Episode 86: A Shifted Narrative: Flourishing Flowers Beneath the Trenches

Dare To Share Your Untold Story

Karima dares herself for a second round on the podcast, to share further developments on her mental well-being journey. She speaks about how she currently manages and copes with her diagnoses of borderline personality disorder and bipolar 1 and her process of daily coping. Karima takes time to share what it’s like identifying as a neurodivergent woman of colour, what tasks, or actions she finds difficult doing, unlearning certain habits, and learning boundary setting within her household as well as out in the world. Karima contended with her identity and feeling like her identity at times was based on how she was seen, or how people in her life who would decide for her if she was sick even if she wasn’t and she shares her process in re-writing her life script. She has been working through tough themes like fear of abandonment and learning its roots, crippling loneliness she felt, emotional work she has put in place to halt her impulses, understanding her triggers and frustrations. Karima spends time discussing how her mixed ethnic background and cultural roots have impacted her in a way where she did not receive the emotional supports from her family that she needed even when there was ample intellectual stimulation. Her key message to the listeners is that: the block or mute buttons are beautiful features and are helpful to regain control of your wellbeing and taking charge of your life; there is always power to choose, and to choose what is best for you in the absence of guilt; take space to breathe; disconnect from screens; take moments to be in nature and reground yourself.