going through hardships and still pursue happiness.  You can be struggling but still find moments that bring joy into your life.  The ratio of the two is going to look different for everybody but I think including habits or practices that feel authentically you help diminish the discomfort.  I want to inspire you to empower yourself and take care of yourself.  If that means seeking out the help of healers so that you’re more able to enjoy your life then so be it.  

Part of my story has been an ongoing trial of experimentation to tend to my TMJ Disorder and various chronic pain symptoms.

I’ve talked about my wisdom teeth removal surgery and how, not long after, I developed pain in my jaw–particularly along the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). I tried cupping and acupuncture, and got it to a manageable place, but the pain still came back. So I started looking for other options. I wanted to get to the root cause of my issue and fix it so that I wouldn’t have to keep going through this cycle of pain, treatment, temporary wellness, and then the same thing all over again.

It’s worth noting that I went to a dentist who advertises himself as an expert TMJ specialist to see if there was anything he could do for me.  After taking x-rays and walking me through how my pain is coming from a misaligned jaw, thankfully, he had a solution via a $9,000+ device I could wear.  Me, always thinking that there are multiple ways to solve a problem, decided to seek alternatives that would help with realignment of my jaw. 

That’s what led me to give chiropractic care a try since it focuses on creating balance in the spine by working with the central nervous system.  

NOTE: I know everyone is curious about what symptoms are worth getting treatment for and, while I can’t speak for your specific conditions, the range is very vast. Most people seek out care because of back-related issues but you could also get treatment from anything from headaches to trouble breathing. Here are just a few symptoms I was experiencing:

  • Sharp, stinging, burning pain
  • Tightness and discomfort moving 
  • Tension in my neck, jaw, shoulders, and back
  • Build-up of pressure in neck, requiring “cracking”

In January when I started seeing my chiropractors (explained below), I was in pain from my face/jaw all the way down my neck, shoulders, and back. I even started cracking my neck which is something I’ve never done (or felt like I needed to do) in my life! The pain was major.  My usual yoga practice and dousing myself in CBD balms weren’t enough to get me through a day.  It felt like movement did more harm than good where pain was concerned, but not moving at all would make my body stiffen up and want to hunch over, as if I could curl into myself.  

The clinic I’ve been getting treatment at has two chiropractors.  Each of them are amazing in different ways and I tend to rotate between them for a slight change-up in effects.  I’ve got to give major thanks to my chiropractors because I felt like a broken person when I started treatment and boyyy have I come a long way!  That’s why I’m sharing my experience with you all today!

6 months of chiropractic treatment melmakesithappen

Me standing next to the x-ray machine at my chiropractic treatment clinic.

First appointment

I started off by filling out a quick form for insurance (this might be different if you seek care without insurance) on where my problem areas are and what sort of pain/tightness/stinging/etc it is that I feel. I rate my pain and what helps it, if anything. My initial consultation was a quick overview of my concerns and, typically, I think most people would get an x-ray done, too. My chiropractor opted not to do x-rays because she felt she understood where my pain was coming from, based on my description. So, we got right into a spinal adjustment that first day!  Afterwards, the staff hooked me up with an ice pack which really helped ease the soreness that day and the next.

What a spinal adjustment feels like

If you’ve ever cracked your own neck (which I don’t personally recommend doing) then you know that it brings a small feeling of relief to that area. Imagine that throughout your spine. You often start by laying down on an adjustment table/bed. The chiropractor will have you turn on your back, sides, and front so that they can make sure your spine is in the best position for you. To do that, they press into different spots along your spine. They may need to contort your body slightly–not in a painful way–just to loosen up certain areas so they can reach the spine.

Adjustments don’t cause pain.  In fact, they really don’t feel like anything. The most unnerving part, I feel, is just hearing all of the cracking sounds that your spine makes. The first couple of adjustments this would make me laugh because it was just so funny and strange to hear. Like: wow, is this all coming from me?! The best part is once the chiropractor is done and you sit or stand up, you immediately feel the “whoosh”. With the spine in balance, it feels like your body is a free-flowing river. There’s a fresh, almost cooling sensation that trickles down from your head to toes. (If you’ve ever had reiki done on you, it reminds me of that.)

Adjustment appointments are often around 5-15 minutes, so relatively quick!  Post-care treatment after the initial appointments involves a cold compress the same day or as needed.  It definitely depends on the severity of your issue but I felt a little sore post-adjustment during my first month and a half of treatment.  It’s nothing outrageous or complicated that some dedicated ice pack time can’t help with.

