#c-link

techhearted and techlink flags… [ft a blank]

since i hadnt seen any. can be used however user may seem fit. custom made for our neon green sp theme.

So, just kinda wanted to shove this out there. I took up a mod position on a resource/positivity blog for copinglinkers. For everyone who is kin WITH something, by choice, for coping reasons, and because I sort of got into creating my own aesthetics in my free time and thought it would be a cute, helpful thing for people who either aren’t otherkin/therian, or are but also have c-links seperate from their identity.

For me, copinglinks are usually people I’m similar to and want to be more like. Being them helps me believe in them and put myself in their mindset. Buster works hard through tough times and makes things work, and that’s really what I need right now. I just see myself in him a ton, he’s a big comfort character, and I’ve questioned kin with him, so who knows!

  But I feel like I’m “stealing” a character that I don’t have a right to identify myself as? I feel happy and confident when I do, just guilty as well. I guess I feel like I’m claiming some really good and loved character who’s nothing like myself, and acting like I deserve the same amount of love, or like I’m claiming I’m as good as they are. 

“I don’t necessarily think I AM this character but identifying with/as him makes me feel kind of whole/safe and validated. I find myself wanting to dress like him and even considered changing my name again. I sometimes get genuinely upset when I think about the fact that I’m NOT him. I’m worried that this is just something my brain is doing to cope and that it might be unhealthy, and I still don’t really understand it. Any advice is super appreciated! 2/2″

That sounds a lot like what a copinglink is to me! Wanting to be a character or feeling good identifying as them is a lot of what a c-linking is!

Here’s what I consider the difference (but remember- my opinion may not necessarily be right or shared by everyone!):

Feeling as though you wish you could be a character (for reasons of coping with trauma, confusing feelings, illnesses, identity issues, etc.) and/or feeling good/strong/safe/validated when you identify yourself as that character is more like a copinglink!

Feeling like you are supposed to be that character, like you should have their life and/or physical body, or like you are them in any way (you “just are them,” you’re them in a future life, you’re them in an alternate universe, etc.), is a fictionkintype!

So yes, I think that sounds 100% like a copinglink to me, for sure! But, of course, if you do end up deciding that it’s a fictionkintype, remember that it’s your identity and you know it best! :)

As for whether it’s unhealthy- if the fact that you aren’t this character recurrently causes you to harm yourself, have s*icidal thoughts, or permanently increases your self hate (as in, it’s not just you feeling worse about yourself for a day or two when you think about it, but constantly), then it’s probably unhealthy :( If the problem upsetting you is that you “aren’t” him, then a copinglink could be just what you need! If that doesn’t help, or makes it worse, send me another ask and I’ll give you more tips! (I’m sorry, I just feel like this post is already waaay too long.)

A hopefully helpful guide to copinglinks and how they actually work!

First of all, if you’re wondering what the heck copinglinks even are, there’s a definition right here!

Now that we’ve covered that, how does c-linking even help?

I’m gonna take myself for an example. I have two copinglinks, one of which is Prohyas Warrior from the Cartoon Network show Mighty Magiswords. When I saw the very first concepts for the show, I was hyped. Watching the shorts, thinking about the show, seeing fanart, anything just made me so happy.

Prohyas was someone I connected to instantly. He reminded me of myself, and of everything that I wanted to be as a person. Someone who believes in kindness as the best policy and thrives off of helping others, but is still considered brave and tough. I could go one for paragraphs about how much I related to him and just wanted to be him, but luckily for y’all, I will not.

I was going through a pretty rough patch in my life. Personal issues I don’t really need to go into. I felt weak and cowardly, and I found myself clinging to this character that reminded me of myself for comfort. I’d heard of copinglinks before, but only really remembered they existed once I started questioning kin with Prohyas. I found that I wasn’t kin, but it made me feel good about myself and helped with my sense of identity to think of myself as him, so I created a copinglink. I felt super valid and secure, and had a new way to cope during tough times.

I suppose, in short, I linked with a character who reminds me of myself because he helps remind me of the good qualities I often discount in myself, and reminds me of the qualities I strive for. I feel like linking wih him has made me a better and honestly happier person.

Anyways, wow this is long and rambly, but I hope it helps some people? At this point I’m just hoping it makes some sort of sense.

Feel free to send as ask if theres any other topics that you’d like me to do posts like this about, or maybe some feedback about how this post went?