I worked in a busy mall in the middle of an international suburban city from the ages of 22-25. I held jobs in cafes and retail. Overtime I started to notice a pattern, or rather something that interrupted the pattern. Something that affected how many people were in the mall. It was beyond the typical understanding that “weekends are busier than weekdays” or if a holiday was coming up we would see more people. Those patterns exist and are easily mapped out and accounted for, but the ones that stood out to me were the ones where there was no known reason for why we are seeing an influx of people in the mall, or why it's empty when for every known reason it should be busy.
It's these blips in the regular pattern that captivate me. I want to know beyond the obvious. What are the influences we have yet to name. And just like we can notice these unseen cause and effects outside of us—there are things that influence the actions we take, the choices we avoid, and the life we live. Some of these things can be seen with a microscope, such as the bacteria in our gut affecting our mood or sleep.
However, there are things that are seen and felt through your own psyche. Things such as what you believe and don't believe. What you desire and why you desire it. What energizes and what drains you.
But why does any of this matter?
These subtle forces are the foundation of your identity. Your identity isn't just who you tell yourself to be. It is also what you think others need you need to be.
It’s how you relate to yourself with the stories you tell, and especially how you tell the story is more important than the story itself. To someone looking on the outside your identity can appear exactly the same, but when you change how you relate to that identity you shift negative aspects of your identity and channel them in new ways.
I will be hosting an online workshop on Zoom where we will explore our own hidden self through a writing exercise. And it’s free!
This is an exercise that works best in groups so invite a friend or family member!
12pm est. on Sunday September 28th
✧ Event RSVP Link ✧
This looks amazing, I will try to make it!