The World Through The Heart of...

In this uncomfortable conversation with myself (and with you, of course), I share how my experience of ADHD and autism has shaped my perspective on diversity and differences in our world. In this episode, I discuss the balance between the world adapting to difference and diversity, and how we, recognising ourselves as diverse due to a mental or physical diagnosis or difference, can find the resources and tools to support us in our continued engagement with the world—not to fix or change who we are, but to empower us.with love,EmmaThis article is part of my Monday Monologuing series, where I share about the things currently on my mind in an in-formal way, it's my intention to open a space for curious, contemplative, and connected communication with one another in a supportive environment.

Thank you for reading this article or listening to the podcast. I greatly appreciate all of you who engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify, or head to the Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human Substack using the link below, where you'll find more poetry, meditations, and much more.what theme would you like me to share a poem or conversation about next week? Let me know in the comments or reaching out to me my email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.comenjoying my poetry? You can purchase my first book: https://www.amazon.com/44-Beautiful-Desirable-Expression-Experience-ebook/dp/B0C46YRL9C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=131EF96R9M77Z&keywords=44+a+journey+through+poetry&qid=1686420277&sprefix=44+a+joir%2Caps%2C278&sr=8-1would you like to explore more of what I create and have to offer? Take a look at all of my services and products: www.emmaevelyncampbell.com Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

Join the The Intuitive Writing Workshop for Neurodivergent Minds for free here: https://creativemornings.com/talks/RIAJi-_pt8AztVuo7wnUNA==?tab=attendeesThank you for reading this article or listening to the podcast. I greatly appreciate all of you who engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify, or head to the Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human Substack using the link below, where you'll find more poetry, meditations, and much more.what theme would you like me to share a poem or conversation about next week? Let me know in the comments or reaching out to me my email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.comenjoying my poetry? You can purchase my first book: https://www.amazon.com/44-Beautiful-Desirable-Expression-Experience-ebook/dp/B0C46YRL9C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=131EF96R9M77Z&keywords=44+a+journey+through+poetry&qid=1686420277&sprefix=44+a+joir%2Caps%2C278&sr=8-1with love,Emma Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

You can read this full article (a look at the cute photo of the robin) by heading to my Substack, Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human.Thank you for reading this article or listening to the podcast. I greatly appreciate all of you who engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify, or head to the Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human Substack using the link below, where you'll find more poetry, meditations, and much more.what did this poem bring up for you? Let me know in the comments or reaching out to me my email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.comenjoying my poetry? You can purchase my first book: https://www.amazon.com/44-Beautiful-Desirable-Expression-Experience-ebook/dp/B0C46YRL9C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=131EF96R9M77Z&keywords=44+a+journey+through+poetry&qid=1686420277&sprefix=44+a+joir%2Caps%2C278&sr=8-1 Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

