The Butterfly Haven

This week’s episode of the Butterfly Haven Podcast is free for you! For access to the full podcast, explore the haven here: The Butterfly Haven

Hi dear friend,

This week you get to listen to a brand new episode of the podcast in which a dream of mine came true… my lovely creative friend Aili Olichney offered to interview me for my own podcast after a conversation where I interviewed her left her with more questions & curiosities. (My interview of Aili will be released within the Butterfly Haven private space—see above) 🦋

As much as I love interviewing others, one of my favorite things & biggest wishes is to be interviewed. It’s happened a few times so far, but this was extra special as it was on my own podcast.

“What is the power that you’ve found in your own sensitivity?”

The very last question in the episode sparked something within that I’ve been so excited for you to hear. Aili asked me the question you can see in big letters above and the answer I gave surprised even myself— I had an epiphany in real time. Here’s a preview:

I think it’s in the way that it connects me to life and to the world around me, like allowing me to be a space for other people not because I learned how, but because I just innately can be—

I think a lot of it is in how I can both show up for other people and in how much I can feel without anything material. Not that anything material is bad, but how much I can feel peace or joy or love from the sun through the trees or seeing a butterfly or...

I get so much joy from just observing people and the little thoughts I have about that. And so I think that’s it. How much is already there that I can just feel from inside myself and then be able to put that back out for other people and help them see what they can feel just by who they are.

Here’s us mid-convo giggling away!

We also dive into the most beautiful questions that Aili brilliantly came up with, about shifting the negative feelings around entrepreneurship into inspiration & creativity for artists who are unsure, the discovery that you have wisdom and are enough at any age including the age you are now, the gift in writing poetry without any edits + the anxiety attack I had pre-self publishing my book, and so much more.

This episode is a piece of art in itself, it lit me up while we chatted and then again today listening back 🩷 I am SO excited for you to hear it, ahh!!! Tell me what you think afterwards, ok?! :)

🦋 Listen to this week’s episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎙️🎧 Or right here on Substack.

Connect with Aili:

Aili’s (magical) Instagram

Connect with Bailey (me!)

Wander my creative home & learn about the Butterfly Haven!

I’m so glad you’re here for this episode! Join for free below to connect with fellow kindred sensitive spirits embracing their full selves & creating magic (without edits!) ✨

Sending love,

Bailey

Welcome my dear friends!! To a BRAND new chapter of my podcast, formally known as 20 Year Old Butterfly, but now…

You Have Magic, Sensitive Soul ✨

Listen to this week’s episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎙️🎧 Or right here on Substack.

I am making a lot of changes and exciting new ideas are finally coming to life within my digital creative world, and this is one of them!

I’m really excited to start having conversations where it feels like I’m talking TO you and it’s sort of this invisible connection for us to dive in deeper. Here is the description I’ve written for the podcast, want to see? :)

Hi sensitive kindred spirit! 🩷 I'm Bailey and I can't wait to connect with you.

You have magic. ✨ Seriously. The lens you view the world through and your deep, sensitive, introspective, philosophically curious, passionate, multi-faceted, quiet, loud, vibrant, gentle, FULL human self has so much power. This is a podcast that feels like venturing into a dreamy enchanted forest with a friend (me! + INCREDIBLE guests) who understand you, sees the inherit wisdom & power in you, isn’t afraid of deep conversations or emotions, and can’t wait to dig into how to create a meaningful, special, magical life that you belong in.

I can’t wait and I’m so grateful I get to have these conversations with YOU! 🦋

This first episode is a massive boost so you can remember how much power you truly hold. Often as the unique sensitive humans we are, we grow up feeling like something is deeply wrong with us. So we spend a lot of time feeling alone in that. But then often when we finally see people validating us- whether online, a video, maybe even a community or mentor, I’ve noticed a lot of it centers around a certain archetype.

Being quiet, gentle, observant - those are all incredible and beautiful traits and I define myself by a lot of those too. But it’s ONE part of who we are. There is so much else within us too. I don’t subscribe to aesthetics or boxes for this very reason. It can keep you feeling like you have to stay within one certain image or description of you, when you are so multi-faceted that you could never fit into that.

