I used to “be” a Software and Applications Engineer for over 16 years, substituting meals for french fries just to continue until I hit a wall. I was BURNT OUT – extra crispy, like those french fries forgotten in the air fryer past the point of being eaten. Spending an average of 16-18hrs/day on the computer. It’s an interesting thing when your cortisol levels spike so high that you start to reflect on who you actually are. Wondering if this is the right approach to life. I know the toll that my cortisol levels and stress took over my body. Riddled with nervous system issues and trauma, I pushed myself to learn ways to re-balance my entire life so that I could survive. I was often told “just meditate” or “go for a walk” or something. Self-care is hard and people make it sound easy. I found tangible ways to work with the stress and befriend it. Now, I’ve figured out easier ways to go about this process and want to contribute that back into the community. As a collective, we can be more flexible in turning to these techniques rather than it being another chore.

**I am japanese (born there, raised in CA). I speak fluent japanese if you want to connect that way as well.