You can read this full article by heading to my Substack here: https://uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/Join my monthly mediation group: https://lu.ma/op3lno7l or book club: https://lu.ma/o2mkwlbr this December.Explore my Thought & Support Partnerships here: https://jolly-lightyear-d2d.notion.site/Thought-Support-Partnerships-13d5d1939f36803d854fe4c37429791a?pvs=4hank you for reading this article or listening to the podcast. I greatly appreciate all of you who engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify, or head to the Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human Substack using the link below, where you'll find more poetry, meditations, and much more.what theme would you like me to share a poem or conversation about next week? Let me know in the comments or reaching out to me my email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you for reading this article or listening to the podcast. I greatly appreciate all of you who engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify, or head to the Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human Substack using the link below, where you'll find more poetry, meditations, and much more. Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you for reading this article or listening to the podcast. I greatly appreciate all of you that engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify.what theme would you like me to share a poem about next week? Let me know in the comments or reaching out to me my email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.comenjoying my poetry? You can purchase my first book: https://www.amazon.com/44-Beautiful-Desirable-Expression-Experience-ebook/dp/B0C46YRL9C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=131EF96R9M77Z&keywords=44+a+journey+through+poetry&qid=1686420277&sprefix=44+a+joir%2Caps%2C278&sr=8-1support my work and art by buying me a coffee ☕ - https://ko fi.com/emmacampbell Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you for reading this article or listening to the podcast. I greatly appreciate all of you that engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify.what theme would you like me to share a poem about next week? Let me know in the comments or reaching out to me my email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.comenjoying my poetry? You can purchase my first book: https://www.amazon.com/44-Beautiful-Desirable-Expression-Experience-ebook/dp/B0C46YRL9C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=131EF96R9M77Z&keywords=44+a+journey+through+poetry&qid=1686420277&sprefix=44+a+joir%2Caps%2C278&sr=8-1would you like to explore more of what I create and have to offer? Take a look at all of my services and products: https://jolly-lightyear-d2d.notion.site/Uncomfortably-Beautifully-Human-10f5d1939f3680b79120ed7269e955e5?pvs=4support my work and art by buying me a coffee ☕ - https://ko fi.com/emmacampbell Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you for reading this article or listening to the podcast. I greatly appreciate all of you that engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify.This week's invitations, if you'd like to actively get involved, you can either:share a poem or spoken word of your own that's been inspired by a sunset! Either in the comments below, or share it with me via email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.comwhat theme would you like me to share a poem about next week? Let me know in the comments or reaching out to me using my email aboveenjoying my poetry? You can purchase my first book: https://www.amazon.com/44-Beautiful-Desirable-Expression-Experience-ebook/dp/B0C46YRL9C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=131EF96R9M77Z&keywords=44+a+journey+through+poetry&qid=1686420277&sprefix=44+a+joir%2Caps%2C278&sr=8-1would you like to explore more of what I create and have to offer? Take a look at all of my services and products: https://wa.me/c/34651726568support my work and art by buying me a coffee ☕ - https://ko fi.com/emmacampbell Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

I am really excited to invite you to our newly created "Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human" book club! You can join and find out all the information here: https://lu.ma/o2mkwlbr We'll start on the 12th of September with a maximum of 20 individuals. We'll have one call a month with a specific theme and book to read, and a community WhatsApp chat to stay connected between calls. This is for those of you for whom reading is not only a hobby, but a way to connect more intimately with life. For those who see reading as a method of bringing more emotion, depth, and joy to our human experience. The donation is £12 for a 6-month membership, and during our first call together, we'll decide on a cause or project we'd like to donate all of the money from your payment to, supporting people who don't have access to books. Thank you for reading this article or listening to the podcast. I greatly appreciate all of you that engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify.This week's invitations, if you'd like to actively get involved, you can either:what theme would you like me to share a poem about next week? Let me know in the comments or reaching out to me using my email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.comenjoying my poetry? You can purchase my first book: https://www.amazon.com/44-Beautiful-Desirable-Expression-Experience-ebook/dp/B0C46YRL9C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=131EF96R9M77Z&keywords=44+a+journey+through+poetry&qid=1686420277&sprefix=44+a+joir%2Caps%2C278&sr=8-1want to explore more of what I create and have to offer? Take a look at all of my services and products: https://wa.me/c/34651726568support my work and art by buying me a coffee ☕ - https://ko fi.com/emmacampbell Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

A poem inspired by something my brother said about the sunset.with love,EmmaThank you for reading this article or listening to the podcast. I greatly appreciate all of you that engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify.This week's invitations, if you'd like to actively get involved, you can either:-share a poem or spoken word of your own that's been inspired by a sunset! Either in the comments below, or share it with me via email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com-what theme would you like me to share a poem about next week? Let me know in the comments or reaching out to me using my email above-enjoying my poetry? You can purchase my first book: https://www.amazon.com/44-Beautiful-Desirable-Expression-Experience-ebook/dp/B0C46YRL9C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=131EF96R9M77Z&keywords=44+a+journey+through+poetry&qid=1686420277&sprefix=44+a+joir%2Caps%2C278&sr=8-1-want to explore more of what I create and have to offer? Take a look at all of my services and products: https://wa.me/c/34651726568-support my work and art by buying me a coffee ☕ - https://ko fi.com/emmacampbell Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

A short poem inspired by the idea of chasing "I've finally made it"with love,EmmaThank you for listening to this episode. I greatly appreciate all of you that engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify.If you'd like to engage more intimately with the spaces I create you can:explore the services and books I've created that are an extension of everything I share - https://wa.me/c/34651726568support my work and art by buying me a coffee ☕ - https://ko fi.com/emmacampbellread my poetry book, 44: A Journey Through Poetry - https://www.amazon.com/44-Beautiful-Desirable-Expression-Experience-ebook/dp/B0C46YRL9C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=131EF96R9M77Z&keywords=44+a+journey+through+poetry&qid=1686420277&sprefix=44+a+joir%2Caps%2C278&sr=8-1 Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

A short poem inspired by nature. with love,Emma

A poem and a conversation (with a few tears) on the themes of feeling seen, safety and validation.Thank you for listening to this episode. I greatly appreciate all of you that engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify.