You’re like an abstract art piece. Messy, vibrant, complex, deep, playful, emotional, silly, all of it. This episode will remind you of what you can do with that kind of magical, human power. 🩷

Listen to this week’s episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎙️🎧 Or right here on Substack.

I’m deciding whether I want to release an episode each Monday or stick to my usual Tuesday schedule, I’ll let you know. I’m aiming for one most weeks! :)

💌 Do you ever find yourself feeling boxed in? I can’t wait to hear from you my friends! Comment or hit ‘reply’ if you’re in email.

Thank you so much for listening & being here! If this landed with you, you’re warmly invited to subscribe for free below! :)

Sending love

Bailey

Hi lovely human! I am so excited that you’re here. Before you listen to the episode, read this!

Today a new episode of my podcast, 20 Year Old Butterfly is OUT! With incredible philosopher, sensitive soul, kind human, artist, writer, mindfulness teacher, Marie-Louise Cee 🩷 You can listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or right here on Substack 🎙️

“‘Fiercely human’ is like the soil on which you can build hope. When you integrate all these parts of being human, you are not lying to yourself being toxically positive- you are just looking at things as they are. This is a fertile soil to build hope.”

-Marie-Louise (Fiercely Human) during our podcast chat on this week’s episode

Listen to this week’s episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎙️🎧

But first…

The curiosity in philosophy, the courage in hope, and the life changing power of agency

I am so honored because this week’s episode features the incredible, Marie-Louise Cee. One of the first things that made me instantly connect with this amazing creative human, is how she speaks so passionately and emotively about the importance of hope and agency.

Until I heard Marie-Louise share her ideas and insights on these topics, I hadn’t heard many people speak about it - which is crazy, because these are the very things we NEED to be in conversation about to help both others and ourselves stay present and open to the possibilities within our lives.

I felt truly lit up during our conversation, and found myself shaking my head in agreement to all of the wisdom she shared while I listened back. I am SO excited to hear what your takeaways are after you listen.

💛 If you want to hear a conversation that explores nuance, the emotional experiences living in our world & society, how you can use philosophy as your greatest treasure, and the brilliant power of agency in living with hope - and living as a fierce human - you will love this episode :)

Hope is something I have a tender relationship with. Everything Marie-Louise shared and all that we dove into reminded me how I have found my way to hope in the past, and how I can find it again. (A little emotional writing that 🩷)

Listen to this week’s episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎙️🎧

Yay!! See you next Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or right here on Substack! 🦋

Let’s connect with each other! 🩷

Connect with Marie-Louise:

Marie-Louise’s Free Upcoming Mindfulness Course 💛

Fiercely Human - Marie-Louise’s Substack

Marie-Louise’s Instagram

Connect with me (Bailey!) :

Explore my poetry book here! 🦋

Wander & stroll on my website 🌼

(Music) Stock Media provided by marcozannone / Pond5

If this episode resonated with you, you’re warmly invited to subscribe, for free, to my Substack along with a community of sensitive, creative, magical humans! ✨

Love,

Bailey

Hi, if you’re new, welcome to 20 Year Old Butterfly! This is a place (hi, i’m Bailey!) for sensitive souls to use our inner wisdom to express creatively, humanly, passionately, magically✨The butterfly’s wings open like a book & the pages are filled with stories that say…🦋

“It’s almost like we focus so much in OCD treatment on slaying the dragon, when we should also think about freeing the princess.” 👑

"And we’re also aware that the dragon is dangerous, but it had a good reason to be dangerous because it was protecting the princess.”

Michael Alcee, during our conversation in this episode of 20 Year Old Butterfly, the podcast

If you haven’t seen last week’s piece/listened to part one of my chat with Michael all about OCD, here’s some things I shared:

It wasn’t until discovering, by complete chance, Michael’s (psychologist & author of The Upside of OCD) work that I felt a huge weight lift off me that had been weighing me down for over a decade. OCD is hard enough on its own, but to feel that you aren’t a human being, that your brain is essentially broken & irrational, is an extra layer of shame & heaviness.

