Welcome!

Hello and welcome!  I feel really grateful you took some time to check out my little area of the internet.  My name is Christina and this blog is a place where my ADHD brain is on full display — current curiosities, musings, interests and I'm sure some millennial cringe.  Professionally, I work in mental health as a dietitian and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist.  What I really hope comes from this is simple: connection.

The world right now in so many ways feels disjointed, confusing, scary, and isolating.  No matter how small, I believe connection can foster greater understanding, open mindedness, and a collective shift towards healing.

Brene Brown said the following in her book “The Gifts of Imperfection” about connection:

I love how Brene specifically uses the word "energy" here. Energy or vibes can be just as impactful as our words. Have you ever entered a room or conversation and can viscerally feel the vibes of it - pleasant or unpleasant?

I hope sharing parts of my humanness can create micro moments of connection with others. I can't tell you how many times I've watched a TikTok and have felt SEEN even though I never spoke to that person and have zero relationship with them.

Why did I name this blog "The Alchemy of Truth"?

Alchemy is a cool word. It sounds powerful, mysterious, and tough. Wikipedia informed me that the etymology of the world alchemy has evolved over the years. It is derived from words in Old French, Medieval Latin, Arabic, and Late Greek.

Together this association can be interpreted as 'the process of transmutation by which to fuse or reunite with the divine or original form'.

I have always had an intense desire to know the truth (of anything really). As I have gotten more in touch with my intuition and self-trust, I've learned I have a pretty strong radar for bullshit. Being truthful requires self-awareness, integrity, authenticity, and vulnerability. The Alchemy of Truth will be my truths (no matter how silly or serious) and hopefully fostering a connection of truthful energy among others.

Why am I creating this now?

The past decade has challenged me in many ways. Through lots of therapy and increasing self-trust, I am learning to alchemize my truths. Big themes have included:

• Less perfectionism and imposter syndrome

• Less all or nothing / black and white thinking

• Less reliant on external validation

• Experiencing significant grief for the first time in my life

• More trusting of my intuition

• More self-compassion

• Cultivating more curiosity about myself

• Developing better boundaries

• Becoming acutely aware of my capacity and energy and honoring that

• Advocating for myself and my needs

• Feeling more self-assured

All of this unbelievably hard work has led to an overall more authentic and alchemized version of myself. However, imposter syndrome enters the chat.

Imposter syndrome is a psychological experience where an individual persistently doubts their skills, talents, or accomplishments and has an internalized, pervasive fear of being exposed as a "fraud". Despite external evidence of their competence, they often attribute their success to luck or good timing rather than their own abilities.

Imposter syndrome is very against me putting myself out there without an iron clad 100-point plan of how exactly to move forward with all this and to plan for every possible scenario that could arise. For those who know me, I would not be considered a "roll with the punches" kind of gal. And yet the amount of time, energy and thought that has gone into this simple first post is.......well, an embarrassing amount.

What are the plans here?

So many ideas!! And also I don't know yet. Yep, you heard that right. I don't know....yet.

I'm reading a book you may have heard of called "Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World" by Anne-Laure Le Cunff. In a chapter about "social flow" she writes:

What I like to call a curiosity circle is a community centered around a genuine connection and peer learning. It could be around a common interest or a shared experience, and eligibility to join should not be based on expertise but on curiosity.

When I read this my insides exclaimed "YAAASSSSS!" The author also says "Don't hold the reins too tight. While having a vision is important, too much structure can stifle spontaneity and creativity." We will see where curiosity takes it.

While I don't know (yet), there are intentions.

In an effort to promote a cozy and inclusive environment, here are the intentions I have for this space:

• Sometimes silly, sometimes serious

• Leaning into random curiosities

• Inclusive space for all

• Honest conversations

• Creating at a pace that feels comfortable and realistic to me

• Learning and changing in real-time (not producing only a shiny, finished product)

• Accepting mistakes will be made along the way

• Taking responsibility if unintentional harm is caused

• Fostering an environment of curiosity and connection

So, yeah, there it is. I truly am glad you're here.

Let's go forth, be curious, and create.

Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?

Taylor Swift, "The Alchemy"