Join me in this episode where I share my thoughts and experiences of unconditional love.Thank you for listening to this episode. I greatly appreciate all of you that engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify.

Today I talk about my period and share a poem on the theme of liberation.Thank you for listening to this episode. I greatly appreciate all of you that engage with and listen to what I share.If you're enjoying my poetry, and want to join a space to share your own, or listen to other's sharing theirs, fellow poet, Mariah Friend and I, will be hosting a free online open mic and spoken work event on the 9th of June. This will be a nourishing space to to sit down and connect as a community, share and listen to one another's hearts through our poetry. Everyone will have time to share if you wish to (you're more than welcome to join to simply listen!), and we'll open the space for community sharing after each piece of work so we can celebrate our unique and beautiful gifts. Head to: https://lu.ma/8g1o12re for all of the information, timings and to register so that you can receive the Zoom link for the event. We would love to have you there!

Thank you for listening to this episode. I greatly appreciate all of you that engage with and listen to what I share. Connect with me: https://calendly.com/emmaevelyncampbellMy services: https://wa.me/c/34651726568Receive these poems to your inbox: https://uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/ Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

What was your favourite poem? What did it bring up for you?with love,EmmaConnect with me: https://calendly.com/emmaevelyncampbellMy services: https://wa.me/c/34651726568Receive these poems: https://uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/ Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

