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The Ruiners
A poem The sound of my dreams cracking under the relentless weight of your insecurity feels like stolen breath. I take small, shallow sips now, through my lips like a straw. The limited air makes me desperate. I need to go outside. Take big, heaving unapologetic breaths, making good noise. The sound of my dreams now has grown small. You pick off pieces of them slowly and casually, as if doing me a favor. Or as if you need them more than me, and can somehow crawl into them eve

Desiree Aquino
Jan 221 min read


You. Glowering.
A poem You of the permanent frown and furrowed brow. Wrinkling your forehead. Mock mockery. You walk into rooms defensive, the opportunity to be offended sure. Crossed arms, wide stance. Making you even shorter. I see you out of the corner of my eye. Already my anxiety is in full bloom, my hands wringing metaphorically in my mind. I too stand in defense. But mine is for myself. I need to be quick to appease you. Your narrowed eyes and gruff attitude are now mine to deal with.

Desiree Aquino
Dec 12, 20252 min read


You are preserved in wax, floating on the Dead Sea.
A poem Mummified in my memory, a dim but stolid lamplight that does not flicker. Many nights I ache to touch that light again. The closer I get, though, I see not incandescence. I see not you. It is my reflection from your shiny exterior that draws me. The warmth of my own heart. For you never shone for me. You stole my light, and pretended it belonged to you. So I believed for a while that it did. Now it is only the light of what I had once hoped we would be. It's a false li

Desiree Aquino
Dec 3, 20251 min read


Do You Say I Love You to Yourself?
Hold up, it's a valid question. Have you ever said, "I love you" to yourself? If not, you're not alone. It's not something most of us think about. In fact, it's only been recently that I've thought about it. You probably say "I love you" often. To your partner, your family, your friends. So why not to yourself? Think about the last time that someone you really love said those words to you in a meaningful way. How did it make you feel? Happy, uplifted, joyous? Saying I love yo

Desiree Aquino
Sep 12, 20254 min read


What Perseverance Looks Like
Practical tips for cultivating perseverance

Desiree Aquino
Mar 25, 20253 min read


Getting Closure
Moving forward without closure

Desiree Aquino
Mar 18, 20253 min read


Getting Out of A Rut
Tips for getting out of a rut

Desiree Aquino
Jan 30, 20253 min read


What's Up with Journaling?
Learn how journaling can benefit you.

Desiree Aquino
Jan 2, 20253 min read


What's Shadow Work?
"A man is whole only when he takes into account his shadow." - Djuna Barnes, American artist and writer What do you think of when you...

Desiree Aquino
Dec 26, 20244 min read


Dealing with Social Anxiety
What it is, where it comes from, and how to manage it.

Desiree Aquino
Dec 19, 20243 min read


Sunday Recs (what I'm reading, watching, buying, etc.)
Healthier Holiday Sweets I got me a wicked sweet tooth. Finding healthier alternatives to decadent and delicious desserts and other sweet...

Desiree Aquino
Dec 15, 20241 min read


Dealing with Family during the Holidays
"Family is supposed to be our safe haven. Very often, it's the place where we find the deepest heartache." - Iyanla Vanzant,...

Desiree Aquino
Oct 15, 20245 min read


Sunday Recs (what I'm reading, watching, buying, etc.)
Skip Prime Days, Buy Local If you're in the Bay Area and want to support local small businesses, consider doing some of your holiday...

Desiree Aquino
Oct 6, 20242 min read


Fear - Part III
"Thinking will not overcome fear but action will." - W. Clement Stone, businessman, philanthropist, author This post concludes the...

Desiree Aquino
Oct 1, 20245 min read


Fear - Part II
"How does fear become so powerful? We can't see it. We can't touch it, yet it gets its claws in us and begins to control us." - Gena...

Desiree Aquino
Sep 26, 20243 min read


Fear - Part I
"The fears we don't face become our limits." - Robin Sharma, leadership expert and author Did you know that not all of our fears are...

Desiree Aquino
Sep 24, 20244 min read


Recs (what I'm reading, watching, buying, etc.)
1. Watching the latest season of Slow Horses on Apple TV+. I feel like this show is still very much under the radar, despite the recent...

Desiree Aquino
Sep 15, 20241 min read


Fear of Change
"To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly." - Henri Bergson, French philosopher,...

Desiree Aquino
Sep 10, 20245 min read


Election 2024
What's real for me today This is a messy post. The words aren't as tidy and nicely wrapped up as I'd like them to be, but...

Desiree Aquino
Sep 5, 20242 min read


Recs (what I'm reading, watching, buying, etc.)
Fall/Winter Outdoor Exercise As temps drop, you may need to gear up for the colder months while getting your sweat on. Here are the items...

Desiree Aquino
Aug 30, 20242 min read
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