Micaela L. Thomas has always had a knack for writing. Whether it was poetry, plays, songs, books, or short stories, she could always utilize her imagination to keep her centered from the internal turmoil that brewed within.
When she relocated to Columbus, OH., she began discovering her various talents. The story of Micaela’s life has been kept secret for the majority of her 33-years of existence. She has now decided to share her journey to encourage and betterment others who may be suffering in silence. She hopes to assist in advocating for others’ intentional healing through her own journey of self-awareness and manifestation.
When did you discover your passion for writing?
I discovered I had a passion for writing when I was about seven years old. My imagination was crazy! Lol, I could make up all kinds of short stories and fantasy adventures at the drop of a hat. Writing became my outlet. It was a way for me to get away from real life and my feelings throughout life. From people and different traumatic scenarios and situations.
What therapeutic benefits does writing provide for you?
Writing has always been a therapeutic release for me. It soothes me. To be able to write out all my thoughts and raw feelings and emotions is what helps me the most. When I write, I don’t have anyone tearing apart or over-analyzing my feelings, my thoughts, or trying to assume how they think I feel or where I “might” be coming from. It’s a way for me to connect with myself first, before attempting to get or allow anyone else to understand.
There are so many who suffer in silence alone. What advice do you have for them to regain their lives?
The advice I would give to those who suffer in silence is easier said than done. However, the first thing would be, is to change your mindset. Connect with you first on why you feel the things you do. Then release it. However, that may be. Whether it be through therapy/counseling, writing, music, exercise, confiding in a friend or family member that you’re sure you can find comfort and solace in. Many times, we hone in on the fact that we are suffering, but subside the reasons why. In order to regain your life, you have to understand why you are in that certain predicament. There’s no sense in skipping over it, you’ll just end up making the same mistake or choices and end up right back in the same mess. You want to figure out what led you to this place so that you don’t circle back on the same journey and re-visit the same feelings, potentially the same people or the same suffering. You have to do things differently and it starts with you. Tap into your hurt. Your trauma. Feel it. Understand it. Only then, can you move forward from it? It IS a process. It may take a while, but you have to start somewhere.
What is self-awareness in your own words? What is the process to become self-aware?
Self-awareness is the knowledge that you don’t land in certain places by mistake. It is knowing that you may have made a mistake or a choice that didn’t serve you or others, being accountable for it (or them), setting a plan, and then putting into action the steps to rectify, grow and/or learn from those same said mistakes or choices. When you are self-aware, you know that you cannot sit stagnantly or be complacent with where you currently are. The process requires you to be transparent with yourself and others without regret. Without censoring and without allowing the opinion of others to impact your growth and development. The process of self-awareness also involves aligning your internal and external standards with people, morals, and energies that serve you and your purpose. By the time you have made it, at least halfway through this process, you should be able to evaluate your actions, rationalize your thoughts, effectively manage your emotions, take into account how others may perceive you and adjust accordingly, should it be necessary.
In general most of us carry some emotional baggage. At what point should we unpack that baggage? What does that look like on a general scale?
We should always be willing to unpack emotional baggage at any and every point in our lives that involves handling traumatic situations and/or drama. As soon as we can acknowledge that it is there and present, we should be just as ready to acknowledge that it needs to be unpacked and put away. Never should we be willing and ready to carry around these emotional weights of luggage on a consistent basis. On a general scale, what it looks like to unpack emotional baggage, is to first, acknowledge that it is there. Stop pretending that these issues and your emotional trauma, do not exist. I get it…we all like to pretend that we have it all together sometimes. However, pretending adds on more baggage. Before you know, you’ll be singing Bag Lady and trying to figure out who is going to want to come, help you or deal with you with all this “stuff” when even YOU aren’t ready to let go of it. Let alone, unpack it.
Finally, what do you have planned for the rest of 2021?
After acknowledging your baggage, accept it. As much as you hate it, it’s still yours! Accept that it happened, accept that it is there, accept that it is yours so that you can know how you need to open it and heal from it. Address the elephants in the room when it comes to your baggage, with whomever you need to address them with. Suffering in silence does not help with unpacking it. Just adding more onto it. And if you need to, take a mental and/or emotional break. The process is far from easy and will NOT happen overnight. Forgive, although it may be hard to and practice mindfulness. Acquire your peace! Sis, PLEASE do not wrinkle your beautiful face or shuffle your crown being in constant thought of how other people hurt you, did you wrong or even on things you may have done that weren’t right. And last, but certainly not least, seek professional assistance if you struggle to follow these steps on your own. Never assume, that your bag is just yours to carry alone. There are people certified, who have been through the same struggles, there to help you sort through all your baggage. Trust them to help you. Trust yourself and trust the process.
