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If this were a Buzzfeed article, something really exciting would follow this.
“I haven’t slept all night – wait til’ you hear why!”
“I haven’t slept all night – Wow are these sex moves hot!”
“I haven’t slept all night – I’m Cheating on my Husband!”
You know. Something like that.
Unfortunately, this is not a Buzzfeed article, so all that follows is –
… because I did that thing where I was lying in bed thinking for a while and couldn’t get to sleep so I got up and had a snack and journaled for a while, then I still couldn’t sleep, so I read a book, then I got restless again and decided to write an article and now here I am writing a new blog post, 9 in the morning, and still, no sleep –
– “because I am a closeted vampire!”
What? Buzzfeed is getting outta hand.
Anyway, I’ve decided to sit down and write a new blog post, because why not, I can’t sleep anyway, and the people need updates! (That’s you.)
So here’s an update:
Over the past several weeks, I’ve been working on building up my audience. I’ve been writing articles again for Elephant Journal (you can see some of them here), I’ve been posting more frequently on Facebook and Twitter, and, of course, I’ve been writing more than my traditional one-blog-post-per-year.
This is all leading somewhere very exciting.
(“You’ll Never Guess Where My Audience-Building Was Going All Along!”)
Ahem. I’ve decided to re-focus my attention on a particular series of books: my Is series. The first of these books, “Just Call Me Is,” introduces young readers to mindfulness. The second, “Call Me Perfect” builds on that concept, but focuses more specifically on creating a positive body image. Both are a story, journal, and exercise book all in one – completely interactive with the reader, illustrated, and of course, narrated by the reader’s somewhat snarky Inner Self (or Is!) (After all, these books are for middle graders.)
There is so much more potential with these books – I want to talk about things traditional publishers shy away from: addiction, gender, sexuality, consent. Things that kids really need to know about – but apparently, aren’t reading about.
So I’ve decided to continue the series, and in order to do that…
(“When You Find Out What Comes Next, You’ll Be Shocked!”)
… I will be launching a Patreon in the next several weeks! This Patreon will allow me the funds to continue writing this series of books – from the time and energy spent on their creation to the funds needed to design and publish them. And in exchange for your support, I’ll be offering all sorts of things, not limited to:
– exclusive video and blog content
– reading groups for the books
– guided meditations
– one-on-one coaching for parents and/or kids (on mindfulness, body image, etc.)
– group calls / support group space for kids / teens struggling with body image, being mindful, consent, gender dynamics, sexuality, etc.
– much more
I am not officially launching this Patreon – not just yet. But I wanted to let you know here first, it is on its way.
I’ll keep you guys in the loop on this. And – thank you for your support thus far! ❤
For more info on my writing: http://www.NatalieGrigson.com
For more info on my work with teens and kids:
http://www.Presentco.org

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I think a lot of people are feeling overwhelmed right now. Maybe even a little hopeless. These feelings, more than any others I know, tend to sort of permeate the air – they’re catching; they spread.

I’m feeling hopeless today. I really am.

I had a conversation last night with someone about diet. The more we got to talking, the more I realized, this person – this seemingly happy and cheerful person – has an eating disorder. She’s fooling herself into believing that she’s finally found a miracle food plan that works! But – she’s hurting her body.

And she has no idea.

I thought about it all night, and all of today. I can’t get it out of my mind. We live in a society where fad diets (namely, diets that cut out complete food groups [excluding sugar]) as miracle life cures. There are fad diets that cut out fruit; some that cut out all carbs; all animal products; even all white foods.

It struck me as so very painful, because it’s just normal. Almost everyone I know is either on a diet, or has been on a diet, or is on a diet and doesn’t even know it. The restrictive diet has become their lifestyle – and that lifestyle is now disordered eating.

To be clear, I am NOT talking about healthy eating habits – this is a sustainable lifestyle choice, and can only improve your energy and overall health.

I am talking about restrictive diets – things that eliminate major, important food groups. Like healthy fats, like healthy proteins, like healthy complex carbs. They can’t last forever, and when they stop lasting, it’s either because the person’s body just can’t take it anymore and begins craving the nutrition it’s not getting SO badly, the person must give in. (Often plaguing that person with guilt and self-hatred – “How did I let this happen? I was doing so well!” But rest assured – YOUR BODY KNOWS WHAT IT NEEDS!)

And sometimes, it ends only when that person dies – like Steve Jobs, for example, who famously died of Pancreatic Cancer (one of the ultimate, horrific side effects of the Fruitarian Diet.)

This all comes up so painfully for me, because I KNOW this pain. I was bulimic growing up and anorexic for much of my 20s. I know this pain, and you do, too, whether you’re aware of it or not. It’s a collective pain – a collective sickness – that in hundreds of not-so-subtle ways effects us all.

More than ever, I want to help people – which is why February 5th I’m launching a Kickstarter for my book, Call Me Perfect. It’s book for kids and teens on body image and self-love. I won’t talk about it much here, because I’m sure by the end of the campaign, you all will be simply sick of hearing about it.

But god, I hope it helps. I hope it’s huge. I hope every kid in the world can read it. Because this pain? This collective need to be perfect (i.e. thin)? It is literally killing us.

We’ve got to make this stop.