6 months of chiropractic treatment melmakesithappen

Hopefully you can zoom in to read. This poster lists the array of symptoms correlating with different parts of the spine.

First month

I was on a twice-a-week adjustment schedule to tend to the layers of my pain.  For me, I felt relief on outer layers: spots in pain as a result of other spots in pain.  So, the outer layers, like my lower, mid, and upper back, were the first to feel relief. My shoulders, neck, and jaw weren’t neglected but the relief was just much less noticeable in these primary pain spots. The twice-weekly adjustments served to help reinforce the ideal alignment of my spine and, thus, give me faster healing results. On a personal note, I also started to consider the role that stress plays in my life and how I can reduce that so that I can lower/eliminate the tension in my body.

Months 2-4

As all of this beautiful healing is happening in my body, I started to wonder how I can maintain it–especially since I began going only once a week for adjustments (around the 4 week point).  When I asked my chiropractor about exercise, I was told that it is okay and is encouraged because any movement done with a realigned spine helps to get your body used to that placement.  I’m an avid exerciser and wanted to continue with the high intensity exercises I used to do before my pain was a problem.  Silly me even started rebounding (jumping on a mini trampoline) at this time and that wrecked me!!  It just caused my neck and shoulders to build up tension and sharp pains shot out to the surrounding areas on my body.

All of this to say, I was putting too much of a strain on my muscles as evidenced by the pain starting up again severely.  As the outer layers ceased to be a problem, we could pinpoint specifically where my body still held pain.  Much of my upper body was in knots and that delayed healing.  I ended up getting a few therapeutic massages at the same chiropractic clinic to work out those kinks and that helped.  As the knots diminished, there was less resistance in my body to chiropractic adjustments–i.e. I could get deeper and closer to the root of pain!

Months 4-6

Sometime around month 3 or 4 I end up getting x-rays done.  These give a glimpse at characteristics of my spine, like a slightly forward angled neck area and a deeply curved lower back.  My chiropractor, however, says the goal isn’t to achieve “the perfect spine” but to get it aligned in a way that best works with my body. A very holistic approach, which I love!  So, given that frame of mind, I may have a tendency to develop pain/tension in my neck a bit more because of the angle it’s in.  This knowledge isn’t to say chiropractic care isn’t going to help but it’s information I can use to be more cautious about the way I stand, sit, or carry myself to benefit my spine as best I can.

Given everything, I can see my posture is so much better.  The pain I had in January that was crippling and made my body feel like it was hunching over is gone!  Adjustment appointments are less “crack”-filled because my ways of moving on the day-to-day are generally the same and seem to keep my spine in position.  However, the spine is still subject to disruption.  I say that from experience after I had an incident where I was sleeping on an air mattress for 3 nights (instead of my comfortable mattress) and my back needed extra attention that following week at my appointment.  

Where I’m at now

I’m now doing adjustments once every two weeks.  The only places that pain remains is in my jaw and neck.  It hardly impedes my daily life now but it is a process of maintenance.  I take into consideration how I’m moving, sleeping, sitting, etc and try to support my spine with the best possible position.  I still have a tendency to create stress in my body, which is what I’ve been trying to work on now.  I know that the more I can reduce stress in my life, the more my body will slide into healing.   

Cheers to at last getting some answers via x-rays!

I also have my own additional self-care that I’ve been doing for my TMJ Disorder specifically.  Chiropractic care helps from the alignment aspect of the spine and the pressure it can cause on the central nervous system (if misaligned) but I feel it’s up to me now to take advantage of this cleaner slate, if you will.  It’s a chance for me to commit to my own physical therapy type of exercises specific for my jaw pain in combination with implementing changes to relieve stress!  How I’ve been taking notice of stressors and trying to eliminate those in my life can be a whole post on its own.  Maybe that one’s next?  We’ll see!

I hope you all enjoyed this post.  If you’ve ever been curious about going to the chiropractor, perhaps this gives you insight into the slow but sustainable process that chiropractic care is.  You don’t need to be in massive pain to go but even occasional back pain is worth getting checked out.  You’ll likely feel the benefits soon off, too.  I’ve had such a good experience and plan to keep up with my adjustments as long as possible. 

Have your been to a chiropractor before?  Let me know your thoughts or if you have any questions not addressed in this post and I’ll do my best to try to answer them.

