Created & Edited by Leah Oviedo This zine is produced by ImpowerYou.org & Patreon.com/Loviedo
In this issue:
”About Me” by Inisa Fajra “The Young and Eccentric Sun” by Iris Orpi D.I.Y. Therapy: Stop Comparing Art by Leah Closing Quote Cultivating Radical Self-Love – Free Book
Read previous issues at Impoweryou.org/radical
What is Radical about? Radical is a creative arts zine supporting the idea that we should live our journeys on our own terms. It is moving beyond expectations and limits to see what we are made of. It is forging our own paths and creating an accepting, compassionate community along our way. I created this monthly e-zine to spread a message of sustainable self-care and to promote independent artists, writers, and healers. I was depressed for seventeen years and now am thriving! Healing my depression and trauma has been an epic journey. I’m still learning, but I have never made a better decision. Choosing to love myself unconditionally and heal my depression is the reason I am still alive today. Peace and hugs, Leah
Like this zine? Become a one-time or monthly patron: Patreon.com/Loviedo Want to contribute? Send an email to Leah: investinginwomen@gmail.com.
>> About Me << I used to be a full-on child that felt unloved, Like a soft hand in armour shields that became ungloved. I thought I must be a bad one, at fault, the black sheep, I was always looking for the answers in my sleep. Why, I asked myself, why do I feel like poisoned wine? Something that is meant to be so sweet, so fine. But instead it tastes like burnt ashes and it smells of smoke, I gasp for answers, for anything, but instead I’d choke. When you’re born and grow you’re like flower bud, you see You are what you’re given in order to develop in what you can be. My life brought many challenges my way, That felt so hard at times that I didn’t want to stay. I was a goner, I gave up, I stopped and thought ‘I’m done’ But then my spirit, life, turned to me and said ‘we’re going for another run’ So I ran, you see, I ran far, without thinking twice I didn’t need nothing else, nobody, no advice. They called me brave, courageous, because they didn’t know, That I was so miserable, so hurt and scared that I couldn’t grow. It’s easy, I always say, to want to run and leave when things are bad, You just gotta find your feet, and then, my darling, you’ll run like mad. They call me strong these days, and they still say that I am brave As if I didn’t come from mud, a flower bud with life to crave. Floating now atop the murky waters and with roots set into the dark, The purple lotus has now blossomed with yellow in the middle, which is my spark.
Inisa Fajra is a fire woman, a believer in the transformative powers of fire and everlasting change. She has travelled and worked in countries across the world, igniting her passion for the new and unknown. Recently abandoning her biggest passion and dreams of a career, Inisa decided to pursue a life, where careers are of no importance, but spiritual exploration, uplifting and love give life a meaning. We often seem to have it the other way around. She currently resides in Vietnam. As her priority in life, Inisa puts believing & dreaming (both carrying the same meaning) - into making yourself and your world into whatever you’d like it to be and being part of the energies that shift, move & travel through time. She writes by ‘translating poetry in people talk’, silencing external distractions with real food for the soul through her poems and short stories. You can follow her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenowomenally
>> The Young and Eccentric Sun << I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be that negotiation, that yin and yang with clean-cut edges of life arriving in increments I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be that symmetry of knowing and undoing, the landscape where the tamed madness of the sky flatlines and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taboo to elect innocence over jadedness for I do not love to fall within the bell curve, I love that outlier love, that spike in the stats love and I dream in exceptions I am an exponent of a past life give me a destiny sealed with omniscience as the sum of my choices but with a little corner stage and a blank page to accommodate an ad-libbed springtime, an uncontrived connection with another lost soul who is friends with the thesaurus and eats bebop for breakfast turn me into a radioactive verse that rips through the concrete monochrome, pulls up the blinds and stumbles on greatness like a drunk in the rain
devil’s advocating in concentrated doses to expose the purity of your truth, of every truth I’d like to yarn-bomb the status quo, seduce wildfires and become the swirling, unpredictable passion of desert storms, the oblation, the second wife of reason, the spontaneous dance aboard the train to revolution, the badass ending and the clamorous call for encore Iris Orpi is a Filipina writer living in Chicago, IL. She is the author of the novel The Espresso Effect and two books of collected poetry, Cognac for the Soul and Beautiful Fever. She was an Honorable Mention for the annual Contemporary American Poetry Prize in 2014. Her work has appeared in over two dozen online and print publications around Asia, North America, Europe, and Africa. Follow Iris on twitter.com/irisorpi & facebook.com/irisorpi
>> D.I.Y. Therapy: Stop Comparing << One of the nastiest ways we can feel bad about ourselves, and stunt our growth, is when we compare our bodies, minds, and accomplishments to others. There will always be someone smarter, stronger, younger, prettier or more accomplished. That’s okay. In elementary school, I learned it was not okay to be “less” than others. I became obsessed with comparing my status to my peers. I also felt like I was never as smart as my older siblings. I barely remember a time when I didn’t question my intellect and abilities. Another side effect of depression is how much confidence you can lose. I constantly doubted myself and often felt so sad that I couldn’t make decisions. So, I stopped learning, stopped trying to be better. I was convinced that this was as smart as I could be and that I was basically a loser. I became my own bully long after school ended and the bullies were no longer in my life. I believed I was less than others. Do you fall into the “Less Than” trap?
