Culture

After dedicating all my efforts and hours of work and also spending some money to advertise and promote my “I’m Not Too Old to Give It Away" campaign, I’m spent. But on a positive note, I have learned more life/business lessons.

I didn’t realize any of this until I was 18 years old, and by then I had tried to change myself for years. I didn’t realize that I shirked away from being seen as overbearing, or rude when boys dominated the conversation, although, these traits seemed to be admired and respected when displayed by the opposite gender.

Why is it so difficult to value myself, and publicly ask that others do the same? There is something that feels so incredibly bold in declaring, “Yes! My time and effort is worth money.”

You may not think that a sexual abuse survivor would find healing in putting on a leotard and displaying her body for others to judge, but that’s exactly what my journey has been.

Apparently true love is born from understanding. Blah blah, something about suffering and interconnectedness.

Here are four summer reading selections for adventure seekers, serious readers, and beach bums.

First of all, because I'm traveling alone and have, what I imagine, quite an obvious American accent, men do not hesitate to engage me in conversation.

"I now had my seat of power, my throne, if you will. That’s why I customized my chair to look like a throne. And that’s why I liked it in my act: because I was truly in love with it and all that it represented for me. It was no longer a trap or a cage. It was freedom. It was power. It was sexy. And it was mine."