Using sugar to manage existential distress creates a frustrating loop—short-term relief followed by mental spirals about the consequences. This cycle can feel impossible to break, but understanding its function in regulating stress and shifting how we engage with it can provide a way forward.

For most of my life, my body has felt heavy, like I was being pulled downward. I always hunched, curled inward, and unconsciously shrank into myself. Recently, I’ve started stretching and arching my back, and for the first time, I feel like my body is expanding—like I’m becoming three-dimensional. This shift feels profound, but also unfamiliar, as if I’m learning a new way to exist in my own skin.

I'm realizing that I don’t need perfect emotions—I just need to feel like I have some agency over them. This process of self-interpretation and response is exciting, but I’m wondering what comes next. How do I know if others around me are also managing their emotions?

Rituals aren’t just for special occasions—they can be simple, daily practices that help with emotional transitions. Instead of marking seasonal changes that feel performative, consider small, intentional rituals that support how you move through your day. From winding down at night to shifting into work mode, these rituals can bring presence and joy to everyday moments.

Modern life has stripped away many of the deep connections humans once had with the land, time, and each other. Indigenous and land-based cultures have preserved ways of living that resist the disconnection and extraction of industrialized society. Exploring these worldviews reveals alternative ways of understanding identity, time, and community—offering insights into what we’ve lost and what we can reclaim.

Modern life often strips away the deep rituals and connections that once anchored us. If you feel existentially lost, it may not be a personal failing but a missing framework. Exploring ancestral traditions—beyond religion, beyond history textbooks—can offer grounding, even without a perfect lineage.

Modern life has stripped away many of the rituals that once helped humans process emotions, transitions, and grief. If you're feeling stuck, disconnected, or unsure how to navigate your emotions, it might be because you lack the structured, symbolic practices that our ancestors relied on. This post explores practical, non-woo ways to integrate meaningful rituals into your daily life.

We often assume ancient cultures were primitive, but history tells a different story. From advanced astronomy to trauma healing, many ancient civilizations had profound knowledge that rivaled or even surpassed our understanding in certain areas. Looking back at what they knew can reshape how we think about progress.

I've started seeing people—both in history and in everyday life—not as distant figures or characters, but as fully human, just like me. This shift makes stories feel deeper, more personal, and more real. It brings a sense of wonder back to being human.

Many of our emotional responses are shaped by invisible cultural norms. Whether it's how we express grief, love, or enthusiasm, society has unspoken rules about what emotions should look like. If you've ever felt disconnected from collective emotional experiences, it might not be a personal failing—it might just be that these expectations don't fit you.