Good things happening yet mood sour.

How important are clothes for your self image and does make up or clothes actually improve you mood?

For a happy day, focus on appreciating the present moment, practicing gratitude, and spreading kindness. Remember, even small acts of positivity can make a big difference in your mood and the lives of others. 

For a happy day, focus on appreciating the present moment, practicing gratitude, and spreading kindness. Remember, even small acts of positivity can make a big difference in your mood and the lives of others. 

For a happy day, focus on appreciating the present moment, practicing gratitude, and spreading kindness. Remember, even small acts of positivity can make a big difference in your mood and the lives of others. 

For a happy day, focus on appreciating the present moment, practicing gratitude, and spreading kindness. Remember, even small acts of positivity can make a big difference in your mood and the lives of others. 

For a happy day, focus on appreciating the present moment, practicing gratitude, and spreading kindness. Remember, even small acts of positivity can make a big difference in your mood and the lives of others. 

Congratulations Kate. This is a HUGE step. Know you are loved and hugged here. Many of us have gone through similar revelations and it is indeed very freeing to know who you are, accept who you are, and have many who support you. Any questions you might have along the way, please ask and we will answer to the best of our ability based on our personal experiences. We will give honest and truthful answers and most of all - affirming answers. WE want you to be happy and that starts with being able to truly accept who you are and being accepted as you. I'm not saying it will be an easy journey but know if we can do it and come through, I'm sure you can as well. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Hugs, Heather

Cheese can be good food, too.

I couldn't decide if I should drive (further than I would have driven during any other administration) rather than fly to a family event at the end of May.   Finally thought I'll risk flying despite the 'there are only two genders and they are locked in at birth' party being in power, then the airport that's closest to me has turned out to be the one that insiders say not to use because it's so unsafe.   So now I can feel like air travel is unsafe on top of feeling I'm not completely free to move around the country that yells a lot about how free it is, even now as it works to remove as many freedoms as it can. 

I haven't really been affected yet.  I think the biggest effect is uncertainty.  There's a feeling that we're standing on the edge of a cliff.  What will the administration do?  How will people respond?  There's some nervousness in my community about a potential repeat of the civil unrest from 2020.  But there's also some hope that maybe we could see some long-term economic improvement. 

It was definitely a nice weekend.  We really needed some bonding and relaxation time.  The four of us turned the suite into a big nest, and barely did anything.  Well, we did end up going to the buffet once for dinner.  And we went out to get our drinks, because the cost to get that at the hotel was just so high.  But we ordered in more pizza and tacos and desserts than we could eat...its great not having to clean up!   I wish we didn't have to go back to our real lives after the weekend.  But I think we're going to plan some more events where the four of us can get away.  Maybe a fishing trip in a couple of weeks?  IDK.     I'm starting to relax a bit about leaving home.  Its taken two and a half years after being assaulted, but I'm getting there.  Helps that my sister is law enforcement and one of my friends is a defense sharpshooter.  LGBTQ+ or not, nobody is going to bother us!   Well, except for family.  I finally talked with GF today.  I mostly ignored her when she came back from her trip last week....and I didn't say anything to her about my weekend plans or where I would be.  I told my husband, but not her, since she didn't have the courtesy to tell me about her trip until right as she was leaving.  Definitely a rough patch for us, and I'm having trouble not being mad at her.  If she's going to take me for granted, I'll just go be happy with my friends.  I just feel the need for some time away from her right now.   I found out today that one of my partners (my husband's first wife) is being honored in our community this Mothers' Day.  Her name is being added to the "Order of Heroic Motherhood" wall at the county courthouse.  Its given to mothers of 10+ children who are also recognized for community service.  I'm really happy for her, and looking forward to attending the ceremony.  She's been a wonderful example, and a great partner for me. 

