#knowing yourself

Know thyself? If I knew myself, I'd run away.

-- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

How many clothes I have, how many pieces of jewellery, how much skincare I use, how many pairs of shoes I own.

I can't stare at endless hangers of clothes, never ending pieces of jewellery, cupboard full of skincare or fifteen pairs of boots and trying to make a decision.

Do I like these things? Do I like looking at them, seeing them on other women and on myself?

Yes, I do, but I just can't deal with too much. I've noticed that I have certain favourites that I gravitate towards, that I like wearing and make me feel great. I don't enjoy having to choose which moisturiser or body cream to use or which shoes to wear.

I know what I like, what looks good on me and I gravitate towards those things, I don't need anything else. And also, I don't need multiple of the same thing. I know white t-shirts look good on me, but I don't need more than two. When the ones I have would be worn out, I'll replace them, that's it.

You don't need a therapist to do art therapy Thank you so much for supporting my work!

patreon.com/kimchicuddles

text reads:

Art can be a powerful tool in knowing yourself 

when you're blocked from fully knowing yourself.

When your brain is stubborn and overly invested in strategies that aren't actually good for you, 

the truth still slips out in artwork, inviting you in whispers to develop new patterns...

Over time, I've let my body and heart feel what my brain wouldn't let me see (upfront) 

And some might call that healing,

Thing is: this is about sex and intimacy… but consent also refers to complying with political movements and group pressure. So it’s worth thinking about. There will be things we will be willing to consent to, or things we’ll be unwilling to do but consent to anyway. And things we’ll be coerced to do. So it’s worth thinking about.

And also… fascists and autocrats and the far right don’t like negotiation and collaboration and nuance. They like binaries like Yes - No, or Mine - Off Limits.

In fact, this sort of considerate nuance about consent probably falls under what they label Obscenity and Pornography.

Fight fascism. Be nuanced, and experience joy and connection!

Consent is about negotiation.

Consent 101 is Enthusiastic Yes and all else is No.

Gold standard, yes?

Except for people with Responsive Desire or who are on the Asexual spectrum or who like the bonding aspects of intimacy.

Consent 201 understands is on a spectrum.

Enthusiastic > Willing >>> Unwilling >>>>> Coerced

Excerpt from this article below the cut:

समझदार

A curse or a blessing of knowing .

8th grade, a call made out in class

A girl has grown today

It’s a myth to address adult

Call this girl a sophisticated one

Or trend it with “very demure, very mindful”

A girl has been prudent today

Most considerate, considerate, considerate.

8th grade, applauses collected as benediction

Blushes and smiles, pride and prejudice

Garland of childhood loss, mistaken for achievement.

I do wonder act and accountability

Loss of carelessness, carriage of worry and thoughtfulness

A sea entered without a shore to return.

I wonder what it would be like

To be a derailed train and never be a derail

To cut the fruits, without getting cut

To not know and still thrive

To give and expect something in return

I wonder…