I remember as a young person, saying whatever came to my mind. Sometimes it'd get me into trouble. It wasn't what a young girl was ‘supposed' to say. I would go on in my life to dilute how I really felt and what I wanted to speak out of the fear of the repercussions. The fear of rejection. I did my best to be the kindest person or act like I knew exactly what to say. I couldn't look a mess. I also couldn't trigger another person, this was an absolute no-no and a complete fear in my body. In my head, it was my job to hold space for everyone and be the compassionate person. However, I soon learnt that leaning so much into this side of me, had me feeling quite empty. I wasn't in my wholeness, I wasn't welcoming all of me into the equation, because my impulsiveness that had caused so many challenges in my relationships, was something that needed to be fixed or suppressed at all costs. My impulsive nature to speak what felt exciting, interesting, curious could not be allowed to surface.I remember this suppression hit me full in the face last year. I remember hysterically crying to my house mate at the time, “I just want to feel human again”. Shortly after this, a diagnosis of ADHD and autism, brought this un-filtered me back to life. It was like the permission slip I somehow needed.I got to know this child me tentatively at first, still holding back, afraid at what mess she'd cause if I fully let go of control. And, in some situations, mess she did make. But then I had this amazing revelation, that she was trying to show me, what I knew when I was younger. My impulsiveness to speak un-filtered, to sometimes not know when to stop talking or understand the appropriate moment to share or say something, is not this un-grounded, weakness or way of being I have to spend my life fixing or suppressing, because I tried that, and it made me miserable. It was something about my nature that I needed to love, accept and see the gifts in, even if it resulted in a mess being made, because when I reflected on it, I always learnt SO much through the mess because I realised that I never spoke with the intention to hurt or trigger another, but from the intention to connect and love, even if that intention wasn't always understood or seen by the other person or even myself.I see how when people really get to know me and who I am, this is just something they know and come to love about me. I've even been thanked by close friends for ‘accidentally' triggering them because it opened up things for them and contributed to their own growth and healing. It helped bring things to the surface that were previously not seen. This isn't to say go around saying whatever you think, especially if you know that what you'll say will hurt the person you're speaking to. For me, it's more about giving myself permission to speak and share freely, but to hold the intention that what's said comes from a place to connect and to expand more love, and to offer the space for the other person to do the same, even if that expansion comes through challenge. I wanted to share this because I wanted to use my example as an offering of light for people who may feel that trying to change things about themselves, that are truly their nature, isn't the way they want to experience their life or themselves. I wanted to offer a way of experiencing life where who you are is okay and not in need of fixing or suppressing, but accepting and embracing for all the good intentions that are under the surface of behaviours that have been labelled ‘not okay'. To wrap up, I wanted to finish by sharing a poem. Poetry was one of the first spaces I started letting this un-censored nature explore itself again. The other day I was listening to Beyonce's new album, specifically the song RIIVERDANCE, and this poem just came out of nowhere and I remember reading it feeling a mix of excitement because it felt super fun and un-filtered and a feeling of I cannot say or share this. I have quite a few poems I feel this way about. Then I thought tonight, this space I've created ‘uncomfortably, beautifully human' is about sharing the things that feel at my own edges, that feel a little uncomfortable, because, well, I don't want to wait until I'm on Queen Bey's level (if that's even possible) to feel safe and free to write and say what feels natural and organic within my own art. So here it is, a great poem to listen to/read with music that makes you feel empowered in the background, because that's certainly how I felt after. Overstimulated Emancipated It's what I like I can't fight with you I'm wild Child I've piled high Years of looking through different eyes Perspectives Will I regret this? Doubt asks But heart responds "You know the notes of the song Just not the order" I'm a former god -Dess Why do they want