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Letter of Self-Compassion: Learning to learn

Learning takes effort and the capacity to wrestle past frustration. What’s referred to as a “learning curve” is more tolerable for some people than for others. While some of this tolerance is innate, a large amount of it comes from experiences. My tolerance for the frustrating process of learning something new is very low. I… Continue reading Letter of Self-Compassion: Learning to learn

Growing Up Jeub · Homeschooling · Justice and Advocacy

Children Do Not Belong to You

Content warning: this piece discusses child abuse and neglect.  “Children, you are about to be told one more time that you are America’s most valuable natural resource. Have you seen what they do to valuable natural resources?! Have you seen a strip mine? Have you seen a clear cut in the forest? Have you seen… Continue reading Children Do Not Belong to You

Personal reflections · Psychology and mental illness · Recovery

Letter of Self-Compassion: Writer’s Block

“There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.” This phrase is commonly attributed to Hemingway, but may have been said by Red Smith in an interview about column writing. I haven’t read the works of either of these men, but for years I lived by this… Continue reading Letter of Self-Compassion: Writer’s Block

Personal reflections · Psychology and mental illness · Recovery · Religion and Spirituality

Letters of Self-Compassion: Heaven

2015 was so full of transformations. I worked three different jobs, and my relationships were in a constant state of flux. It seemed like I was constantly losing friends while precariously trying to make new ones. At the beginning of the year I found myself sick of trying, as I had desperately all my life,… Continue reading Letters of Self-Compassion: Heaven

Growing Up Jeub · Personal reflections · Psychology and mental illness · Recovery · Religion and Spirituality

Letter of Self-Compassion: Hell

One of my earliest memories is of crying with my mom. When I was about five, it occurred to me that not everyone I loved was a Christian. My mom told me that they would be going to hell, and I was gutted. I started naming family members, asking “even them?” and as I cried,… Continue reading Letter of Self-Compassion: Hell

Personal reflections · Psychology and mental illness · Recovery

An Introduction to a New Series: Letters of Self-Compassion

“Things you said about me, it hurt, it did.What matters more is how I feel about myselfThe things you said about me, I won’t forgetWhat matters now is how I feel about myself.” –Melan, Soul Stream I want to try something new. I have been doing it in several ways already, but not yet in… Continue reading An Introduction to a New Series: Letters of Self-Compassion