My dad used to get really mad at me. He’d sharply say “Nora, ton corps n’est pas coupé en deux!!!” (that’s French for “your body is not cut in half”)

Splitting ourselves in half puts a toll on our well-being. This idea that we have to be one thing keeps us overworking, inauthentic and untrue to ourselves.

That’s what I love about the space n’between. There are no rules.

Investing in yourself is the greatest act of self-love. Saying YES to yourself is liberating. But instead, you hide. You don’t take that risk. You minimize your gifts

Have you ever NOT pursued an opportunity cause you didn’t think you were enough? Shame holds us back as n'betweeners. Shame leads to unrealized potential..(!!!)

You finally feel like you found community… You’re the ONLY [fill in the blank], and crave to be with people who just get you.

BUT then this thing happens..

Trying to say the “perfect” thing when you witness a sexist/racist encounter? Hide your pain and smile to not make someone uncomfortable?

It’s exhausting always trying to get it right… (cause you can’t!)

Living in a system that focuses on hyper-individualism inevitably leads to loneliness. Being lonely is worse than smoking 15 cigarettes a day (!). We need community to thrive and survive. It’s a basic human need.

The most difficult emotional experience is often not fear or sadness. It’s J O Y. Joy asks us to be vulnerable. Sometimes it’s easier to push away love, than to receive it. When do boldly embody joy ?

The doors to n’between are OPEN...!! We're so used to feeling we don’t belong, but you don’t have to to feel that way here. I WANT you here. The real you. The good, the bad and the ugly.

Have you taken the time to integrate 2022? Capitalism imposes achievement and accomplishment only - no integration allowed.

The value isn’t placed on our connection to self.. but merely results.

There can be so much pressure on the new year, even if you don’t necessarily buy into the new year resolutions. There can be an expectation of growth and change to look in a particular way. What if you lived a life with no regrets?

That is the literal translation in French. It means stop worrying. Don't get in your head about it. In a capitalistic world, we learn that there is ONE right way of doing things. As n’betweeners we learn to strictly follow the rules so we feel a sense of belonging.

Grief can be particularly intense during the end of the year. Maybe it brings up old challenging memories. Maybe it reminds you of someone you lost. Maybe you feel like time is flying away from you. Maybe you have expectations on what your life "should" look like right now.

As n’betweeners we often latch onto our oppressed sides. We tend to overidentify with it, to the point that we forget our privileged identities. We play the whole Oppression Olympics. Privilege means different things in different contexts. One place you might be poor and another you’re rich.

Can you honor the natural slowness that accompanies this time of year? Allow the early darkness and colder weather to bring you peace. You may be fighting the urge to move slow by keeping yourself busy with work, plans, and activities.

As the days get darker in the northern hemisphere, we naturally look for comfort. The darkness brings on feelings of hibernation. In the US, it’s Thanksgiving tomorrow, and there is a lot we can say about this oppressive holiday, but one thing that we can feel grateful for is the food.

Internalized Oppression (IO) is the internal violence we enact against ourselves. We basically “buy into” the negative and oppressive messages about who we are. This severely impacts our mental health.

Growth only happens through change. But that does not mean it has to feel comfortable. I think no matter how much change you’ve experienced, it’s always going to be a little jarring. I recently made a B I G change in my life. Something I've been avoiding for over a decade. But last week, I effing did it.

Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure to ask this question to a person who is very special to me. Someone whose jokes manage to inspire me every day. Someone who makes feel seen, and less alone. Someone who has served as my greatest n’betweener teacher. Trevor Noah.

The issue with cancel culture is that it gives you no room to redeem yourself. No opportunity to learn and change. So you hold yourself back in fear of being judged. You don’t say or do the thing that could actually propel you forward. Like starting that new blog or expressing yourself on the internet.

Let me tell you this, you’re not alone. All of your complex feels are welcome at the space. There is no wrong way of being an n’betweener. I want you to invest in yourself so you can live the life you deserve.