me to add a suffix to God? They can't see through their own illusion of fog That I'm the reincarnated Isis Blessed Pussy wet at my own touch Did that make you blush? Not a fan of all the fuss I make Maybe to you I'm a fake Because of all the sides of me My definition is free I won't plead Bleed for you to see All the beauty that I culminate in the word 'I' Growing wings taking flight You might have fun If you let go a little of all the control Boxing inside of your soul I'll scream loud I've found the answer I'm sure That I've grown bored of the person I thought I 'should' be The stuff others told me I had to believe Now it's time to grieve the death of Emma who grew from should Would you mind making way for the sunrise of her new day? It was always in what her heart would say "Don't be afraid to die and be reborn" You can scorn Shake your head Think I've made my bed When deep down You're wishing I was giving you head in your bed I won't tread lightly Fear that you'll spite me out of spite Because you're just bored of your own life Oh all the strife in toning down Thinking somewhere I'll finally be found Please bury that Emma deep in the ground Because her corpse is the sort of nutrients I now need For my strong roots My true nature sprouting I travelled through so much doubting To here arrive At peace with life A new spark in my eyes Ease in my body I won't be sorry for everything I left behind To remind me of myself instead of getting lost trying to be someone else. with love,Emma Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

The Friday just gone, I had the honour of marrying two of my amazing friends in Ibiza. They asked me to perform the ceremony with a poem. It was so heart opening, I decided to share it with you too.with love,Emma Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

Speaking to you in Feb 2024, I've just finished writing my second book, Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human. A collection of 222 poems over two and a half years. The words are the residue of the emotions, thoughts, experiences and observations of my human experience. These poems, although written by my hand and through the lens of my experiences, are not my poems or words, but mirrors, moments in time for whatever you may need to receive, as you read.I'm currently looking for the right publisher, or agent who connects deeply with my work and would like to partner with me for the publishing journey of this book. If you feel a resonance and have any idea of the person/company that might be ‘the one', or you have any tips for the publishing journey, please reach out to me by email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com. Your support is deeply appreciated.with love,Emma Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

The final week of my Sunday mini-series, where I read through and speak on different poems from my book, 44: A Journey Through Poetry.This is poem number 42 in the fourth verse of my book. In this video, after reading the poem to you, I talk to you about finding unconditional love with yourself, going beyond what you should do and having the courage to choose yourself. I invite you to answer the question “what would it take for you to explore who you truly are?”I also shared in the video how I visualise and connect with nature to remind me of my own. Below are the images I spoke about which I invite you to meditate on.The Oak Tree, reflecting on how we can be both grounded and always changing, moving through cycles of life and death (Photo by Andrew Shelley on Unsplash):The Earth, how it stays in orbit without holding onto anything, only supported by the invisible forces of our Universe (Photo by NASA on Unsplash):Thank you to everyone for joining me on this journey through poetry. I'd love to hear what this series has brought up for you, please share with me your thoughts, reflections and questions in the comments or by email, emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com If you'd like to purchase my book, you can find it available here.with love,Emma Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you to everyone for joining me on this journey through poetry. This is poem number 27 in the third verse of my book. In this video, after reading the poem to you, I talk about the conflict between listening to the dreams you experience inside and embracing your current reality. I offer some questions for you to reflect on and invite you into your own exploration of uniting this conflict.Thank you so much for listening or reading. I'll be back next Sunday for Week 4, reading another poem from 44 Journey Through Poetry. If you want to purchase this book and support my work, you can go to the link here.with love,Emma Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