1. When you look at another person are you thinking they look better?
2. Do you resent them for their looks or confidence? 3. Are you comparing yourself to them? If you answered yes to any or all than you’re stuck in the same trap I was stuck in. This isn’t unique. Every day I hear people say disparaging words to themselves. This isn’t just an issue that women deal with. I have talked with grown men who shared their own insecurities because they don’t look have the ‘right look’ of six pack muscles, perfectly toned skin and features like the men they see in the media. We really need to crush this idea of always being “more than”. We are perfectly imperfect beings and together we can start a revolution of appreciating ourselves. While these days I rarely find myself comparing my life to others, the thoughts do occasionally pop into my mind lasting only until I become conscious of my suddenly negative outlook. At this point I can stop myself fast, but arriving at this place took practice. This required me to pay attention to ALL of my thoughts and be patient with myself as I changed my thought patterns. Our thoughts become our habits and habits become addicting. A helpful fact in changing your thoughts is realizing that we are biologically wired to be creatures of habit. It seems to me that most of our addictions arise unconsciously. Steps to changing your thoughts.
1. Live in the present. Don’t compare where you are to where you want to be. Challenge yourself to accomplish goals that are important to you, not goals that society defines as important. Learn what your strengths are and use those to get what you want out of life. 2. Be aware of your weaknesses. This is important because when we consciously say no to unwanted behavior, then we have more time to spend on positives. 3. Focus on self-care. You’ll feel and look your best when you have emotional and physical balance. Eat healthier food, pay attention to how your body feels and what you put in it and on it. Junky fast food and toxic chemicals in our personal care products cause our body to work overtime to protect against what we are willingly adding to ourselves. 4. Don’t fall into the less than trap. To truly love your body and appreciate your beauty you must consciously monitor your thoughts and actions. While this, like all new tasks can be difficult at first, controlling our thought patterns eventually becomes an instinct. Write the following affirmation and place it somewhere you can look at it daily: “I live in the present, I am aware of my weaknesses, I focus on self-care, I won’t fall into the less than trap.” Most of life is about learning and growing, not reaching one peak and never trying anything higher. Remember that you are perfectly imperfect.
If you like this practice, you can find a free 10 week e-course to help with healing depression on my website: ImpowerYou.org/healing-depression
>> “Albuqerque Sol” by Leah Oviedo <<
I created and photographed this piece while strolling along the ditches of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. This is titled “Albuquerque Sol” (‘sol’ means ‘sun’ in Spanish). I chose that title because the city is located in the high desert with a strong and powerful sun. Along with rocks, the sun is a dominant force in this land of enchantment. To me, the sun represents the soul of Albuquerque. Without the sun we wouldn’t grow, so it seemed a fitting piece for the March theme of growth.
>> Closing Quote
<<
“Growth requires change. Change can cause anxiety, but I’d rather try and be unsure about my choice than stuck in a life that makes me unhappy.”
“Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists and Writers” What is radical self-love? It’s a letting go of the idea that your worth is tied to your future accomplishments. It’s being accountable for your actions. It’s choosing your own path. Self-love manifests itself in different ways for different people. By cultivating radical self-love, you are choosing to believe in the radical idea that you are whole and valuable as you are. Loving your imperfections is one of the bravest things you can do. This book features work by Michelle Minero, Kiyoshi Shelton, Jaz Gray, Corry Lang, Natalie Small, Rae Lawrence, Jason Freeman, Jasmine Farrell, Anaid Garcia, Donovan Cheney, Vidya, Katrina Mendoza and Leah Oviedo. These amazing people are different genders, skin tones, sexual orientations, abilities, spiritual beliefs. What they all share is knowing that self-love is an important aspect of everyone’s journey. Choose your e-book format or PDF on Patreon.com/Loviedo.
Need help with depression? Try my FREE e-course full of tools to help you heal from the inside out: Impoweryou.org/healing-depression Like to color? I have free coloring pages on my website: Impoweryou.org/color Buying a gift? Check out my art and merchandise at Zazzle.com/Oviedostyle
THANK YOU – YOU ARE POWERFUL!