 

Nurture Your Inner Child This Cancer Season

Nurture Your Inner Child This Cancer Season

What has been on your mind lately? Do you feel preoccupied with feelings that you can’t put your finger on? We are in the midst of Cancer season, according to Western Astrology. A time for relishing in the comfort of our homes and in our hearts

If you take note of the changes from one month to the next (every 30 or so days, we are in a new astrology season) you may notice how different themes present themselves in your day to day life. This is not a coincidence. There are natural forces shifting among us in the skies and on Earth. We are only a small speck of matter—mostly water, in fact—so it is no wonder we can feel the nuances of the outside world within us.

Characteristics of Cancer Season

At this time, the sign of Cancer affects us all, regardless of what your zodiac sign is. Cancer is the cardinal sign of the water elements (the other two being Scorpio and Pisces). It is an extremely sensitive sign, often more attuned to the happenings in the home and to the emotional nature of the world at large than most people. Their deep compassion for all living things and natural intuitive tendencies make them known as the “mother” of the zodiac.

Thus, it is a brilliant time to tend to the areas in your life that need some nurturing. That could mean your social life by reconnecting with close friends in a cozy setting or revisiting old hobbies. Your professional and personal lives can also benefit from Cancer energy by taking the time to carefully go through the steps for what you’d like to accomplish. Not just running into a new project or taking on a large load all of a sudden, but integrating small pieces so that you can do this thing well and in a sustainable way.

In addition, Cancer provides a wonderful energy for encouraging inner child work and emotional clearing. If this is new terminology to you then just know that connecting to the child within you will help solidify your sense of self. Think back on what life was like when you were a child, what your motivations were, and where that persists (or no longer is present) in your life today.

Ideas for connecting you your inner child:

Go through a photo album or scrapbook from childhood

  • These provide a visual for memories you may have forgotten about

Spend time in nature

  • A walk outside or, if possible, a swim in a pool, lake, or ocean will help kindle clarity on emotions.

Meditate on an event from childhood

  • Imagine the situation playing out in a way where you get exactly what you needed

Write a letter to your childhood self

  • Pick a specific age or time in your life for the most effectiveness

Read a book from childhood

  • A short story, novel, or any book you loved as a child will look so different now

Watch a movie from childhood

  • Again, your adult eyes will see it so differently. Ideally choose a movie you haven’t seen since childhood

Listen to music from childhood

  • Dust off some records or CDS (or just YouTube music) and sing along! Disney classics anyone?

Play with pets

  • Animals directly speak to the child within us. Petting your house pets, riding a horse, or a game of fetch with your dog, to name a few ideas.

These are strange times in the world but don’t let that stop you from taking care of yourself. This Cancer season is here to remind us to look within to inspire happiness in the present. To Tap into our emotions so that we may heal any wounds and make peace with them. Try setting aside 30 minutes in the morning or winding down your day with some of the above activities. 

Feel what’s coming up and trust it. 

 

As a disclaimer, I am not a professional astrologer or horoscope writer. The information outlined here comes from an intuitive place and is meant to be used in combination with your own sense of intuition and lifestyle.

Navigating Blocked Energy with the Chakras

Navigating Blocked Energy with the Chakras

In the human body, we have 7 main chakras and, in Yogic medicine, each of these is where you will find manifestations of ill health or dis-ease. In case you aren’t familiar with them, I’ll go over them briefly because this will tie in to what I share today. 

  • The first one begins at the base of your spine and this is your root chakra.  It represents stability, grounding, and all things pertaining to home and safety.  
  • Above it is the sacral chakra and this is where sexuality and creation lies. 
  • Next is the solar plexus chakra which holds personal willpower, strength, and confidence. 
  • The fourth chakra is the heart center and, as you may imagine, holds the powers of compassion, connection, and love. 
  • The fifth, throat chakra, is the portal of communication. As I’ll share in today’s post, that’s where I’ve been feeling stagnance. 
  • Following this is the sixth chakra, the third eye aka your intuition.  
  • Lastly, the seventh chakra is the crown, the connection to the universe and spirituality, and to the collective.

All of this to say, when you feel lost or unsettled, it could be worth looking at where you feel these blockages. Sometimes you can physically feel the blocks in parts of your body. Other times, you may just notice symptoms such as lack of willpower or “no energy” if the solar plexus is underactive. Or immense stress and instability if the root chakra is out of balance. It isn’t necessary to take a scientific approach to this, rather: it is quite obvious when you read about a chakra and take note of qualities that resonate or don’t. Another thing worth noting is that, when a chakra is out of alignment, it hinders the balance of chakras above it. For example, if you are not grounded or with a certainty of your safety (root chakra), then how can you expect to cultivate the six chakras above it? Chakras are like building blocks and one needs another to form a proper foundation for self-growth.

