Dear Reader,

We all think about life. Like a lot. It's almost too consuming because it's everything we are, everything we know, and it's what keeps our mind busy and our hands at work. What's next? What should I be doing for my future? What should I not be doing? Who knows if I’ll even have that future? Am I becoming who I want to become? So many big picture questions when really I’m learning that it's just as important to question the here and now- the present. What am I feeling at this moment right now? What are the circumstances that lead to my emotions and moods? Why do I approach the world in the way I do? What is in my control and what is not? Am I being receptive to those and the world around me? And at the same time... how is the world symbiotically affecting me and how can I make the most of that? Not to mention, how do I find the balance between hard work/sacrifice and finding balance, peace, and harmony? Does it always feel halfway possible? Well, I've found that you're set if you can learn to just appreciate the little and most impactful joys of life, yet that's not to say that the challenges and tribulations are not tiring and tense. We can only hope to reap the rewards of all our perseverance.

After all, what is this all for? The million-dollar question to an answer you have to create and make meaning for yourself. To work a 9-5 and keep our heads down, no I refuse that. It's the time spent in between all of our busy work and grind that matters just as much, along with the ability to keep evolving. Each year as I grow older and the world sits a little bit heavier on my shoulders, I realize this more and more- it's mastering the balance between responsibilities, work, friendships, love, personal time, exploration, pets/children, relaxation, hobbies/studies, travel, creativity, and relationship to self. How do we manage it all? How do we keep improving? By taking the time to reflect and honor your emotions/experiences and being intentional about how we present ourselves in front of the world and most importantly to ourselves. We all spend so much time in our own heads. I'm here to recognize and welcome the good, the bad, and the ugly because we all go through it, no human is excluded. Everything is a learning curve for conquering the continual change that life offers us. The more in tune you are, the easier it becomes...maybe even fun.

Why did I create this blog?

It's extremely beneficial to write things down, even if it is to dash out an idea or quick concept that comes to us in addition to those profound deep discoveries. It helps us feel in touch with ourselves and regulate how we process everything that is thrown at us. There are so many intricate navigations through life. This is me transferring some of my internal transcript into something tangible for myself and anyone willing to read. If you made it to this point, hello and thank you. It means a lot that you're here. I hope you also take the time to reflect and process your thoughts, emotions, and experiences, as they are just as genuine and valid as mine. Allow yourself the space to sort it out. This personal blog is now my space, shared with you. This will serve as a sanctuary where my thoughts can be safe and protected, hence the name of my blog Self Sanctuary. I ask you to be kind and non-judgmental, as I am just trying to figure out all these questions too. By sharing, I hope that if someone reads they can feel a sense of familiarity and connection through honest and raw thoughts. Maybe you can relate, maybe you've had these thoughts too in some shape or form. Or maybe we are just as uniquely human and complex through our existence...and we can at least find comfort in that. Complexly and inevitably individual, but also united. I think it can be easy to feel isolated through it all. I hope this can be a way to talk about real life subjects in a way that it's not isolating, either for myself or for you.

If you couldn't tell...

I think about my place in this world a lot. Who am I in relation to myself? My friends? My partner? My parents? My coworkers? My pet (or child)? This society? My community? To strangers on the street? It is so easy to feel so small, insignificant even. There are so many factors to consider and try to balance as each facet of life bleeds into each other. On the bright side of all this juggling, at the end of the day all I need and hope to be is kind, patient and receptive. If I can be all these things, I truly am doing okay. You are too. Being successful in doing so means we are doing the internal work necessary for transformations mind, body, and soul. In this blog, my goal is to document the various topics that are relevant to my life right now: mental health, being in my early 20's, being a Gen Z, being a woman (that's loaded), self care, body image, relationships, childhood and adulthood, improvements and goals, hopes/wishes/desires, things that bring me joy, things that bring me sadness, trying new things, finding my purpose, etc. Easy task right. Wish me luck, but it's not like I have to be perfect or filtered about this. This is me and this is real, we have to stop expecting ourselves to be perfect all the time. I think it's hard for some people to be open and honest at times, but for me I could have never made it this far and met the amazing people I've met by building walls and barriers. I've only ever found true revelation and rejoice through moments and conversations of vulnerability and openness. I once heard someone say that our human lives on Earth would be the most challenging experience we would ever dare to accept, but we chose to dive in knowing that it would also reveal what it feels like to love, laugh, and learn intensely and that is enough to make it worthwhile. I will honor that notion as well. So, cheers to what I have learned and to what I will keep on learning.

Join me through it.

Peace and love,

Emma

Song of the Blog: (a bop off my playlist)

Sins (let me in) by Kanii