27,M, for now 😜!  I've struggled with gender dysphoria for a while now. There's always been signs, a lot that I didn't even pick up until a few years ago. This was mostly due to working on my mental health and trying to accept me for me and I have come to realise that I can't accept myself if I continue to live as man.   Even referring to myself as a man just doesn't feel right it hasn't felt right for a while. Like in public when referred to with male pronouns it just doesn't feel right and it makes me feel uncomfortable.   I have now come to realise that I would feel a lot more comfortable being seen as a Woman. This feeling I have try to ignore for a while but its always been at the back of my mind. I opened up about this for the first time to my mental health worker a few days ago about this and honestly it felt amazing afterwards, during it was quite hard and I was very nervous, it did help that she was so supportive when I told her. It just felt like a relief to finally tell someone about how I feel.  Because now it's not a thought thats at the back of my mind, its something I'm finally ready to address and start my journey to becoming a women. Honestly I've felt so euphoric all weekend looking for womens clothes online to buy when I get paid later on this week. As I said before I feel so happy that I'm ready to start my journey!!!

https://apnews.com/article/transgender-hud-fair-housing-trump-lgbtq-turner-915634741f56f3d5ea265e316cd396bb     Why, of course he is.  He is using every tool, and every agency at his disposal to wage war against this community.  The courts are the only way he won't be victorious.   Carolyn Marie

As you will notice in my signature line I put myself down as both  Female and Non-Binary as far as how I can be seen socially.  I have been that way for quite a few years by now here, but one person who leads a group I am a member of just got told by another member that I am not the pure Binary Female Trans that they had known going back 15+ years, and now I am getting "humor" about the dual citizenship as they like to put it.  One remark that way on their part was annoying but I was able to let it pass and hoped it would be buried, but NO, NOT THE CASE.  I frankly do not see the humor but it gives them belly jiggle laughs.*  I am simply an older Trans Woman whose days of being a "cute chick" are gone with the clock ticking and the binary gender days associated with sexual desirability or attraction are history.  My NB look, which is there, is like any other post menopausal woman, and I have grown up to the point where I am not short fuse touchy about what title and identity others see.  The stress is off of me to a large degree over how I should appear in public, and right now I consider that to be a safety factor.  Old women are NOT seen the way younger, pretty class women are.  Jokes about my conforming to Trans standards are just getting as old as I am, just sooner than I have.  C'mon folks.   Another gripe I have is that I have two surviving family members who like to joke and give big laughs to family events that today I see no humor in because now as I really look at the events, they were meant to be hurtful to me and others and my memories are not longer on the fun and teasing that they declared the behaviors to be.  I am having to, and have made amends to my life to keep from showing those behaviors of hurt masked as humor and "loving" teasing.  What may have been funny in a moment back when, today is actually painful to think about.  I want to share the real moments of care and when love was demonstrated and those times too get laughed at.  YUCK.      *The person is Trans and part of my chosen family circle and I do love them until they open their mouth.  They too however are getting old with memory problems in plenty.

Not really more nervous, but watchful is up there. My personal motto is "Just because you are paranoid, does not mean they are NOT out to get you."  My recent grouchy feelings are about a few people who say they are allies but who open their mouths and get things confused about who and what Trans people are.  I still love these people but one, who is a local community leader, making the recommendation to take a Drag Queen to lunch to get to know Trans People misses the mark of Trans People needing help and understanding.   (Yes I have messaged them.)

Omg @KymmieL, I’m sorry, I just noticed my phone autocorrected your name to the name of someone I know. Lesson: always reread comments before posting!

Hi Kylie, I’m so intrigued by your comment. You say you didn’t love yourself *even* when you didn’t know who you were, but wouldn’t it have been much harder to love yourself back then? That word “even” makes it sound as though it should have been easier in the days when you were in the closet. Is that what you meant? 

Yes I am. My self-love is not conditional on my mood. In fact, when I am stressed I will almost always find time to stop, take a deep breath, and reassure myself: “You’re doing great Bette. I love you so much.”   I did not always have this skill, far from it. But something changed in me when I came out. I think a big part of it was that I suddenly understood the degree of the challenges I had been enduring. Since it was obvious how much happier (and kinder and healthier and in touch with my emotions) I was due to behaving authentically, it became clear just how much I had suffered by not behaving authentically. And this helped me forgive myself for how I’d behaved in the time before transition, because I finally understood the challenges I’d faced then.   This is so deep Vidanjali, and it speaks to why loving others is so difficult if we struggle to love ourselves.