[ID: Four paintings of colorful flowers, with prominent pink and yellow highlights. /End ID]

one of the most important things i’ve learned in therapy is that when you’ve experienced prolonged trauma in your childhood, pleasure feels uncomfortable. like, not that you don’t feel it, but that when you do feel it there’s an impulse to make it stop, because it’s extremely unfamiliar. and pleasure can mean many things, as simple as feeling cozy, and as complex as feeling loved. the neural pathways for feeling good have not had a chance to develop, and the neural pathways for feeling bad are quite practiced. feeling good, too, takes conscious practice.

“suffering feels religious if you do it right” no shut up it doesn’t. my friends laughing in the kitchen while i make dinner feels religious. the sun on my face after a long winter feels religious.

Queen LeGuin, at it again

Stop being so afraid to be confident. There’s actually a lot of great things about you. Don’t deny those things, embrace them. You’re beautiful and smart and kind and you need to stop punishing yourself for acknowledging it and trying to believe it.

Booty shorts that say "vaccinated" on the ass

i’m healing me, i’m loving me, i’m supporting me, i’m showing up for me, i’m defending me, i’m nurturing me, and i’m protecting me.