Listening and reading Michael’s point of view on the human behind OCD (a phrase I had never once come across in all my years of googling OCD), I felt seen and whole. I finally felt like someone was seeing me as a person, a human, a being - not just another robotic, clinical, unnamed patient who has OCD. And not only that, but that my deeply sensitive nature (which with I have been connected to for a very long time & am very proud of/grounded in), is actually interwoven with my OCD.

This week’s episode (part TWO), is an even deeper dive and listening back left me nodding along and clapping to myself. I can’t wait for you to dive in.

Listen to this week’s episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎙️🎧

Yay!! See you next Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or right here on Substack! 🦋

Let’s connect with each other! 🩷

Connect with Michael:

Explore The Upside Of OCD - Michael’s (life changing) Book!

The Heart Of OCD - Michael’s Substack

Michael’s Instagram

Connect with me (Bailey!) :

Explore my book here!

Read where the name 20 Year Old Butterfly comes from!

Explore my website 🌼

(Music) Stock Media provided by marcozannone / Pond5

Hi, if you’re new here, I’m Bailey! You are warmly welcomed into this haven for you (sensitive soul!) to feel celebrated in who you are, connected with your vibrant inner world, and to create your own philosophies for how you can live authentically, magically, & creatively ✨ with weekly digital letters from my enchanted creative world, to you :)

🕯️ “What’s beautiful is to recognize the beautiful home that people have who have OCD - not to wait until it’s totally on fire to say “how beautiful it was, let me watch it burn.”

I like to think that we have a connection to this very beautiful and special fire. And that when we can connect it, it’s like having fire in a fireplace that warms the whole home. But then when somebody doesn’t know how to help us contain that and know that we have a lot of it, it starts to burn the house.

And then we need not only help with taking that out, but not totally taking out all the fire because that fire is what keeps that house so beautifully warm.”

-Michael Alcee during our conversation on 20 Year Old Butterfly, the podcast 🌼

I have struggled with OCD since I was a very young child, with the shape it takes morphing and changing over time. It’s been debilitating at times, extremely emotionally painful, and an all around isolating experience. But it’s never felt random.

It wasn’t until discovering, by complete chance, Michael’s (psychologist & author of The Upside of OCD) work that I felt a huge weight lift off me that had been weighing me down for over a decade. OCD is hard enough on its own, but to feel that you aren’t a human being, that your brain is essentially broken & irrational, is an extra layer of shame & heaviness.

Listening and reading Michael’s point of view on the human behind OCD (a phrase I had never once come across in all my years of googling OCD), I felt seen and whole. I finally felt like someone was seeing me as a person, a human, a being - not just another robotic, clinical, unnamed patient who has OCD. And not only that, but that my deeply sensitive nature (which with I have been connected to for a very long time & am very proud of/grounded in), is actually interwoven with my OCD.

I’m so passionate about de-shaming mental health in general because our society tends to dehumanize and intellectualize mental health experiences which can make it feel so much worse. It’s ironic too - because so much of mental health is about how our body feels, not only our minds.

We are abstract beings 🎨

In part one of our conversation (this episode), we explored the nuance and depth that people with OCD commonly experience, how many people with OCD are deeply sensitive & highly existentially aware from a young age- and how it’s all intertwined.

We chat and theorize on why there might be so much resistance in the community around more nuanced ways of thinking, that take in the emotions that are underlying what the mind says. And how impactful creativity, expression, nature and connection can be in releasing all the things we hold inside.

It was a privilege, such an honor, and a massive delight to get to have not only one, but TWO conversations with the incredible, Michael Alcee.

Part two will be released next Tuesday! And for now, I truly hope you resonate with our conversation. 💛

Listen to this week’s episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎙️🎧

Yay!! See you next Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or right here on Substack! 🦋

Let’s connect with each other! 🩷

Connect with Michael:

Explore The Upside Of OCD - Michael’s (life changing) Book!

The Heart Of OCD - Michael’s Substack

Michael’s Instagram

Connect with me (Bailey!) :

Explore my book here!

