Shells from a Beach

Stories of life, love, and learning

Welcome!

This blog was sparked in text conversations with a friend who told me I write “beautifully” amidst discussions that helped me reclaim myself. Then, it was like dominoes: multiple friends stopped me to say that my writing was beautiful. I thought “I’m not a writer, I’m a mathematician…” but, in truth, I write a lot. I type my notes for classes to ensure that the conceptual understanding is clear, I journal things, I take forever writing emails because my words mean something to me.

Their words grabbed me. I feel vulnerable sharing my writing, but I want to share the work I’ve done in the hope that others can benefit from it. I hope you enjoy my words. I hope you find ways to reclaim yourself, love yourself, and spark the light inside you.

Love, -S.

Start from the beginning: Hello Internet

Or, read the latest posts:

  • Marriage Advice

    This post is available as a podcast here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/Z1a4pQlh0yb If you’re not crying happy tears, maybe don’t get married? (Context later.) There is so much marriage advice out in this world. So much of it is incredibly valuable, from people who made marriage work for them. I cannot provide that kind of advice. I can

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  • Why am I okay?

    This post is available as a podcast here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/6cCeuopvVyb Every one of us has someone that set our life on the “right” track. They aren’t necessarily the closest, nor the most distant of contacts. They are just someone who showed up at the right time with the right support to set us on our way.

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  • Gaslighting

    This post is available as a podcast here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/FMA6Hf0OHyb This is a hot-topic lately, and due to its inherent nature of false truths – I wanted it to post it near April Fool’s day this year (my least favorite holiday…) Gaslighting is, in short, when someone overrides your experience with their own version. In milder

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  • Let me help

    This post is available as a podcast here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/VrtBFgmNHyb I like being helpful; a lot of us do. I’m not sure if it’s a feature of the people pleasing, or just something that gives us a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Do all people feel good when they help others? I hope so; I can’t

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  • Believe in yourself

    This post is available as a podcast here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/6Ar8JAaOHyb Be confident. Be humble. Speak loudly. Speak quietly. Believe in yourself. Listen to others. Navigating successful interactions is messy. Neurodivergent folks struggle, for real. I’m one of them. I express it in ways that aren’t typical, but I do the same kinds of processing when I

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  • Expectations

    Available as a podcast here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/OB1SiAhiByb There are things in life where our expectations set us up for disappointment. I was talking with a friend recently who was upset by the nitpicking of her landlord at move out. She was so upset about how kind she had been to her landlord, who had been kind

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  • Pedestals

    Available as a podcast here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/KHu6BJv00xb I’ve been on both sides of pedestaling. Pedestaling sucks on both sides. If you find yourself on a pedestal, it’s disorienting. If you find yourself pedestaling someone, it’s compulsive. The person who is pedestaled feels like they shouldn’t be, and the person pedestaling them has an ideal picture of

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  • Cognitive reframe

    Available as a podcast here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/F4opkNp3Lxb We all struggle with our internal critic. The one that instinctively uses negative reinforcement any time we are unhappy with something about ourselves. This post is about reframing things when we catch ourselves in negative reinforcement land, so we can become more confident and secure in ourselves – which

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  • Mermaid girl

    Available as a podcast here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/ypbrY77rBxb I wanted to be Ariel from The Little Mermaid. I mentioned this in my last post, so it seemed a good time to expand on the more serious sides of this desire. As I said in that post, I loved the ocean. The ocean felt like home to me,

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  • Love me?

    Available as a podcast here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/gG9Uzsxnoxb This is a hard one to write. I struggle with rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD.) Which means that I can have catastrophic responses to feelings of rejection that come from small versions “no.” I think my dad has it, too. Any small criticism would cause me to feel like I

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