Being Known — Checking In!

Break free — Newsletter #33

Break free

Often we tend to keep ourselves in cages of our own making, rooted in self-limiting beliefs, in our preoccupation with an elusive perfectionism, and in our automatic ways of being and behaving. We assume that things will continue to be the way they’ve always been (aka bad), that we aren’t good enough, and that we can’t possibly have all that we wish for.

We keep ourselves small because to even conceive of the alternative would mean to believe in ourselves — to love ourselves — and to break free of the cages we are so used to living in. To break free would mean a new worldview!

To break free — we would have to be different, bolder, and confident. To break free we would have to believe in our own capacity for change. To break free we would have to love ourselves enough to work relentlessly towards our dreams, fears in tow, and to know deep inside our core that Yes We Can!

What cages are you keeping yourself locked in? Where might you break free with your writing and in your life? Share with us in the comments.

Being Known’s monthly writing prompt

August writing prompt: Haiku-it!

This month I invite you to indulge with me in my favorite poetic form — the haiku. Step outside your comfort zone and dare to give us 17 powerful syllables following a 5–7–5 rhythm.

Tag the prompt poem, tag your friends, submit your haiku (or haiku series), and join the fun before August ends!

Important notes from the editor

• Please follow Medium’s distribution standards on all of your submissions; this includes formatting on titles/subtitles and images.
• Please provide 48-business hours for feedback on your submissions (sometimes more, sometimes less depending on the length of your piece and on life) — be patient with your editors.
• Note that we publish pieces that are at least three minutes long, with the exception of flash fiction and poetry.
• Starting in September, we will move to a once/monthly newsletter on the first Sunday/Monday of the month and highlight distributed pieces and writing prompt responses. Please cheer on your fellow writers in their courage to be known.

Welcome new writers!

A warm welcome to our new writers this week: Mitchell Peterson, Jimmy Misner Jr., Mary Jo Campbell, Tejuka, Quinten Dol, and K.Kumar — thank you for your courageous willingness to be known with us.

Thank you existing writers

Thank you to all who ongoingly contribute to the collective story that is — Being Known: Tina L. Smith, Gayle Kurtzer-Meyers, Sarene B. Arias, Aimée Gramblin, Carolyn Riker, Kate Mackay, Geetika Sethi, Vixen Lea, Paula Light, Suntonu Bhadra, Quy Ma, Deena Thomson, Doug Ecks, Gal Mux, Sydney Duke Richey, Rob Janicke, Steph Jouppien, Rica Keenum, Caitlin Vestal, The4thQuadrant, A Simple Writer, Deeksha Agrawal, Nia Simone McLeod, Penofgold, Emily Jennings, Nicole Linke, Rabia Zulfqar, Anwesha Mishra, Connie Song, Eva Rotolo, Edward S. Majian, April Callaway, Sarah L. Harvey, JD Greyson, Shreya Deodhar, Sтepн Tнoмpѕoɴ, Mia Verita, Efron Koen, MFA, MA, Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她), Sarah J. Baker, Aceline Lavanya, Haikuster, Shubham Goel, Lisa Gastaldo, Emily Hargrove, Cheshire Chaton, Junaid Jamshed, Poetry Lover’s Companion, Paul Mulliner, Heather Jauquet, Jupiter Grant, Gillian Lesley Scott, Denee Francese-Smith, KB, Mihai Baluta-Cujba, Debasmita Chatterjee, Gianfranco Vigneri, Deborah Weir, Amy Pierovich, Rebecca Ruth Gould, Elan Cassandra, Rowen Veratome, Josie Elbiry, stacy becker, Brinda Koushik, Paul H. Harder II, Brad Creech, Caroline Mellor, Heather M. Shrum, Melinda Heyer, Courtney Denning (she/her), Jodi Rempel, Gretchen Lee Bourquin, Jois G., Raegan Hedley, Anna Woods, Jamie Russo, Mark Tulin, Michael Datz, Ruby Thomas, Leslie Anderson, SHRM-SCP, Bingz Huang, Rachel Reid, Joellen Goth, Amber B., Debbie Weiss, Kahli Bree Adams 🖋️, Rambling Rose, Edward Riley, Dave Logan, Shae De Pass, Ivan Yong Wei Kit, Nombuso Makhubu, Kajeetha Sarvananthan, Maria Garcia, Shawn Day, Silvia Poldaru, MA, Psych Write, Rute Barros, Rachel Maree, Hilda Carroll, Yana Bostongirl, Randy Shingler, Élan-Writer, Michelle Lovett, Humaira Iqbal, Connie Ottmann, Frankie Garcia.Maja Savic, Deb Wood, Kate Warrington, Julia Marsiglio, Emily Ann, Heather C Holmes, Mimi Bordeaux, Ashley Nicole, Ritambhara Khemani, M. Dal-Wray, Debora Chifunda, Rowen Quinn, Enne Baker, and Nathanael, Ramblings Anon, angelism, David Friend, Daphni Sawyer, Aeishwarya Baviskar, Sh*t Happens — Lost Girl Travel and Samantha Lazar, Jeremy McKay, A.M. Radulescu, Steve Campbell, Georgia Jauslin, Graveheart Neel, Glassgirl, Lennie Varvarides, Sahil Patel, Lamar Dull, and Nathan L. Senter, Prasanniya, Zeenat Merchant Syal, M. Glad Poetry, Elizabeth Barnesco, Giulietta Passarelli, Anthony Eichberger, Manisha, Hannah Kewley, Sheetal Prakash, Jaylee Reign, Rosy Gee, Sean F Corbin, Vilma Reynoso, Sarah Mui, Paul Mansfield, Elizabeth Willsea, and Naomi Leila. Anthony David Vernon, Smillew Rahcuef, Michael Hollifield, Alison Jacobson, Ginger Tran, Y.M. Saegusa, Sarah Beshr, Skyla Jade Blake, Liane White, SMACKINCOHEN, Bryce Godfrey, Dazzling Shene, Priyam Samantray, Priya Tandon, George Cloake, Celine Lai, David Graham, Carol Townend, Jade Willow, Edwina Toulmin, Beatrice Causey, B.R. Sheno, Ankit Priyadarshi, Mag Moreno, Margarette Mathias, Daniel R. Fincher, Amanda Wilson, Jonathan Townend, and America Zed, Dennett, Beth Byfield, Alicia Rust, Francesca Fowler, Sarah McInnes, Joy Lin, Lara Manetta, Eurielle, Sadie Seroxcat, Erin O’Connell, Julia Winsa, Nick, and CARMEN F MICSA, Sara Taylor Mermelstein, Fiza Ameen, Cristina Marie Pagan, Brigitte Bebey, Dr. Preeti Singh, RAINNA, Kyomi O’Connor, Anne Chisom, Jacqueline A, Destiny S. Harris, Heather Thompson, and Divina Grey.

The numbers

• 217 writers
• 530 followers

Keep writing and sharing your work. I am excited to grow together as individual writers and as a community of courageous, authentic souls.

This week’s distributed stories

• 4 Stress-Management Secrets I’ve Learned as a Caregiver, by Alison Jacobson
• My Creativity Was Inhibited Until a Childhood Fear Inspired Me, by Sarah McInnes
• The Woodman, by Tina L. Smith
• Stop Defending Your Abusive Family, by Write Mind Matters

This week’s distributed poems

• Analogy: Coffee, by Graveheart Neel
• Where Are My Rainboots? by Galit Birk, PhD

Writing prompt responses (Haiku-it!)

• Missing You, by Brigitte Bebey
• Stonewall, by Nicole Linke
• Sun Games, by Dennett
• Reconnecting, by Galit Birk, PhD

Thank you all

I am excited to continue to grow and to make magic together in our writing and in our lives. Continue leaping out of your comfort zone, drop the perfection illusion, love yourself, live fully, dare greatly, and live the life you imagine with presence and gratitude!

I see you, and I am grateful for your courage and willingness to be known.

With Gratitude, Galit Birk, PhD — your editor

Galit Birk, PhD is a life coach and a soon-to-be-therapist. She has a PhD in Psychology and a Master’s in Counseling. She is a writer, an editor, and a poet. She is a single mom. She is a deep-feeler who is passionate about people having it all, and living a life they love! Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.