Read where the name 20 Year Old Butterfly comes from!

Explore my website 🌼

(Music) Stock Media provided by marcozannone / Pond5

“My heart SINGS when I’m writing, I love writing poetry” - Elise Powers said this towards the end of our podcast chat and I loved the way she phrased it. Especially because poetry made our grandparents heart’s sing too ✨

When I found out that my grandfather, who I had an incredibly special, deep bond with, wrote poetry on every special occasion to my grandmother, for decades, I was in shock. The creative place I had stumbled upon that changed my whole life, was also something my beloved grandfather cherished too?

So when I discovered that Elise, an incredibly warm, creative, unique, sensitive poet also found out that her grandmother, who she had an incredibly close connection with, was a poet and she had no idea - I was shocked once again 😅

This conversation felt really special because we dove deep into how our relationships with our magical grandparents has informed who we are, our “legacy”, the messiness of grief & how that intertwines with our writing, finding out our grandparents secret, and so much more.

I feel incredibly honored to have gotten to chat with Elise, she even read a poem from her recently released poetry book, The Size Of Your Joy. 💛

And I read a poem too! From my book, 20 Year Old Butterfly 🦋

✨ I hope this episode brings you a few dashes of magic, delight, joy, and connection! Let us know if you liked it in the comments or by hitting ‘reply’ if you’re reading in email, after you listen 🎧

Listen to this week’s episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎙️🎧

Yay!! See you on occasion, Tuesday’s on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or right here on Substack! 🦋

Let’s connect with each other! 🩷

Connect with Elise:

Explore The Size Of Your Joy - Elise’s Poetry Book!

Two Raw Sugars - Elise’s Substack

Elise’s Instagram

Connect with me (Bailey!) :

Explore my book here!

Read where the name 20 Year Old Butterfly comes from!

Explore my website 🌼

(Music) Stock Media provided by marcozannone / Pond5

Sending love to you! 🦋

Bailey

If you resonated with this podcast episode & want to receive weekly digital letters for sensitive souls, subscribe for free below! 💖

“I’m curious.

How do you deal with the Fear of Being seen?”

There’s a lot of questions, comments, ideas, & opinions shared online that we see at an endless pace. Usually, we scroll on by.

But when I read Andy ( ✨️ Highly Sensitive Woman ✨️) ‘s note here on Substack, pondering that question, I paused. And I was eager to join in the conversation.

This was my reply:

I love this question.

I relate so deeply with this especially having lifelong experience feeling so different from others. I’ve noticed that it helps when the people I’m being seen by are people I feel are kindred spirits, warm, or seemingly non judgmental.

It’s really hard to feel comfortable being seen by people who you know won’t really get you. I’ve also had to learn (through experience) over the years that not everybody needs access to my vulnerability.

I’ve shared stories with people that I now wish I hadn’t because I didn’t allow myself to pause and pay attention to how my body felt. I think we’re allowed to choose who sees the deeper parts of ourselves. I also notice that really seeing & accepting myself helps lighten a bit of the heaviness of insecurity.

One example that comes to mind- when I first started my podcast last year it was nearly unbearable for me to listen back to my own voice. I was so judgmental of myself & noticed so many things that I felt I did wrong. But I had to listen so I could edit the episodes. (Most were with guests but I also do solo!)

After a while, I naturally began to accept how I sound, the fact that I lose my train of thought during conversations because of the pressure of the moment, that I am imperfect. And now I actually kind of love listening back.

After our exchange over on Andy’s Substack note, I knew I wanted to dive deeper. We had a lovely conversation on my podcast, 20 Year Old Butterfly, and I know it’s going to be a treat for you to listen to, as it was for us to chat. ✨

There’s more layers than a 12 layer cake 🍰 but the core of it is sweet

Vulnerability and being seen, especially for those of us that have spent a large portion of our lives feeling different from everyone around us, is a layered, multifaceted experience.

There are so many elements to it.

As we chat about in the episode, there can be dissociation from ourselves within ourselves, anxiety that exists deep within the body, an environment of people who aren’t the right people to be open with - even the act of someone LOOKING at us with their eyes can bring up a multitude of emotions.

