Author Archives: Xiaoyu Zheng

Surprising Clarity

By | May 10, 2023

I’ve been living a goalless life. This is not my preferred way of being and I am not yet ready to rule it out completely. It is about exploration and growth, though it doesn’t feel like growth at the moment. It feels more like floating in a river and letting the direction of the water… Read More »

Be Careful Of What You Wish For

By | May 3, 2023

I’ve gotten my green card. A plastic ID card with my photo, my birthday, my country of birth, printed next to the image of Lady Liberty. At the top of the card, it reads ” United States of America Permanent Resident”. I can’t comprehend. The person who wanted this piece of plastic is a distant… Read More »

Huns & Commitment

By | April 23, 2023

My generational trauma work has led me to discuss my lineage with my parents. Some things get revealed. My ancestors are Huns. They were nomadic warriors and great horsemen. According to history, they were ruthless and terrorized Europe and the Roman Empire in the 4th and 5th centuries A.D. First, I am surprised that my… Read More »

Fire

By | April 19, 2023

Fire has a natural allure to me. I understand why. It will burn down everything except what’s true. It keeps me warm and safe and enthused. I told my therapist six years ago. I lost my fire. Where is my fire? I want my bright blue fire back. I also understand why I lost my… Read More »

Doom Scrolling

By | April 17, 2023

What to do when you can’t fall asleep? You lay awake and determined to transform yourself to someone who loves to cook – at 1am on a Thursday night. Surely, when you find the right chef to follow and read upon, you will fall in love with the dicing, stirring and sauteing. You start your… Read More »

Anorexia

By | April 4, 2023

I listen to a podcast called We Can Do Hard Things. It is my favorite podcast. Listening is an expensive activity for my brain, so I often replay some episodes. One episode I listened to multiple times this week is the one on March 30th, where one of the hosts discussed her eating disorder recovery.… Read More »

Healing 3.0

By | April 3, 2023

My 2023 started without any goals. I picked up where I left off. Perhaps deep down, my intention has been to heal all along. I just didn’t expect more breakdowns along the the way. The beauty about a breakdown is that you are forced to find a workable way to be with yourself and the… Read More »