#otherkin tips

research

i love reading about what makes coastal redwoods unique! bonus points if you can get a poster or pamphlet with facts on it. which brings me to...

decor

consider adding some decorations to your space. personally i only have this in the form of stars on my ceiling (which also helps with other types), but it makes it feel a bit more like home

take care of what's around you

this one is super vague but i mean like, personally, part of being a tree is protecting all the plants and animals that rely on me for shelter, shade, etc. this could look like taking care of a houseplant, having stuffed animals of species that live in your forests, or even caring for your current ecosystem by going outside and doing volunteer work. i guess taking care of a pet would also be affirming, but please don't get a pet just because you're a tree lol.

gear

i used to think there wasn't a lot of gear out there for phytanthropes but: flower/stick crowns, rings in the shape of leaves/plants (i have one of those), floral print clothing, clothing/jewelry the color of your phytantype (i have a bracelet and some dark red, brown, and green clothing that's super affirming), charms of your type on jewelry (leaves, flowers, etc), anything wearable that relates to the sun, and so much more! there also might be more abstract things related to your type, for example i have a moonstone necklace that i like because it reminds me of fog, which coastal redwoods need for hydration!

sensory

this is kind of a broad suggestion as well, but i just mean having things that appeal to your senses. for smell, perfume/candles/incense of your phytantype/the atmosphere around your phytantype. for touch, clothes/accessories/fidgets that have similar textures to your phytantype (personally i really want a particular type of fuzzy sweater because redwood bark is fuzzy). for hearing, look up ambient sounds of where your phytantype grows (redwood forests for me). sight is kind of covered in my previous sections, and taste is covered in the next one!

food

i know most of us get our food from roots, but there's some ways to get creative with mimicking that: worms in dirt (a dessert, like you're getting nutrients from dirt), floral drinks/ice cream (think like you're tasting remnants of decomposed flowers, personally i like rose tea), food that relates to where your phytantype grows (like specific berries, nuts, animals, etc), and food that relates to unique traits your phytantype has (for ex. i like drinks with "fog" or "cloud" in the name). also, hydrate!! water yourself!!

activities

the obvious one is be in the sun for a while, which i love to do, but here are some others: sit on a swing and sway gently in the breeze, look at bugs (but don't bother them-- i used to just sit in a field and watch bees buzz around me), make art/crafts of your phytantype, write about it, read a book set in the place your phytantype grows, make/listen to a playlist that feels like your phytantype, etc.

conservation

look into organizations that work on the conservation of your phytantype and get involved! whether it's joining it, donating, spreading awareness, or doing other actions the organization recommends like calling/sending letters to representatives.

pronouns/names

being referred to as something you associate with your phytanthropy can be very affirming! a generic example would be sun/sunself pronouns since we photosynthesize, but i recommend looking into things more specific to your phytantype. personally, i've thought of names like Sequoia, Sorrel, and Coniferous. some pronoun ideas, off the top of my head from what i know about my phytantype, are fog/fogself, sorrel/sorrelself, fire/fireself, and hollow/hollowself.

- - - disclaimer :: this ask has been sitting w me for a while bc, frankly, it’s not my lane. i’m not shapeshifterkin, which means i don’t have firsthand insight into navigating discomfort w physical identity. i’ve done what research i can & i’m offering this in good faith, but take it accordingly. if u are shapeshifterkin, please feel free to expand, or correct anything here ,, ur input will be more grounded than mine.

dedicated 222 anon ♡

— learn shadowgraphy !! the art of shaping light & shadow w ur hands allows u to form the silhouettes of different animals, then shift fluidly between them.

— sever the self from the script imposed upon it. much of the frustration arises from measuring ur experience against others,, especially the more dramatic portrayals of physical or vividly mental shifts. not all thresholds announce themselves w spectacle. attend instead to the subtle: the drift of instinct, the quiet reorientation of thought, the flicker of imagination. relinquish the tyranny of what ought to occur, and dwell in what is.

— chart the constellations of your own becoming rather than pursuing singular events. when shifts arise (be they mental, emotional, or sensory) regard them as phenomena to be studied, not chased. record their conditions ! what initiated them, their intensity, their duration. over time, patterns will emerge. stress, environment, media consumption, even sleep cycles can all shape these states.

— explore the artifice of transformation as ritual practice. engage w traditions of deliberate metamorphosis. drag, fursuiting, geisha or geiko presentation, clowning. these are literally embodied inquiry into identity’s malleability.

— make transformation accessible, fluid, & cost-effective.

• keep ur hair light to allow for frequent dyeing; rely on non-permanent options such as clip-in extensions or temporary color sprays. this may be a more unconventional approach, but i used to apply eyeshadow to my hair & set w hairspray for a quick, inexpensive shift in appearance.

• favor traditional nail lacquers over gel or acrylic for flexibility in changing color. consider finishes that refract & transform under light.

• colored contacts can be striking, but if ur eyes are sensitive or upkeep is impractical, use color theory !! strategic eyeshadow placement can enhance or alter the perceived tone of your eyes.

• let posture become an extension of transformation. deliberate turns, sudden realignments, fluid transitions, measured gestures, the eloquence of stillness disrupted.

• study the architecture of the face through makeup; contour not merely to enhance, but to reconfigure.

• understand color as an alchemical force. what you wear reshapes perception.

• choose accessories as instruments of transformation. invest in pieces that transform w light or temperature, such as holographic or iridescent materials, or mood-reactive jewelry.

• cultivate a mutable silhouette through layering, asymmetry, & transformable garments. reversible jackets, adaptable hoodies, or the interplay of contrasting textures such as gloss + matte or leather + sheer.

— DIY ur own gear. while purchasing accessories like ears, fangs, or tails can be satisfying, crafting them yourself allows for precision & personalization at every level, often resulting in a deeper sense of alignment.

— immerse yourself in the shapeshifting entities beyond the familiar !!

• the aswang of the philippines

• the bultungin of west africa, artisans by day, hyenas by night

• the rakshasas of india

• the yee naaldlooshii of navajo tradition

• the obayifo of the ashanti, luminous & predatory

• the chīchyōtl of mesoamerica

• the mujina of japan, elusive in human guise

• the selkies of celtic lore, shedding skin to cross between sea and shore

within these stories lies a mirror of the enduring fascination with the fluidity of form & self !!