I feel torn by this my dear How can you feel so far yet so near? How can you make me feel so deeply Then have me in the depths of Confusion where I can't seem to figure out our road? Because when I ask my heart it seems to know That you're 'The One' That you're the person I want to love until this life is done I want to know Are you going to continue to run? Or will you see what I see? Will we find each other in joy and harmony? Or is this a dream that stays confined to the deepest parts inside of me? It scares me to think I'll never experience looking into those eyes Telling you "I love you" Feeling alive with your body touching mine It scares me to think of living with this for my whole life Without you by my side So what now? When I feel the confusion taking over Have I got to get over everything from the very start? Or do I let you go? And trust that in your heart, soon you'll also know That this love is here to stay Is here for us to grow together each day Is here to guide the way back to a Truth We have forgotten to remember That this ember cannot die with time Because it was before time that it was even created A time, somehow, we both awaited for Even in moments it felt so unsure I knew to keep a faith in what I felt so sure of That just because it seemed illogical To the logic of physical reality I now refuse to let anything sway the knowing in me The knowing there was something more I now feel ready to believe That our love is more than words can begin to conceive So, I choose to allow the confusion in And yet I know it can never win Because the knowing from within is too strong For the part of me that feels I could be wrong Instead I choose to trust To go beyond stories that I'm told I should adjust my feelings to make room for No, I choose to take the door of uncertainty Of how it feels to lean fully into a love without guarantee Without knowing how far I could fall I follow this call Because I believe I am worthy to experience it all So my love I'll wait for you on the other side Of the fears, protection the need to hide And hold space for you to start To see yourself through my eyes So that we can begin a new ever-expanding journey Of both truly, feeling alive.That is poem number 19 in the second verse of my book, 44: A Journey Through Poetry. When I read this poem, I think of the intentions when I wrote it. I wrote it for somebody, a man, that when I wrote this book, I really, really felt so much love for. I actually dedicated the book to him. It's really funny as I read now to see how that love has evolved and also to see how I was, very much, talking about myself. I was projecting this kind of half of myself onto another and trying very hard to bring those two things together. I was witnessing myself in this phase of separation, as if saying to myself, I want to believe in you, but I'm too scared to believe. It was this phase where I was very backwards and forwards between trust and doubt. I was wondering how I could reach this future self I felt? How do I get to the place I feel inside? I think there's a lot of that created in our society because we have an idea of linear time. We have this idea that from here to there, I need to do X, Y, and Z and I need to get somewhere. I need to make it. Sometimes we apply that concept and that approach to ourselves as well. This need to reach that point where we have everything together and we're fully healed.This was kind of how it was with the love for myself. I felt it was somewhere I needed to reach, that there were things I needed to do to attain that love for self. Something that now I've realised, is that we learn about ourselves and we understand ourselves through separation and through isolation. But, we do it as if all the pieces are jumbled up and then we bring them together and I think for me now it's more about starting with the whole, this whole body and I get to learn about how the mind speaks to me and how the heart speaks to me but they're all one already, they're not separate things we need to see separately and then bring back together.I see it's the same with this future self I was capturing through this poem, this me that I was calling in or this life that I felt, at a young age, was far away. Recognising now that she was always with me. She was always guiding me, because she is me. She wasn't anywhere I needed to reach or anything I needed to become and there wasn't something I needed to improve on or get better at to be with her. I always was her, it was just a matter of experiencing life and journeying through life to allow more and more of all of who I am to emerge. Would it really be that fun if we just landed on this planet and we were in total remembrance straight away? It's the journey of it we enjoy, we get to experience.This poem has a strong theme of division and this fighting between these two versions of myself and the question, how do I reach this state of unconditional love? That can be seen with oneself, but also, through the lense of relationship. Was I going to continue to see that man as separate from me or that, at core level, he is me? (That's not to say that we're all the same when we say we're all one, rather that we're all unique individual expressions of the one) So what am I fighting about that's within him, that I'm fighting about within myself? What am I not wanting to see in this person that I'm not wanting to see in myself? What am I fighting with, that's asking for acceptance? I think when we have this conflict within about ourselves or others it's an invitation for us to look at what that conflict is bringing up in us rather than projecting that out onto the other.I really hoped you enjoyed the reading and listening of this poem. I truly feel this book is so beautiful and so accessible. In the hardback, there are blank pages after each poem called, ‘a page for you to share your soul', where you can write about what came up for you as you read each poem. I think is a really great thing to have in a book because as you're listening or as you're reading, you can begin to find your own interpretations and your own answers.Thank you so much, for listening or reading. I'll be back next Sunday for Week 3 reading another poem from 44 Journey Through Poetry. If you want to purchase this book and support my work, you can go to the link here.with love,EmmaP.s. On a side note, speaking to you in Feb 2024, I've just finished writing my second book, Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human. A collection of 222 poems over two and a half years. The words are the residue of the emotions, thoughts, experiences and observations of my human experience. These poems, although written by my hand and through the lens of my experiences, are not my poems or words, but mirrors, moments in time for whatever you may need to receive, as you read.I'm currently looking for the right publisher, or agent who connects deeply with my work and would like to partner with me for the publishing journey of this book. If you feel a resonance and have any idea of the person/company that might be ‘the one', or you have any tips for the publishing journey, please reach out to me by email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com. Your support is deeply appreciated. Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