It’s something I have an intimate, yet messy and confusing, relationship with and I wonder if you relate?

At the same time, I have experienced the sweet gifts that vulnerability (in the right circumstances) brings into our lives as humans who dream of deep connection. Also, for those of us that are really good at keeping everything tightly shut inside, or dealing with emotional pain all by ourselves, being vulnerable is sometimes the thing that relieves us of years of pain.

And sometimes vulnerability means the light parts too. Sharing even though it might come out awkward or imperfect. Embracing our weirdness and letting it be known. Dressing how we want to dress even if we’re judged. Rejecting the norm in little acts of courage.

We dove deep - with stories I’ve never shared - and a conversation on the multi facets of being seen 🌼

Whether you’re an entrepreneur putting your creativity and ideas out into the uncertain online or real world - or a sensitive human whose watered yourself down to fit into a societal mold, this episode is for you, and it’s out for you to listen to now ✨

Listen to this week’s episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎧

Yay!! See you every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or right here on Substack! 🦋

Let’s connect with each other! 🩷

Connect with Andy:

Highly Sensitive Woman - Substack

Connect with me (Bailey!) :

Read where the name 20 Year Old Butterfly comes from!

Buy my book here!

My Instagram

Explore my new website in-progress 🌼

(Music) Stock Media provided by marcozannone / Pond5

Sending love to you! 🦋

Bailey

When I first discovered Imi’s Substack, I was immediately struck by the light, playful, cozy illustrations that accompanied her unique, honest, human, introspective writings.

Sooo, when we finally made our plan to chat on my podcast (20 Year Old Butterfly), I was thrilled.

Imi writes about topics that most people shy away from.

She shares her honest, HUMAN, vulnerable emotions across so many relatable situations - often highlighting the multi facets that we all often feel, but are shamed away from being open about.

Every time I read something she wrote, or listen to her article voiceovers, I feel lighter and more understood. Her willingness to talk about the awkwardness and discomfort that shows up in a lot of situations, makes me feel more light and warm hearted about my own life experiences.

And, her insights and reflections on how us - as sensitive, introspective, curious souls - can live with more joy, delight, and be aligned with what we want out of life, has left me inspired and excited to go do things!

I was so lit up from our conversation, and I know you will be too. It’s such a special treat to have her on the podcast! ✨

Listen to this week’s episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎧

Yay!! See you every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or right here on Substack! 🦋

Let’s inspire each other! Connect with us 🩷

& don’t miss out on Imi’s incredible writing!

Connect with Imi:

Imi’s Instagram

Love From, Imi - Substack

Shop Imi’s playful illustrations!

Connect with me (Bailey!) :

Read where the name 20 Year Old Butterfly comes from!

Buy my book here!

My Instagram

Explore my new website in-progress 🌼

(Music) Stock Media provided by marcozannone / Pond5

Sending love to you! 🦋

Bailey

The podcast episode you are about to listen to will change your life, as it has done for me since having a profound, magic filled, deep, gut-led conversation with the incredible, Elin Petronella 💛

And the craziest part is - it almost never happened.

When I discovered Elin’s creative world a few months ago, I instantly resonated with her gut & heart-led, sensitive, creative philosophies, & I knew it’d be a dream to get to have a conversation with her.

But the metrics of her wide, large spanning audiences across platforms led me to pre-reject myself.

“She’ll probably say no. I haven’t even reached out to her just to say hello, she has no idea who I am!”

When inspiration sparks ⚡️

But after she followed HER spontaneity & intuition, doing an impromptu livestream right here on Substack, a little lightbulb went off in my mind. 💡

Near the end of her live video, she brought up this idea of “keeping threads alive.” Moments, experiences, people, places that once deeply impacted you or left a spark within - that right now might seem lost to the past but one day could return if you allow yourself to hold onto them, quietly or passionately.

As you’ll hear about during the episode, this struck a chord within my heart and brought up an experience for me that I have not been able to let go of for similar reasons as Elin - with her life changing time living and working in South Africa a decade ago. (That has now come full circle into her non profit organization, Survive to Thrive).

