Follow-up to Gemini Man.

“An adult who learned how to protect the inner child, and soothe the rage built in-between us.”

The story behind how I came up with that quote is a strong one that happened this year.

In short, a famous creator asked us during his panel to come up with a tagline about ourselves. Part of me wanted to sound cool and edgy, but being real mattered more.

Coming up with that in the moment was emotional, and months later it still is. To have made it weeks before the blog’s one year anniversary couldn’t have come at a better time. To have started it by talking mostly to my old self for the first 9 entries, now using one line to speak to more of me.

Research, therapy, and healthy outlets have been important this entire time. Secular or not, personally connected or being an audience member, there’s always a message I needed to hear from people that came to me right on time.

Apollonia Ponti and her team of experts were the first set of people I listened to. Mostly for their relationship advice during a time of significant heartbreak, but they had more to share outside of relationship topics, yet still tied to it that became key to my own discoveries. One of her videos on trauma bonds is what set me up to do the work you’ve seen on here.

Elevation Church was another one on the road to healing. My first experience with them was in person in North Carolina, but continued to follow them online ever since. My history and thoughts on religion are unique to the more devout, but I’ll never deny the impact nearly every pastor that spoke there has made for me.

Psych2Go is another one that’s done with more creative visuals that add more depth, and sometimes a bit of humor to their topics. Like the others I mentioned, it often gets deep, but they’re with you the entire time in ways that may match your comforts. They also encourage their audience to continue their education on their topics, along with seeking professional help.

Change Church is the last one I’ll mention here. Of the other religious themed ones I can say, I love the fact that their lead pastor, Dr. Dharius Daniels, often titles his sermons after entertainment media. For my long-time followers, that should sound familiar. Like I said about Elevation, there’s many positive things to take away from it, even if religious outlets aren’t for you.

It was in me to say these sources because I don’t always make time to cite them, or any. This is a short list, too. It’s all helped in bringing out the questions, perspectives, and hopeful parts of me that I rejected or was denied since I was a child, and even harder into adulthood where I learned what to call out, and what to call certain behaviors.

Pain, protection, and perseverance became my purpose. I couldn’t have realized that without everyone that’s on my side. I thank and love them the way they love me.

In case no one else tells you, I thank and love you, too.*

D.F.

*A loose nod to Mel Robbins.