*please note, there is potentially triggering content with references to themes of suicide and emotional trauma in this article/email, which some individuals may find distressing. Please ensure that you feel safe to continue reading. If you recognise that you need support after reading this article, please reach out to someone that you trust. Mind are a great UK based support network for people experiencing mental health, as are NAMI, for my readers based in the US. If you're not sure where to start, you can also reach out to me via email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com and I can help point you in the right direction. "These words on paper are an overflow of pure emotion, a mirror held up to the beautiful and perhaps less desirable parts of us. A candid expression of the human experience. This poetry tells a story that, as you read, you realise you have lived too. The writing invites reflection which we all need a little room for in our lives. Thank you, Emma, for your vulnerability." I received this quote from a dear friend, Sofia, as she read my book before I self-published. I loved it so much that I used it as the blurb. My intention for creating this mini-series for the next (probably) 4 weeks, reading a few poems from the book, is to invite you into your own exploration of what it means to be human. I'll read the poem, provide the context for it's creation and then share my own reflections on it as I read it years later. The questions I ask myself in this reflection are... 'how have I changed?' 'how am I still the same?' 'what is the wisdom I've gained?' I also invite you to share in the comments or by email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com what the listening of this poem brought up for you. If you haven't already you can join us for this series by subscribing for free below. You'll also benefit from a growing space where I share weekly thoughts from my heart, meditations and more heart-opening poetry. My intention is to continue to expand this space in a way that nourishes the reader and listener, whilst following my own intuition on what feels good. I want this to be an environment where you feel no expectations to do anything, other than to feel what surfaces for you as you connect with the words that are shared. Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.I've captured the poem and my reflections below, which you can read if you prefer to engage with this content by reading over watching the video.This feels so f*****g hard I feel all the pain in my heart I feel lost in the words in my mind created in a time when I could easily disguise Now it all comes to the surface I'm starting to regress to the part of my journey where I felt so lonely where I felt so lost Like I couldn't breathe Yes, I remember that version of me where running was all that she could do to survive Where hiding was all she could do to feel safe in this life to repress everything that suffocated her that cut her deep like a knife Where all those tears she had in her eyes And all she could do was pretend to be fine.This poem is number 12 in my book 44: A Journey Through Poetry, which you can purchase here. As I read back this poem, I'm also going through this chapter and transition in my life now where there's this feeling of like, it's difficult. It's hard, but there's not that heaviness that I used to carry. So it's really a moment to see not only my growth, but also this compassion for the one, that version of myself that just was so, so lost and so, so afraid of everything and whatever would happen it would be this need to get away, to avoid, to run. At this phase, it feels more like a need to hold on tightly.I must have wrote this 3/4 years ago, when I was reflecting on the version of myself aged 16-18. It's funny now to read it back and see this pattern and how it has played out in different phases of my life. How sometimes it would be to run and other times to hold tightly.I'm starting to regress to the part of my journey where I felt so lonely where I felt so lostI think we can all relate to these lines. We have moments on our journey where we naturally return to old habits, behaviours and ways of being. I think what this is showing us is how that version of ourselves is still present within us, and is asking to receive space to be heard and compassion to feel loved, not by the things we were running away from or chasing after, but from ourselves. Whilst I've been staying at my family home where I grew up, I've been focusing a lot on my inner child. The child that grew up here and, although had a good upbringing, felt really misunderstood, and emotionally suppressed. As I contemplate more on the line “I'm starting to regress to the part of my journey”, it's a reminder that ways of being and behaviours from our past do resurface and asks the question, how can we open up with compassion to them when they do, instead of pushing them away? How is this inquiry actually a step forward, rather than a step backwards?I called this poem '‘when it feels so f*****g hard', and you'll notice as you read my book, that a lot of the poems from this time include swear words. I liked to use them to express both frustration and excitement. I feel it keeps my work un-filtered, and in this particular poem, really emphasises my inner frustration. I actually went back through my journals the other day, and came across one of the first ones I wrote in when I began obsessively journaling every detail of my life around 5 years ago (all destined to be another book one day) and this was what I read “spent a few days crying, exhausted - couldn't get out of bed - sducidal thoughts”. It was a huge moment of love to see how taking that time to invest in myself and how I see the world, has helped me grow so much and to see how writing was a huge catalyst for that. I'm someone who's always questioning my intention and reflecting on how I show up in the world. I want to treat others how I'd wanted to be treated myself. In my opinion, this involves going into, as Carl Jung would say, my shadow and my unconscious patterns and thoughts. I identified a lot of those through the process of writing. There's definitely this archetype of the emotionally struggling writer or poet and we see this as a weakness. My invitation to anyone who does struggle emotionally, mentally or in life in general, is to see this as a source of empowerment. Use writing not only to capture how you're feeling, but also as a way to witness yourself by reading what's emerged onto the page. Get curious about what you've wrote. Ask questions about it. Explore where it's coming from. This is a great tool for cultivating self-awareness, compassion and love. There's a lot of emphasis around being the best version of ourselves but, through writing, I think we can learn to embrace the full continuum of being human, see the gifts in our challenges and find the tools that most support us to participate and navigate this experience.As I read the last lines of this poem againwhere all those tears she had in her eyes and all she could do was pretend to be fine I felt reminded of another one of my intentions with poetry, to show people you're not alone, to open up a discussion around topics we struggle to speak about. Topics that bring up shame and fears of rejection. Everything I do holds the intention to create space for people to be fully seen, heard and understood in all that they are. I'd love for you to share what came up for you as you listened/read. As I've learnt with poetry, the poet writes about their experiences or experiences they observe, but the reader receives what they need to through the reading or listening of those words. To me, 44: A Journey Through Poetry, really captured the poems from my younger years, and invites you to explore and reflect on your own (I actually include journaling pages in the book for you to do this). I'll be reading more poems from my book each Sunday morning with you and I do hope you'll join me and connect with us in the comments and in our chat to speak about what each poem brings up for you. Vulnerability with ourselves and one another is, in my opinion, one of the things that truly help us grow and connect. with love,Emma Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