Lately, I’ve been feeling a blockage in my throat, both literally and figuratively. This discomfort in my body has led me to take a deeper look into how I can bring about alignment in myself again.

*As a disclaimer, this post is super raw and I’m just being honest about how I feel and putting it out there because I’m at the last straw here. I hope sharing what I’ve been feeling may be helpful and resonate with someone also struggling.*

Perhaps it’s not evident to anyone except me but I realize lately that I haven’t been using my voice. It happens when I get stressed or feel pressured. Any amount of overwhelm and I clam up. Retreat. Turn inwards. It’s the easy solution. I don’t need to explain myself to anyone. No one knows any better.

This seemed to be working for a while until I started getting jaw pain. I’ve had jaw pain before, and it’s something I need to manage, but this felt different. I’m finding myself clenching my jaw in moments to get a grip on a situation or try to control my emotions. What I haven’t let myself feel is the desire to speak. I’ve been holding back and biting my tongue. Holding back to wait for the right time, holding back to not step on anyone else’s toes, holding back to convey my words and my image appropriately.

Fear of what others may think.

What’s the actual block here? I think I just fear coming off rough or callous or straight up ignorant. That’s the worst case scenario in my book. Yet, I’ve been overthinking my words to the point of silence. To the point where I don’t know what to say. For someone with lots of thoughts and ideas, and a zest for life, I suddenly feel empty. Not sad or depressed, just blank. It’s as though I’ve gotten used to not saying anything at all that I am now unable to open my mouth. Unable to find the words to express myself, even if I do want to start talking again.

Limited social interaction while staying at home has made it even easier for me to go days where I utter only a few sentences. Instead, all of the words stay inside my head. They float around like particles in the air until they form thoughts.  Sometimes they don’t. There are times when words only stay as words and incomplete thoughts become worries.

A big part of the way I have learned to understand myself is by writing out my thoughts and by speaking. Writing has always been my preferred choice of expression because it feels like a clear channel from my mind to my fingertips. Speaking is interesting, too, because it helps me realize beliefs that I hold that I didn’t know I hold. You know, like when you have an idea that sounds good on paper but once you start saying it aloud to someone else you realize there are some holes in it. That’s kind of what happens with me and talking.

Maybe without my writing practice or platforms to speak, my jaw is tightening up without use and my heart feels empty without passion. If passion is what drives me to speak and I’m willingly choosing not to speak then maybe there is a trickle down effect. Energy seeks similar energy. So if I’m not using my voice, then my jaw will clench up, and consequently, my passions dwindle.  Like, why pay for the electricity bill in a house that is vacant?  I feel kind of vacant.

The easy solution here is to speak.

I know it sounds super easy but when you’re out of practice, when you’re so used to letting others do the talking, it gets to be really hard to imagine that you have anything at all worth saying. Worth being heard.

There’s a lot of pressure, too. Not from anyone else, exactly…but that could be the case, too. I just feel like I’ve got to say something meaningful or else what’s the point of speaking? I’ve got to give something valuable to others…. That’s actually what stops me a lot of the time. Wondering what others will think.

The funny thing is, if I heard someone else that I care about saying these things, I’d really want to encourage them to open up. I’d say, “It doesn’t matter what others think. It might not feel like there’s anyone to listen right now but that’s because you’re not speaking. Speak your truth and the right people will come.” Just like that saying in Field of Dreams, “build it and they will come.” Okay, yeah, super cheesy to reference that movie but, you know, I really feel like sometimes you’ve got to take a leap of faith even if things don’t make sense now. 

When a calling to do something or say something or build something strikes, you can’t shoot yourself down before trying. You owe it to yourself to see what this idea can turn into. If you’re really passionate about this thing (which you won’t know quite how passionate you are until you get started) you’ll naturally attract the people meant to see your work or meant to connect with you.

You can’t build solely for others because where is the heart in that? I haven’t been able to speak because I feel that I’m doing so to appease others. Yet, what would happen if I just spoke because I wanted to and let things unfold from there? Maybe not everything has to have a plan or has to be the most appropriately-constructed words or ideas from the get-go because you can only get better at speaking by speaking. You can only construct a better idea by first testing out the initial one in mind. You never know what something can turn into unless you just try.