Happy Saturday Morning! When I was young and having social difficulties at school, my parents started giving me a quarter every day when I got home from school if I could tell them one good thing about my day. It felt ridiculous, but it made such a difference in helping me be positive and optimistic. And the money didn't hurt either I'd love to hear some of the things that you all love about being trans or gender variant. And if nothing comes to mind, keep trying... nothing is ALL bad. For instance, I love the perspective that being trans has given me on gender and behaviour. Most people never question WHY they do the things that they do and like the things they like, they just do what they feel they are supposed to do. Being trans has forced me to take a step back and really examine who I want to be AND also to justify to myself why I want to be that person. That exercise wasn't easy, but has most definitely allowed me own and internalize my identity rather than just taking it for granted. I don't have any quarters to give away, but I hope that you will share something positive anyway!
Well, mostly I like that it gives me insight. It gives me insight on what's it's like to be a social minority, on the community, and so on - it also provides me with a platform to help people in need. I can also identify with what you said. : )
Coping with challenges and difficulties is at the heart of personal growth. I know that since I realized that I was trans, I grew by leaps and bounds and became a much more complete person. I can feel it everywhere in my life and it has most definitely made my life feel like a journey. No matter how much sadness and pain this journey has brought with it, I don't regret walking down this road, because I feel alive and I am at long last moving forward in life. I also agree with Invidia, the experiences that I went through over the last year give me some new tools to connect to others and help them. I've never really been able to reach out as I've done so often over the last year and I am grateful to those that have accepted me and listened as I am to those that shared their story and helped me cope. (*hug*)
I like being me and now having this understanding of why I did a lot of the things I did when I was a kid and teen. I love having this clarity and I wish I could tell her everything turns out all right in the end and just to embrace being who she is. I love the things I've experienced since I've done that and what they have taught me about my friends who I love very much. I feel I understand them on a deeper level than if I were merely on the outside looking in. I've dared some things I'd never have guessed otherwise (doubt I would have wanted to), deepened relationships, met some really great people in the "family." I love who we are across the spectrum and I love following everyone's journeys.
