Speechless

I muted my social media account that is linked to this blog for one week in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. But now that it is time to go back to my normal posting schedule, I’m a little bit speechless.

What do you say to a nation of people that have been hurting since this country came into being?

What do you say to people that tell you you’re just wrong for being who you are?

What do you say to a people that have nothing left to give but still have to fight?

You don’t say anything. You learn and you listen.

And a lot of people will say, Bailey you don’t write anything political on your blog. You just want to be a light and a source of good.

And I say to them, this isn’t a political issue. It’s a human issue.

So while I am still posting, I will still be learning and listening. I will be posting resources on my social media page for this blog, @baileydaileywrites so feel free to follow me there.

Be safe and be well.

Love,

Bailey

A Love Letter to My Hair

This week, instead of posting new things I want to stay silent and instead allow other POC voices to come through. This is a particularly moving piece about one woman’s journey with her hair. I loved this post and I hope you do too.

Let me just say, this is the longest amount of time I have ever spent on a blog post. It is a wide open door into a hidden part of me that I never …

A Love Letter to My Hair

Exhaustion

Exhaustion can come in many forms and for many reasons. It can come at the end of a particularly hard work week. It can come after running a marathon. It can be a symptom of depression. It can be from lack of sleep.

But mostly, when we’re exhausted from something, then we are tired of something happening.

It doesn’t really matter what you’re exhausted by. It is only important that you remember to refill your cup.

So take a bath. Sleep. Go for a walk. Enjoy the weekend. Do something that makes you happy.

Just remember to do something for yourself and break the cycle.

Don’t worry. Take all the time you need. I’ll still be here.

Love,

Bailey

Anyone, Everything

I don’t know how you’re feeling. I don’t know who needs to hear this. And I don’t know how to make things right.

But if you, like me, are at a loss today: of understanding, of confidence, of words. Then I will speak for you:

You are enough.

You are not alone.

It’s okay to be scared of the future.

It’s okay to be angry and upset.

It’s okay to emote and not hide.

It’s okay not to feel anything at all.

Like I said, I don’t know what you’re feeling at this time. But I’m here to tell anyone, that feeling everything at once is okay. You’ve got a lot going on, and your plate is full. We have a lot going on, and our plate is full. So, drink deeply of your emotions and take one mouthful at a time.

Love,

Bailey

Early Bird and All That

Sorry guys! I wanted to take off yesterday for the holiday…so I did!

Lately, I’ve been getting up early. Which is not the adult me thing to do. When I was a kid, I got up early all the time.

But not since I reached my twenties. So, now it’s weird that I’m finally giving up my sleeping in schedule. It feels like I’m cashing in my adult card. This is what adults do, right? They get up before their alarms go off? They putter around the house with a cup of coffee and read the news? I don’t know actually, I’m asking for a friend…

It just feels like staying up late is something you do when you’re a kid. Until you inevitably get caught by one of your parents, and get sent straight to bed.

But I’ve realized something. You can be any kind of adult you want! You can stay up late and get up early! Which…to be honest, I don’t recommend but you can totally do that. You can stay up late being productive, and you can get up early and be productive. Or like me, don’t be productive during any hour of the day! It doesn’t matter!

Just do what’s best for you and you’ll find that that’s the best you can do.

Love,

Bailey

Coming Home Again

I just bought some books of poetry from the poet Nikita Gill. Whenever I see poetry online, they are mostly from Gill’s work. So I knew I had to buy a book or two of hers. I got them today and sat down to read them.

Guys, I already think reading a book is like making a friend. Learning their quirks, smiling with them, and sometimes crying on their pages. But reading poetry is like coming home again.

I used to write poetry in high school and college, and I thought it was what I wanted to do with my life. Now, I don’t think I could write a poem to save my life.

But I almost cried with joy when I realized that your passions as a kid and as a young adult never leave you. They just wait for you to remember and come home again. Poetry has been waiting for me. All I had to do was find it again.

So, go home again. Color. Draw. Write. Read. Sing. Do whatever that used to make it feel like you are home again. And feel like a curious child once more.

Love,

Bailey

The Most Excitement

Okay, okay. I have to admit that nothing is really happening right now. On a Wednesday in quarantine. And you’re probably like, no, probably not. 

But even if it wasn’t during quarantine, there probably still wouldn’t be much going on.

And that’s okay.

Because not every day is the most exciting day of your life. Some days it’s just a Wednesday and sometimes, it’s a holiday and sometimes it’s a day when you’re stuck in quarantine.

But it doesn’t make it any less special. Celebrate the little things. Get excited about the mail coming. Get excited about anything at all.

And try your best to not live your whole life on a Friday. Just because the most excitement in your day is something small, doesn’t mean it’s not worth something.

Love,

Bailey

Hype

I don’t know about you, but I don’t often let myself watch, do, or read things if I’ve heard too much hype about them.

There’s something that just turns me off from any book or movie when I know that other people have liked it. Which sounds like a personal problem, I know.

But I think what that really tells you is that when people really want you to like something they do, it all comes down to your personal experience, no matter what they say to convince you. Recommendations and reviews are no match for your experience.

So, don’t ever take someone’s word for it. See for yourself. In that way, you’ll live your best life, experiencing things the way only you were meant to experience them.

Love,

Bailey

24 Hours

A day can feel like a lot of time or a little bit of time, depending on how we choose to spend it.

Hang with your family and friends on vacation? It goes too fast. Waiting for something to come in two days? 24 hours is a long time.

It can be difficult to know how to cram everything you want to do in the time that you’re awake to the time that you go to sleep.

But at the end of the day (or the beginning), it is up to us how we spend it. So if we’re using every minute to further ourselves, or just to relax and treat ourselves to some self-care, it’s worth it.

Prioritize as much as you can and try to schedule some time with yourself as well is my advice.

It’s a whole day. Or, it’s just a day.

Love,

Bailey

TGFF

Thank God For Friends!

So, unlike TGIF, TGFF is used solely during quarantine. It’s for when you have Zoom calls with your friends until the wee hours of the morning. It’s for when you get texts just because. It’s for when you get letters in the mail addressed to you.

It’s for when your friends come through for you, like never before.

True, I haven’t spoken to all of my friends, but I’ve spoken to a good portion of them. And seeing or hearing every single one of them has truly made a difference.

So @ all my friends, you’re the best and I’ll see you again soon.

Love,

Bailey