Serendipitously, at the very bottom of her Substack writing piece that was attatched to the replay of her livestream, she mentioned that if anyone would like her for a motivational chat for their podcast, to reach out.

So I said “I’m going for it anyways” to my fear, and sent her an email 💌

When she said yes, it cemented this notion within me:

I am not going to pre-reject myself. It’s always better to ask, than to miss out out of fear that someone will say no - when they might just say… YES!

Don’t pre-reject yourself. Be so kind and loving towards yourself that you can handle the rejection if it comes. Rejection from someone else that arrives because you went for it, because you were courageous enough to dream or to feel inspired, is much more worth it than the sadness + stuck-ness that comes from rejecting YOURSELF.

The simple yet deeply lasting magic that I have experienced from noticing and first saying NO to myself out of fear that that would be someone else’s answer, to then instead following my gut nudges and nervously just going for it - in a multitude of experiences, is beyond anything I could ever imagine. 🌟

And I know it will be the same for you, say yes to the voice that calls from within.

It often has wisdom speaking - if you turn the dial on your fear low enough to hear it…

I am writing this with so much delight and energy.

After watching another one of Elin’s intuitive live streams, where she shared advice on moving from creative blocks → flowy movement and ACTION, I put her philosophies into practice, got moving and now I’m feeling sparkly + awake 💖

(If you want to steal my way of ‘getting into movement’ as Elin says - some messy, wild, intuitive dancing, journaling, and heartfelt music did the trick! I also recorded a solo podcast episode that left me feeling inspired and ready to take action - you will hear that in the coming weeks 🦋)

Listen to this week’s episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎧

Yay!! See you every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or right here on Substack! 🦋

Follow your gut, connect with us 🩷

I can’t WAIT for you to experience the magic of this conversation and all the brilliant work Elin is doing.

Connect with Elin:

Elin’s Instagram

Survive to Thrive Instagram

Follow Your Gut - Substack

Elin’s Website

Survive to Thrive Website

Connect with me (Bailey!) :

Read where the name 20 Year Old Butterfly comes from!

Buy my book here!

My Instagram

Explore my new website in-progress 🌼

(Music) Stock Media provided by marcozannone / Pond5

Sending love to you!

Bailey

On the theme of following your intuition…

Usually my podcast episodes are audio only and I share clips throughout the week in Instagram reel format/to Substack notes.

For some reason, I’m feeling called to share the raw video format here today!

So enjoy!! The video doesn’t have the music or intro/outro but if you prefer to watch, here’s a special treat for you ✨

Listen to the episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎧

When the lovely Sharon made a spontaneous, spur of the moment video in which she shared “I don’t want to make content, I just want to make tables!” - she didn’t realize what would come next.

This short Instagram video went massively viral with 600K views. Thousands of people resonated deeply to Sharon’s authenticity, humanness, and raw emotion! (A feeling that many of us heart-led entrepreneurs feel but never say out loud)

I instantly related to that video and Sharon and I have been connected through Instagram DMs ever since!

I’m so grateful I got to have a conversation with her (and that YOU also get to hear her humor, refreshing insights, & vulnerable stories).

It was such a delight and listening back reminded me of all the valuable things she shared. 💛

“I think that being true to yourself and who you are is probably the only way to ensure peace. Inner peace to yourself. Trying to be something else, trying to put up a front, trying to pretend, trying to fake… it does not sit with me, it doesn’t make me happy, I think it can actually make you quite ill.”

-Sharon during our conversation

Listen to the episode here on Apple & here on Spotify !!! 🎧

Yay!! See you every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or right here on Substack! 🦋

Connect with us :)

Connect with Sharon:

Sharon’s Instagram’s:

@thechattycarpenter

@twistedeyefurniture

Twisted Eye Furniture (take a stroll through Sharon’s website to see the beautiful furniture she makes! It’s incredible ✨

Connect with me:

Read where the name 20 Year Old Butterfly comes from!

Buy my book here!

My Instagram

(Music) Stock Media provided by marcozannone / Pond5