Authentic moment: Quarantine and virtual university classes have really taken a toll on me. Early March, I felt weirdly intrigued by this off-time and the ability to spend some extra time with my family. I decided to try new recipes, purged my entire wardrobe, and started a vegetable garden. As the months have droned on, I have done a complete 180. I constantly feel unmotivated, lonely, and existential. The forced change in scenery initially seemed like a gift, but now it feels like an unmovable dark cloud. Even now that my days are filled with classes, my tutoring job, and LSAT prep, when I lay my head down at night, tears roll down my face as I struggle to find a bright spot in my day. Prayer has been difficult. When I finally muster the will to do it, I feel empty and discouraged. I say all this because I think it's important for Christians to talk about the bad times as well as the good times. It feels disingenuous to talk only about the hills and never the valleys. While it is hard to contextualize at this moment, I do believe that it is when we are in the valleys that we grow stronger. I don’t feel strong at the moment, but I don’t think the valley lasts forever.

A small source of happiness during quarantine has been my vegetable garden. I think I was watching a news report when a family was talking about how they decided to plant a vegetable garden for fun during quarantine. I felt inspired and asked my Dad if we could plant one. He said yes without hesitation. (I’m realizing now how cool of him that was.) He bought all of the supplies and then some, as my 21st birthday gift. My brother helped me put together the boxes and we assembled this vegetable garden. I wouldn’t trade that time spent with both of those men for anything.

Putting a garden together takes a lot of work, let me tell you! And at the height of summer, it was a hot and humid task. After putting together the boxes, we had to loosen the soil to encourage growth and put trash bags down to prevent grass from growing inside the box. Then, we had to put in all of our soil and plant our crops. After researching and speaking to the expert farmer, my grandpa, we figured out which vegetables would grow best in the summer season (tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and peppers).

Seeing something that my boys and I put together, grow vegetables has been a real joy in my life. Picking fresh basil for our Papa John’s pizza is such a small yet joyful moment. Having to learn about each plant and its needs has given me something easy to think about instead of the horrors that lay right outside. Hearing only the sound of chirping birds as I clean out the beds, is my new self-care time. It may seem trivial, but in some ways, I believe my garden and the care it requires has given me the perfect outlet while we remain in quarantine.

Maybe gardening, bugs, and plants aren’t your thing. They weren’t always mine, but we all evolve and grow. If you’ve been feeling anything close to what I’ve been feeling—even if being a green thumb isn’t your cup of tea—I suggest you find the thing that brings you peace and purpose. Gardening doesn’t take away all my anxiety forever, but for the 45 mins to 1 hour I’m working, I am serene. What does that look like for you? What is keeping you sane during these uncertain times? Something else I would like to encourage is for you to be open and honest with a receptive loved one about your mental health. Just because we believe God is in control doesn’t mean we have to be strong ALL the time. In fact, it's impossible. I always find that when I am authentic about how I am feeling, my burden lightens. Half of the battle is feeling like we have to endure it all by ourselves. If you don’t have a family member who will be receptive, drop your feelings below in the comments! Women who are fearless and favoured are supportive of other women, so no judgment!

I’ll be praying for you and please be praying for me! And remember that you are valued and loved always. You don’t lose value by admitting when you are weak because as the Bible says, “for when I am weak, I am strong”. So be encouraged strong woman and find a pastime that brings a bit of serenity to your life.

Love, Dom

Now That My Frontal Lobe Has Developed....

I turned 25 years old this month, and it has been a journey getting here. Scientifically, your brain is supposed to be fully developed at 25, so I guess there is no longer an excuse for being a knucklehead anymore. But the truth is, I still feel 12 years old—unsure of myself, worried about making friends, and fighting off acne on my forehead. All of those challenges remain, except now I have a light bill to pay too.

fearless chronicles: take control of your social media

The other day I was hanging with a friend and their partner. We were discussing Tiktok and the type of content that pops up on our respective feeds. My friend’s partner commented that they wished they could see the type of content we see and sort of threw up their hands as if Tiktok had condemned them to the unfunny side of the app.

fearless chronicles: is therapy all it's cracked up to be?

