I Remember This Part

By Joy Paris in Pain, Self Care, Self-esteem 0 Comment

Over the past 6 months, I have been practicing what it feels like to be alone with myself. Not just alone, but really spending time with myself. I realized that I’d never in my life done that. Yes, I’m an introvert and love spending time in the quiet with my cat, with Netflix, with a glass of wine, but always WITH something.

I was going through something really rough and trying to make some big life decisions so I decided to rid my life of distractions for a month. No Netflix, no alcohol, no going out with friends, no Facebook, nothing. The only things I allowed myself to do other than work was school, reading, and exercising. Let me tell you, it was painful. Listening to the thoughts that go through my head and letting myself stop and feel the grief. It’s not fun. It’s not fun to let the tears fall and not allow yourself to call someone to hold you through it. But it’s real. ...  Read more

A Perfect Fit

By Joy Paris in Self-esteem, Shame 0 Comment

I was in a yoga clinic the other day getting increasingly frustrated when I blurted out, “I just think my arms are too short.” I’d been trying to do many different balances over the past few months feeling like I’m constantly overcompensating for my short wingspan. The teacher stopped me from my next attempt and got the entire class’ attention. Then she asked another girl come to the front of the room.

I’d been watching this girl since the beginning of the class secretly envying her practice and her body type. She was very tall and slender, and of course had very long arms. The teacher says to the other girl, Joy thinks her arms are too short. The girl responded, “I’m always saying my arms are too long!” We both had to laugh a bit, and the teacher had us get into a side angle position (pictured to the left if you’re not a yogi) and showed us how we fit into ourselves. She said touch the ground and see how your arm fits the exact length of your leg? I looked at the other girl, and it was true. Then she had us stand back up and put our arms next to each other and hers were almost laughably longer than mine. The teacher reiterated, yes their bodies are made differently, but they fit into themselves. ...  Read more

Midwives for Haiti

By Joy Paris in Maternity 0 Comment

“If we don’t do this, who will?” -Nadene Brunk, Founder

Midwives for Haiti was founded by Nadene Brunk, an American midwife. After a trip to Haiti, she was shocked by the lack of prenatal care in the country and felt the call to do something. “In rural Haiti, only 25% of mothers have access to a skilled birth attendant during childbirth.  For the poorest women, this number falls to 9.6. (UNICEF 2013).” While most women can’t afford health care, even those who can are often turned away due to the severe understaffing of Haitian hospitals. ...  Read more

When Dreams Become Dangerous

By Joy Paris in Love, Relationships 0 Comment

Dreams are beautiful, right? They help us to reach farther, try harder, never give up on ourselves. So they must be a good thing. But what happens when trying harder and not letting go starts to suffocate you? That’s my story, and I know this same story belongs to many of you.

To everyone reading this that has “the one that got away,” maybe this will finally bring you some peace. I’ve had my own. He’s a wonderful, amazing person and I will always love him in some way. He taught me so much in the time that we were together and in the times inbetween. I learned how to be vulnerable, how to fight for things instead of allowing myself to be the victim, how to truly selflessly love, how to hold on, but most importantly, how to let go. ...  Read more