Yes, I love that you’re taking control too! And I’m also happy to hear that you’ve planned some communication boundaries you want to set. I’m glad this thread and reading other people’s experiences has been helpful, and I’m wishing you the best! You can always post again if you think of something el...

Hi flores2231, By recognizing and talking through your decision to leave a relationship that has been important to you, you already have far more guts and courage than you realize! Any guilt he may feel as a result of the breakup is not your burden or responsibility (and it’s a good thing that he fe...

Hi there, Sometimes bleeding happens after sex due to tearing or abrasions of the vagina or cervix. If sex hurts, you can use lubrication and ask your partner to slow down/be gentler (the myth that sex is supposed to hurt the first time is not true - sex shouldn’t hurt!) This article gives more deta...

Hi MusicNerd! I just want to acknowledge how awesome it is that you recognized what you want and need out of a romantic relationship right now, and then were able to communicate to ask if his goals align with yours. Especially when it requires being vulnerable :) I’m glad to hear that he is also a g...

I’m glad the article was helpful! If your feelings are affecting your sleep and health, then I agree that they have entered “I have felt these feelings and now they are too much” territory. It is definitely exhausting to ruminate on or constantly re-process, and while feeling very sad is a normal pa...

Hi Skylar7593, When I think of “intrusive thoughts”, I generally think of thoughts that cause distress or are very unwanted. I agree with you that there is nothing wrong with thinking about sex, and it’s normal for it to happen throughout the day! But if the thoughts are bothering you greatly, I agr...

Hi neatsnail! It is totally normal (and not at all pathetic) to feel confused about masturbation. It is important to feel safe during masturbation, and see it as exciting and pleasurable rather than an obligation, so it’s good to hear that you are interested/aroused. I do want to address your concer...

Hi Susan, I’m sorry to hear about your breakup. Breakups are often difficult/painful, and while there may be things that make us feel better or help to support us during a breakup, there isn’t a “cure” to feeling sad (except maybe time). Instead, it may help to process the breakup by recognizing and...

Thank you for sharing, Sofi! I want to start practicing using some of this language too, and hopefully it will start feeling more natural to set these boundaries after a few tries.

I am currently reading Pleasure Activism by adrienne maree brown (highly recommend!), and feeling inspired by her writing about liberated relationships. She reminded me of the importance of creating emotional boundaries in my relationships. I realized that as many of my friends and family are experi...

I hear you, Melamyl! It can be super frustrating to find affordable clothes that fit and make me feel confident - especially when I'm relying on online shopping because of covid! But it's been helpful for me to remember that "summer clothes" can look like a lot of things and that every bod...

This is such an amazing question! Creating and sharing meals with other people is one of my favorite things to do. When I was in high school, my sister and I started to make our own meals. Learning how to shop for food that inspired us and how to cook became a “growing up” experience we got to do to...

This isn't so much a tip as a self-observation about connecting with others during this time - I feel very thankful for the technology to do video calls that have allowed me to do cooking projects with my sister over Zoom and have sparked group calls with family I haven't talked to in years. But, on...

Hi Amthyst! I’m sorry to hear about your experience being bullied when you were younger, thank you for sharing. I agree with what Marisha said above that thinking and talking about things from the past can help us process – many of the experiences we have when we are younger, no matter how “small” t...

I'm so excited for warmer weather soon, because then I can pull out my thrifted button up shirts (when it's safe again, I'm so excited to make a trip to Savers). Most of the time though, I just want to wear clothing that don't restrict my movement or make me feel confined, so I'm also a big fan of l...