I’ve always loved using social media for experimentation and expression.
There was one year where I did a 100 day writing challenge where I wrote every day for 100 days no matter what. I continued writing long after the challenge was over and I wrote a feature film script. You can read about that project here. Others amazing folks joined the challenge and there was lots of creating and consistent writing.
Earlier this year, I was inspired to amplify and celebrate the excellence, beauty, and diversity of Black women, so for 28 days I shared about one amazing black woman who was making her own rules. Afterwards, I thought it would be a shame if these powerful women’s stories got lost in the social media black hole, so I compiled them into a blog post. It was a labor of love and it was a healing experience for me and other women. I got so many beautiful messages about this from women of all backgrounds about the celebration of #blackgirlmagic. Little did I know this would become one of my most popular blog posts. You can read and amplify their stories over here.
And now here I am feeling the pull to express in a way I never have before. To put more out there without apology or even explanation.
I’ve been feeling this ache in my belly to share more since the start of the year. Stories, poetry, art…
However, being a full-time mom (and life) sometimes pulls me in all sorts of directions. Although it’s been almost two years just when I think I’m getting the hang of it, there’s another curve ball.
Don’t get me wrong, there are an infinite amount of perks to being a mother.
- Getting to see this beautiful little being become an individual on a daily basis.
- Seeing him try, falter, and always try again.
- Watching how his emotions flow so effortlessly. Tears one moment and then bursts of laughter.
- Being a guide and navigating the fine balance of when to intervene and when to step back.
- Noticing the edges that I need to soften with myself. Where my heart can open just a little more. Where I can trust more, laugh more, and just be.
The joy this being has brought into my life has been immensely healing. Healing that I didn’t even realize that I needed. My son has re-ignited my sense of adventure, because EVERY SINGLE DAY is an adventure. Adventures can involve play dates in the park or projectile vomit sometimes both in the same day. ?
But there are challenges.
Through the years I’ve heard a lot about mom’s sharing their challenges but it’s different when you go through it yourself. No one and no book could have prepared me for it.
There have been periods where I felt that I’m losing parts of myself that needed shedding. But there have been times when I felt I was losing myself and tried desperately to hold on.
I can see how years start to blend and time goes by slow and fast.
I’ve become more conscious about creating sacred space for my dreams and desires. To affirm that they are just as valid as they’ve always been. I’ve made peace that my work and creations happen at a much slower pace. And slow is good.
It gives me time to refine, to go deeper, and discern what’s mine to create and what I need to let go of.
Motherhood had made me more sensitive, resilient, strong and vulnerable and it informs all that I create.
I’m an artist. I believe we all are. My/our creations are valid and needed. I truly believe those gifts that come straight from our soul and are part of our individual and collective healing.
For the remainder of August I’m embarking on a new adventure called ROAR.
ROAR is going to be my gift to myself and hopefully to you. It’s going to be full of soul sharing and truth telling.
Uncaged.
Unshackled.
Unthethered.
Because…
As a woman I’ve felt the immense burden many women feel to conform to society’s pressure to be ____________.
perfect
pleasant
pretty
placid
Furthermore as a black woman I’ve felt the immense pressure NOT be an infinite list of ridiculous stereotypes.
Well I’m saying F that.
The name ROAR came to me because I feel many of us want to R-O-A-R and share the truth that lives deep in our souls. Since I’ve always been fascinated by the deep inner workings of the cosmos, the unseen connections between us, I think it’s also powerful to harness the Leo energy that we’re currently in and the New Moon.
So for the coming weeks, I’ll be about exploring longing truths, deep truths, lighthearted truths, sad truths, blissful truths that many of us hold back in order to please/accommodate/not offend. The truths we hold back due conditioning, fear, and feeling unsafe. Many of us wait our entire lives to feel that sense of safety to give voice to our truths. Although we know that day will never ever arrive we still wait.
There have been times when I’ve felt afraid of my roar, but that roar birthed a baby! It’s powerful and the more I learn to move with her the more I am in my authentic power. Throughout human existence we’ve witnessed the power of our individual and collective roar. It’s started revolutions, toppled empires, created nations, birthed babies, demanded pay raises, and signaled ecstasy. Yes, our roar is a force to be reckoned with.
ROAR is ultimately about liberation.
I want to give voice to the stories that are yearning to be expressed. I don’t have a set of guidelines because that would defeat the purpose. If I surprise myself then it would have been a raving success.
I’ll be sharing daily on Instagram.com/ThereseCator (it’s really my favorite place to hang out on social media). On a weekly basis I’ll pop in here to give you highlights and additional insights as they arise.
I’d love it if you joined me for the experience and let me know what it stirs for you.
My wish for you is that this adventure ignites your ROAR in whatever way your soul most needs.
With a roaring and untethered heart,
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