self-acceptance | Elyse Hughes Writer

Rejecting The Olive Branch

I didn’t want to forget the time before the struggles began sloughing off like old, dry skin. A time when every aspect of life except my...

Burning Bridges

Sometimes I think back on stories I’ve written, things I’ve shared, and am hit by a panicked wave. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that!...

The Mic Drop

“I call that the mic drop,” I explained after flopping down sideways on the bed like a seal. He gave me the side-eye and a small laugh,...

Why Being Self-Absorbed Is Essential To Self-Caring

Someone recently brought to my attention that there’s a difference between self-care and being self-absorbed. As if I didn’t know, but...

"Too Much" Authenticity?

As a creative whose brand is storytelling inspired by my very own life, I fear judgement. If I’m honest about the lows, depression,...

I'm An HSP

Every damn day felt like starting over. My collection of crap habits was as extensive as the library in Beauty and the Beast. I had so...

How I Spend My Holidays

It was Halloween. At 4:35 pm, as the sun melted through the silhouette mesh of the mesquite canopy and my surroundings cooled into the...

The Things I'd Like To Say

I’d like to say to you, the things I’d like to say to myself. You are worthy of a great life, regardless of what you’ve done, or haven’t...

Hiding From New

I slept to avoid things. Like my own unfulfilled desires. To change. Lose weight. Sit down, and write. Avoidance was a habit, long...

A Year Of Cleansing

My favorite way to drink coffee was black with stevia + a lemon ring. I loved powdered greens mixed in cold water with big ice cubes—the...

Beautiful Bundles Of Contradiction

I’ve often thought that the paradox of “Me” was something to fix or rectify. I needed to act in accordance with beliefs I subscribed to...