As a self-proclaimed fearless woman, I thought for 2023, I could talk about the tools that have helped me become a better, more self-aware person. I should preface that I am not a perfect person and I do not strive to be. To me, becoming “THAT GIRL” as Tiktok likes to call any self-assured woman, is about finding peace in solitude, practicing mental and physical wellness, and building healthy relationships with others. It is not about reaching perfection or becoming someone without basic human emotions.

If You Have to Beg, It's Not For You

So, the other day I had a major breakthrough in therapy. I discovered that for most of my life, I have felt the intense need to prove myself to everyone around me. The more distant and disapproving someone was, the more I felt the need to win them over. So much so that I felt annoyed with people who loved me for me, no strings attached.

10 Shows/Movies That Ooze Summer

It’s summer, and it’s time to take that after-pool day shower (a top-tier human experience) and sit down to watch a binegable show. It can be hard to find shows that capture the season, but look no further because I have compiled a list of ten shows that express June-August perfectly!

Girl, Get Out of That Small Town

Just a few days ago, I finished my first year of law school. It took 15 hours of testing and many research and writing assignments to close the door on the first chapter of my legal career. I was and still am pretty wiped out. No one tells you how strange you will feel after finally achieving something you never thought would end, but yeah— it’s really weird. After your adrenaline has been pumping for two weeks straight, you feel a crash. There’s a moment when you realize that the academic validation didn’t feel as good as you imagined it would.

A New Year, A New You!

Hey, besties! Long time no post. Truth time: I have not been as consistent with posting as I planned before beginning this law school journey. Maybe you can relate? Was there something you planned to do this year and totally dropped the ball? Luckily for me and you, we can always make a fresh start, and not just because a new year is approaching. You can choose any day as your new year.

Life Update: Law School & ✨Adulthood ✨

Woah girlies it’s been more than a minute since we last spoke. I can’t believe it’s already October aka Spooky Season! Law school has a way of making time seem slow when you want to speed up and fast when you want to slow down. And the only reason I’m able to write this post is that I’m on fall break, and I knew I had to squeeze some time in to update you all on life as it is now.

Why Self-Love Seems Rebellious

I’ve watched Olympic gymnastics for as long as I can remember. I was named after Olympic gold medalist, Dominique Dawes. I bought books and watched documentaries about Gabby Douglas leading up to and after the 2012 Summer Olympics, hoping to understand more about the petite, but powerful young woman. And slightly related, I was obsessed with the ABC Family show, Make It or Break It, a tv drama about young gymnasts trying to accomplish their Olympic dreams. I say all this to say that when it’s time to watch the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team, I am all in.

When Being the Main Character Goes Wrong

Just a couple of scrolls through Instagram, Tiktok, or really any social media platform, you will run into a message about taking charge of your life and “being the main character”. This “main character” message has become so prevalent that just the other day, I saw back-to-back videos encouraging me to “stop being a side character in my own life”. At its core, there is a wholesome message of self love, but it's important not to warp the message into self-centeredness.

6 Ways to Incorporate Sustainability Into Your Summer

My sustainability journey really began in January 2020. I was watching a BestDressed YouTube video when she explained why she thrifts much of her clothing. It intrigued me that a majority of her fabulous collection was secondhand. I couldn’t believe that you could be so fashionable and environmentally ethical. This shock led me to research just how much of an impact fast fashion has on the environment. And I made the decision to only thrift my clothes for a whole year.

Choosing People Who Choose You

I swear I’m not trying to flex when I say this, but my heart is a little too big. By that I mean, it’s too open and available. All it takes is one positive interaction for me to care about someone and to invest in their feelings towards me. The problem with keeping a “For Rent” sign on your heart is that you remain in a constant state of instability and unease.

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