Every ethnically ambiguous person knows the question”What ARE you?” Answering it is another story.
It begs the question if I am some thing or some one. An object or a person?
I have spent a lifetime reclaiming that question from WHAT I am to WHO I am. And it all started with identifying my values - essentially, who and what are important to me. We are the things that we value.
The interesting thing about who we are is that it is always changing - if we are truly on an exploration of self. Our values become a moving target that requires constant re-evaluation.
Lately, I have been going through a period of work, work, work. Right now I value rest. The way I celebrate that value is by creating time boundaries. The other day I was on a phone call for over an hour. I was getting tired. I was getting cranky. I was done. So I let my friend know that I had reached my max. The call went another 5 minutes. Then I was done done. I said, “I’m done now.” They got it, and politely said good-bye. I didn’t apologize. I thanked them.
I don’t apologize for acting in accord with my needs.
Aligning our actions with our values is a celebration of self, which increases Self Belonging. When we belong back to ourselves, we know WHO we are and WHAT we are made of.
xoxo…mona
On the Pod
Belonging + Interracial Relationships w/Latreash McCurdy
In this episode, I dive into the world of interracial dating with Latreash McCurdy, a biracial brand and website designer and entrepreneur. Latreash shares her experiences and challenges in interracial relationships and breaks down the complexities she has faced. We discuss her experience growing up mixed-race, along with the struggles and isolation when dating.
Watch this clip of Latreash McCurdy sharing why biracial representation matters, and the backlash after the 2013 Cheerios commercial portrayed an interracial couple. Tune in to hear Latreash and I share personal stories about dating outside of our race, areas to explore in interracial dynamics, and how to build a fulfilling interracial relationship. Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform.