November 6th has come and gone, and its interesting how many people want to talk to me about my feelings on a second Trump administration. Not because I don't understand the need to process how a country's majority could choose this, but because of the surrounding context that bookends Election Day 2024.

In a world that feels increasingly interconnected, the domain of international relations has become a topic of growing importance. Yet, for many, the term "international relations" conjures up images of stuffy academic halls or political backrooms, far removed from the realities of everyday life. The truth is, international relations is a vast and multifaceted field that holds profound relevance for individuals and communities alike.

This radical act of reclamation is not an easy one. It demands that we face the shadows of our past, the traumas that have been passed down through generations. It requires us to sit with the discomfort, the grief, and the rage that come with acknowledging the injustices perpetrated against our communities.

As I sit here, the weight of my experiences over the past year and a half feels palpable. The ivory towers of academia had become a suffocating cage, slowly draining the life from my weary soul as I tried navigating the lasting effects of workplace bullying. But now, after a necessary respite to tend to my mental health, I find myself poised to reenter the fray, armed with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to honouring my needs within a system that often fails to do the same.

The path ahead is not paved with ease. The scars of colonialism are deep, and the task of healing is immense. But in reclaiming our natural heritage, we reclaim a sense of belonging, a connection to something larger than ourselves, a source of profound strength and resilience. It is a journey of healing, a journey of remembrance, a journey back to the heart of our being.

As an intuitive coach & consultant, I often work with clients who are feeling unfulfilled and uncertain about their life’s path. Issues range from career dissatisfaction, relationship troubles, or a general sense of purposelessness. Through exploring these experiences together, it always seems that the root is an estrangement from ourselves and the trust in the cosmos we came into this world with.

Last week, I asked people what they wanted to learn following Biden’s statement to “lower the temperature on politics”. The overwhelming response was to learn more about the politics of security. Since it is such a large topic, I’ve decided to break it up and ease us into it.

I had to come to terms with understanding the importance of social media as the first step. The next is finding ways to navigate its demands in a way that aligns with my personal values and abilities.

We've all felt that moment of dread when we realize that our words have been trapped in the recesses of our minds and will never see the light of day. Writer's block is an incredibly common phenomenon, but it doesn't have to be permanent! Let's discuss how to work through writer's block by leaning into the feminised ways of being, like taking time off from writing and exercising your creativity.

Where do I even start with C.J. Cooke’s, The Lighthouse Witches? Witches, spells, historical references with modern day relevance, and a lesson that doesn’t feed into dismissing magick—all within a single piece of fiction? Yes, please.

Maybe when the liminal space is flooded with so much water that it dilutes the air, people would join those who are reaching for the unseen and unknown. Maybe, because they’ll see the water rushing from the romanticized, they’ll see that the only way out is to a space we have never been.

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of the same old science-fiction meets fantasy vampire stories. Luckily, Fledgling by prolific sci-fi writer, Octavia E. Butler, explores this sub-genre in an entirely different way. Butler is able to succinctly explore various modes of othering and identity construction through the story of our protagonist, and the community they both lost and build.