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:

  • Empath Time!

    This post is available as a podcast here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s-p01/episodes/Empath-Time-e28hbdp Might as well finish the trifecta. From ADHD to ASD to empathy. Being an empath is a lot like being an emotional chameleon. Everywhere I went, everyone I met, I matched them just as a chameleon matches its surroundings to blend in. I matched the emotions,

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  • ASD Time!

    This post is also available as a podcast here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s-p01/episodes/ASD-Time-e287ppu One of my mom’s nicknames for me was “Seriously Silly S__” (name redacted.) She would say that I was “so serious, it’s ridiculous.” Yep. I took everything seriously… because I’m on the spectrum. I took everything seriously. It took a large part of my life

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  • ADHD Time!

    This post is also available as a podcast here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s-p01/episodes/ADHD-Time-e287pni This is a post about how my ADHD presents and how I manage it. I didn’t realize I had ADHD until March of 2022. One of those posts that someone shared on social media just made it abundantly clear… I have ADHD. “That’s why I

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  • Yodel, yodel, dance

    This post is available as a podcast here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s-p01/episodes/Yodel–Yodel–Dance-e27c7eu This post’s title is thanks to a Gümmibar song (I americanized it), but it’s really about my need for attention. I’m a cat. There are many cat personalities, but I’m a lot like my cat was. He was like an animal companion in Dungeons and Dragons,

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  • Avoidant Attachment

    This post is available as a podcast here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s-p01/episodes/Avoidant-Attachment-e27c580 Okay, now that we talked about my anxious attachment, let’s discuss avoidant attachment… Avoidant attachment is caused when a child is not “allowed” to express feelings. When parents push their children to “tough it out” or “suck it up,” the child learns that feelings are unsafe.

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  • Anxious Attachment

    This post is also available as a podcast here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s-p01/episodes/Anxious-Attachment-e270ve1 If you’ve never read about attachment theory, it was a really enlightening read for me. I have disorganized attachment, which means that I express characteristics of both anxious attachment and avoidant attachment. My anxious attachment is the strongest, and also the one that causes me

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  • Mx. “Right“

    This post is also available as a podcast here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s-p01/episodes/Mx–Right-e270ut6 Oof. I didn’t want to write this post… because it’s hard to face the things we choose out of insecurity. I didn’t believe in Mx. “Right,” I honestly don’t remember a time in my life that I was waiting for anyone who was “right,” I

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  • The Greatest Gift

    This post is available as a podcast here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s-p01/episodes/The-Greatest-Gift-e25np32 My views on people are largely influenced by my experience. The thing that I have somewhat “preached,” about seeing people, was also my greatest gift: being seen. My mom made me feel seen. I had an odd split between my parents. My dad made me feel

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  • Parents, Please

    This post is available as a podcast here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s-p01/episodes/Parents–Please-e25nns1 There seems to be a movement these days to meet children where they are at and I’ve read about evidence that talking to children like we talk with adults helps their cognitive development. The most empowering interactions of my childhood were the times I was treated

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  • Burdens

    This post is available as a podcast here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s-p01/episodes/Burdens-e25l1a2 We all carry burdens. From memories to regrets, needs to desires, and responsibilities to obligations. Life isn’t perfect; things will happen that affect us in ways we may carry years later. I feel relatively unburdened for someone who carried many burdens a long while. My post

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