It's difficult to see a population being destroyed.
It's difficult to see acquaintances - and our leaders - express Fascist views.
It's difficult to expect friends to speak out but not always get it.
In short, there's a lot to process: both what's happening in Gaza and the world.
For me, it took a long time to consciously allow myself to feel my heartbreak completely. And, honestly, I'm not sure I'm really there.
But I'm here, sharing with you what I have 💔✊🏽
Thanks for being in this community ❤️
Justina
#mentalhealth #trauma #collectivetrauma #grief #activism #Palestine #genocide #Gaza #FlourMassacre #gazagenocide #ceasefirenow 

Although this post might seem like a strong “You know, you should really…” it actually isn’t.
It’s not a ‘should’ but an invitation to slow down for an hour or so and reflect on how you’d like your 2024 to be. Or, rather, how you would like to show up this year.

Just the past five years, I’ve moved countries probably more than five times, changed my career completely and switched jobs four times, navigated a relationship and a breakup, and managed to do whatever else I was doing.
As a political commentator, I’ve followed, written about, and got my heart broken over a number of issues.
So I am not here to say “just plan your year and follow through”.
I’m here to say that no matter how any year goes, with its endless unknowns, we still get to choose our intentions. And even if we don’t follow through on something, I’m still choosing to consciously decide what those (albeit potentially failed) projects will be.
Most importantly, I’m choosing how I MYSELF want to show up, what qualities to bring, what to learn, and what – the hardest part for me – not to repeat.
The rest? The rest is in my episode.

I hope you take the time to listen to it and, more importantly, I hope you take that time for yourself.

Happy 2024,

Justina

I'm closing this year inviting you to explore the importance of feeling our emotions (including healthy anger) and not disregard what an alarming amount of research points to.
The connection between suppressing healthy anger, the stress it creates on our immuno, neuro, and endocrine systems, and chronic illnesses that stem from that IS alarming.
I'm inviting you to embark on the path that can save us all a lifetime of illnesses 🙏🏾

This is not an episode that contains "answers" -- but what I do want to do is to hold space for everyone struggling as a genocide in Gaza is unfolding.

Through the guilt, shame, privileges, painful silence of friends, and other things to navigate, I invite you to both normalise not being OK and to move through it as you take meaningful action.

As I say at the very beginning of my episode, we are allowed to talk about how we feel about something without that becoming the story. And, I would add, to CHANGE the story, we have to try our best to take care of ourselves and our community.

My fourth season is all about getting real, so this makes a lot of sense to ask: what are you really about?

These past weeks have been extremely centering for many.

I also noticed how many people who could be considered (and in some ways, they really can be) intellectuals seem to, in the end, stand for nothing.

Your answer doesn’t have to be political like mine. But I do invite you to ask yourself:

What do you stand for?

Perhaps naively, I say sooo much clarity – and bravery to do what’s meaningful to you – stems from reflecting on exactly that.

As a political commentator who focuses on Palestine and a human, I have to say that the last month has been very tough.

But it has also shown me something that I know many of us have to navigate: being very much imperfect people doing work that matters to us.

I think to continue, self-compassion is a must, together with a very simple understanding that imperfections are (1) very subjective and (2) even if they're actually what we ourselves notice as something not ideal, still allowed.

As I say in my video, I’m not glorifying practices that aren’t good for our health, saying “anything goes.” But a lot goes indeed into being complex and multi-dimensional people.

As a political commentator and a person, I know this week has been a very tough one for anyone following what's been happening in Palestine. That is, including myself.

PS. What I forgot to mention in it is that – in addition to movement and connection – crying is an excellent way to release that stress, so if those tears are coming, remind yourself that that’s literally what your body needs.

Who we surround ourselves with is - it sucks to admit but science shows it's true - who we are in the end (well, not completely, but you know what I mean).

So let's get real about what that circle is and how to make sure it's what truly supports and inspires us.

The questions I’m inviting you to ask aren’t comfortable (but that’s the point):

In short: yes, there is, but it all starts with that awareness (yep, can’t escape that one).
I also share my stories that include both being in a small town and switching continents 👀

How is that circle, really?
How do the people in your life make you feel?
When you talk about ‘creating value’, what do you mean?
And is there something you can consciously change?

In short: yes, there is, but it all starts with that awareness (yep, can't escape that one).
I also share my stories that include both being in a small town and switching continents:)

Find the original video here: https://youtu.be/4D_wX7WFBWw?si=JIJDbHcY1fvJFSUf

I am very excited to be back and I've decided to make my fourth season all about GETTING REAL. It's about asking questions that are more uncomfortable, connecting the dots between the inner and the outer, and sharing a more authentic me with you.

I'm finishing the third season of Investigative Selfism and will be taking a short break until September.

But I can't leave without saying something!