“Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us. Because this yearning is so primal, we often try to acquire it by fitting in and by seeking approval, which are not only hollow substitutes for belonging, but often barriers to it. Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.” – Brené Brown
#HaveMoreFun
I didn’t move to Asheville for the mountains or the art scene, nor did I come here for the craft beer.
Instead, I came here to heal.
In 2011, after spending 5 months in and out of inpatient treatment for severe OCD, I transitioned to become a resident at the healing community of Cooper Riis and for 5 years, I healed.
One day as I was working in the kitchen there, the phrase “Heal yourself. Heal others. Heal the world.” popped into my head and I wrote it on the white board where daily tasks were usually written.
It’s stuck with me ever since.
Now, 6 years later, I want to give back. So that’s what I’m going to do. With every sale of “Heal The World,” I will be donating 20% to CooperRiis, the community that helped save my life and transitioned me back into the greater community. There I was able to turn on a light that has grown brighter ever since.
So as I write this, feeling completely vulnerable, I finally feel free. Like I walked through a door that I was afraid to open and now that I’m on the other side, I want to help. I firmly believe that in order to heal others and the world, you have to look within and start there. It’s terrifying at first, but as you become more and more at peace with yourself, that love will start to grow and that love will then blossom within you and to the world around you. Imagine a world where everyone was blossoming at once. Imagine how beautiful that world would be.
I believe everyone can be free. I believe everyone is a lotus waiting to bloom. So let’s bloom. Let’s have more fun and be free.
- Nate