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The Strange is Beautiful

Alternative self-care for mind obstacles.

janie contreras johnson

Snapshot of Mamí and Me: What I Left and What I am Worth

Posted by Janie Johnson Contreras on May 8, 2018
Snapshot of Mamí and Me: What I Left and What I am Worth

My mamí always had fragrant cremas on her hands. She would put them on daily, always using them in the morning, before leaving for work. They came in these little round pastel bottles with gold and silver caps. As a girl I would play with the botellitas, stacking them, cutting circles of paper and using the cremas to make paper tortillas. Opening them all, I’d take a fingertip’s worth of each one and create a nauseating concoction. To this day, every time I smell one of these scents, I’m taken back to my mamí’s room. Like a snapshot, I see the crisply pulled linen across the bed. I feel the oscillating fan blowing the humid summer air through the room, and see the crocheted lace on every nightstand.

Posted in: Advice for Mind Obstacles, Janie | Tagged: #thestrangeisbeautiful, Chosen Families, Family, Family Issues, Family of Origin, janie contreras johnson, Latinx Families, Mami, Self Worth, the strange is beautiful, Worth

Self-Love Chart Reminder

Posted by strange on February 14, 2018
Self-Love Chart Reminder

Loving myself has come to mean being compassionate to myself. To me, a big part of that is understanding that my mood and energy fluctuate, and that is okay. This chart helps me understand that some days are harder than others, and while I will have some days that make it impossible to feel love for myself, there will also be days that I fully love myself and can even love others with the overflow.

Posted in: Advice for Mind Obstacles, Janie, Self Care | Tagged: janie contreras johnson, self care, self love, self love chart, the strange is beautiful

Be Kind, Rewind: Reflection on Being Kind to Yourself

Posted by strange on January 25, 2018
Be Kind, Rewind: Reflection on Being Kind to Yourself

Damn straight I am.

This year my only resolution is to be kind to myself. Starting a new year comes with a lot of pressure to start over. It means starting a diet or workout regimen. It means quitting bad habits. It means reflecting on the shitty parts of yourself and forcing yourself to change them. I’m realizing my worst habit is being unkind to myself.

Posted in: Janie, Self Care | Tagged: be kind, coping mechanisms, domestic abuse survivor, feminism, feminist, janie contreras johnson, love yourself, mexican american writer, new years resolution, reflect, reflection, the strange is beautiful

Our Free Domestic + Sexual Abuse Awareness Zine is Out Now!

Posted by strange on November 6, 2017
Our Free Domestic + Sexual Abuse Awareness Zine is Out Now!

We just released “It’s not as simple as just leaving” domestic and sexual abuse awareness zine in collaboration with Cusi Coyllur!

Posted in: News & Events, Self Care | Tagged: #dvam2017, amivulnerable?, bernadette bolańos, cusi coyllur, domestic abuse zine, domestic violence awareness month, dvam, enrique jesus hernandez, free zine, it's not as simple as just leaving, janie contreras johnson, los angeles zinester, sexual abuse zine, zine, zine release, zinester

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