Ash Beckham- "We all have closets..."
“All a closet is, is a hard conversation, and although our topics may vary tremendously, the experience of being in and coming out of the closet is universal."
In this video, Ash Beckham reminds us, “At some point in our lives, we all live in closets, and they may feel safe, or at least safer than what lies on the other side of that door. But I am here to tell you, no matter what your walls are made of, a closet is no place for a person to live.”
Ash offers us her three “Pancake Girl” principles.
• Be authentic. Take the armor off. Be yourself.
• Be direct. Just say it. Rip the Band-Aid off.
• Most important: Be unapologetic. You are speaking your truth. Never apologize for that.
As a "straight" woman, my life was one big closet! As surprising as this may sound, I am not referring to the closet of my "sexuality". I am talking about all of the other "closets" that I hid in during the first 40 years of my life. The closet that I hid in because I was not skinny enough, or pretty enough, or "girly" enough like my other female friends or family members. The closet that kept me from standing up for myself because my opinions might be labeled as disrespectful, if spoken out loud. The closet that convinced me that taking time for myself or making my own needs a priority was selfish behavior. The closet that made me ultimately believe that I was just not "enough" as my true self.
Surprisingly enough, coming out at 40 as a lesbian, was like the moon landing. Once that closet door opened, all the others just flew off their hinges. One small step led to a giant leap! Suddenly I was authentically myself and it felt amazing!
Since that time, i have been on the journey to connect more and more with my true self and it has been more rewarding than I could have ever guessed. My self esteem as increased, my spirituality has deepened, my relationships have become more fulfilling and I am experiencing joy like never before.
Check out Parker Palmer's "A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life" for more on this topic! It is definitely worth the read!
In this video, Ash Beckham reminds us, “At some point in our lives, we all live in closets, and they may feel safe, or at least safer than what lies on the other side of that door. But I am here to tell you, no matter what your walls are made of, a closet is no place for a person to live.”
Ash offers us her three “Pancake Girl” principles.
• Be authentic. Take the armor off. Be yourself.
• Be direct. Just say it. Rip the Band-Aid off.
• Most important: Be unapologetic. You are speaking your truth. Never apologize for that.
As a "straight" woman, my life was one big closet! As surprising as this may sound, I am not referring to the closet of my "sexuality". I am talking about all of the other "closets" that I hid in during the first 40 years of my life. The closet that I hid in because I was not skinny enough, or pretty enough, or "girly" enough like my other female friends or family members. The closet that kept me from standing up for myself because my opinions might be labeled as disrespectful, if spoken out loud. The closet that convinced me that taking time for myself or making my own needs a priority was selfish behavior. The closet that made me ultimately believe that I was just not "enough" as my true self.
Surprisingly enough, coming out at 40 as a lesbian, was like the moon landing. Once that closet door opened, all the others just flew off their hinges. One small step led to a giant leap! Suddenly I was authentically myself and it felt amazing!
Since that time, i have been on the journey to connect more and more with my true self and it has been more rewarding than I could have ever guessed. My self esteem as increased, my spirituality has deepened, my relationships have become more fulfilling and I am experiencing joy like never before.
Check out Parker Palmer's "A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life" for more on this topic! It is definitely worth the read!
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