- The “getting it done in an unconventional way” method.
- The “it’s not cheating to do it the easy way” method.
- The “fuck what you’re supposed to do” method.
- The “get stuff done while you wait” method.
- The “you don’t have to do everything at once” method.
- The “it doesn’t have to be permanent to be helpful” method.
- The “break the task into smaller steps” method.
- The “treat yourself like a pet” method.
- The “it doesn’t have to be all or nothing” method.
- The “put on a persona” method.
- The “act like you’re filming a tutorial” method.
- The “you don’t have to do it perfectly” method.
- The “wait for a trigger” method.
- The “do it for your future self” method.
- The “might as well” method.
- The “when self discipline doesn’t cut it” method.
- The “taking care of yourself to take care of your pet” method.
- The “make it easy” method.
- The “junebugging” method.
- The “just show up” method.
- The “accept when you need help” method.
- The “make it into a game” method.
- The “everything worth doing is worth doing poorly” method.
- The “trick yourself” method.
- The “break it into even smaller steps” method.
- The “let go of should” method.
- The “your body is an animal you have to take care of” method.
- The “fork theory” method.
- The “effectivity over aesthetics” method.
Whatever hell your parents forced you to adapt to, you can unlearn.
It's hard. It takes ages. There's a lot of healing and introspection involved. You will make mistakes often, and there will be setbacks.
But it is possible.
You can learn to practice self care. You can learn to interact with your loved ones as an equal. You can learn not to bow to every order given. You can learn to put your needs first.
The skills aren't innate. It won't be as easy to learn new behaviors and social languages as it was when you were a child.
But the brain is capable of forming new pathways. You are capable of change. This is part of healing.
Grand Canyon, Arizona | Photographer: Yves Lavignasse
“When your head hits the pillow tonight, remind yourself that you’ve done a good job. Be patient with yourself, and remember that big things are achieved not all at once, but one day at a time.”
— Nicole Addison
my dad likes to call the stretches of time where you’re not creating “dreaming periods” and says that they’re meant to allow you to absorb all of the beauty, life, and inspiration from the things around you so that when you’re able to create again, you will have fanned your spark back into a flame. sometimes its hard to see those moments as anything but stagnation, but he always says that they’re natural and healthy and needed—things that should be embraced rather than feared.
