I wrote this long form poem whilst on a journey of contemplation with nature. I hope you receive whatever you need from these words. with love,Emma Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

A poem with the intention to translate my experience of unity consciousness into words. with love,Emma Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

If you'd like to, next Wednesday I'm holding a free guided Breathe & Be meditation and writing practice. You can join us here: https://lu.ma/tpb5vl5p Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

If you'd like to join us for our next free Breathe & Be Community Guided Meditation and Writing Practice in association with you can register here: https://lu.ma/tpb5vl5p It'll be held on Wednesday the 17th of January 19:00-19:45PM CET Timezonewith love,Emma Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

This poem came to me whilst on my flight to Ibiza for Christmas. The words brought me a sense of peace, I hope you find whatever you need from these words.If you'd like to connect more intimately with this poetry, you can read my book, 44, here.If something sparked in you as you read, share it with me emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com or in the comments below. Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

Sitting the Ibizan sun, writing poems for my next book, I found myself wandering into familiar territory, with 'love' once again my muse.If you'd like to connect more intimately with this poetry, you can read my book, 44, here.If something sparked in you as you read, share it with me emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com or in the comments below.post contributors:Thank you for this photo by Jaime Handley which you can find on Unsplash Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

Hey everyone, I recorded this meditation for the busy Christmas period ahead, but it's also a great meditation for any time that you're feeling busy, overwhelmed or challenged in your life.As always, I invite you to take what resonates with you from this meditation, and leave behind what doesn't. The foundation of the work and creations that flow through me is that I don't claim to have the answers for you, I believe that you have your own answers inside and what I can offer is the space to remember them.If you'd like to engage more intimately with the spaces I create you can… * book a connection call where we can get to know one another and you can find out about the different 1:1 and group spaces I create - https://calendly.com/emmaevelyncampbell/connectioncall* register for our free Breathe & Be guided meditation and writing practice on Friday the 15th here - https://lu.ma/764zybpt* explore Connect & Create, an intimate monthly group community for living from the heart here:As I shared in this guided meditation, here are some writing prompts to help support you with integrating what you learnt and discovered through this meditation… * How would my mind and body feel if I allowed myself to experience my life with intention and peace?* What changes (even the smallest ones), can I begin to make to help me with living more slowly, intentionally and with more peace? * What could happen if I begun to practice this? (write your answers as if there were no limitations) As always, feel free to share any of your answers, reflections and questions in the comments below. If you're listening on the podcast, you can access this article by heading to my Substack and share with us there.with love,Emma Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

I felt like singing this poem. As always, let's chat about what this poem brought up for you in the comments on my Substack https://emmaevelyncampbell.substack.com/If you'd like to connect more intimately with this poetry, you can read my book, 44, here.If something sparked in you as you read, share it with me emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com or in the comments below. Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

I just feel like writing today About all of the ways things seemed to have changed Yet, strangely, stayed exactly the same I feel like only a grain of sand . And an entire beach I feel like it's you (or is it me?) I want to run from And you, I want to meet The place right here And the one in-between I feel grief Like I don't ever want to speak Yet, I feel alive Like I can talk for the rest of my life I feel clever and wise Like the skies can't be the limit And, sometimes, I feel like I have no idea Like I'm full to the brim with anxiety and fear Like what was once only clear Is now chaos looming near I feel restless and bored And, inspired as my heart soars To new worlds I feel the young girl And the soul that can dwell across many lifetimes Reminding myself through words and rhymes I feel like I'm... Everything Everywhere All at once And perhaps, that's the point? Maybe, I'm remembering Maybe, I'm surrendering To how I was always sending myself clues That it's safe to refuse to sit in a box Wear only one label I can't fail in choosing to be all of me Is this what it feels like when we are truly free?If you'd like to connect more intimately with this poetry, you can read my book, 44, here.If something sparked in you as you read, share it with me emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com or in the comments below. Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

I can't feel a glimmer of sunshine Lost in the parts stored inside of my mind They all have stories about what they've found throughout my life I try, instead, to look through your eyesAnd then look through mine And hope this will shine a light on what is true The me that exists within yo (me) u Maybe, I just always knew? Where I was going Where my waters were flowing A light in my heart That brought me right back to the start With a depth of wisdom That I could not hold If I did not take a detour If I did not take the path that journeyed away from you Away from us as two Maybe, I always knew exactly what to do Maybe separation is what we create To know what it feels like to hate Until our souls refuse to believe that this is our only fate Until we remember Surrender Find our way back to us as One Maybe life is about holding space for it all Because maybe without the fall We would not rise Yes, maybe this is about holding space for all of life Maybe, this is what makes us wise So that we can then choose And at the same time, still walk in another's shoes. If you'd like to connect more intimately with this poetry, you can read my book, 44, here.If something sparked in you as you read, share it with me emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com or in the comments below.post contributors:Thank you for these photos by Ion Fet (blue eyes) and Joel Staveley (hazel eyes) which you can find on UnsplashUncomfortably, Beautifully Human is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

Many of us may be feeling the collective heaviness in our world right now, themes of separation and suppression feeling at their peak. Firstly, I want you to know it's okay to feel this heaviness. You are not crazy, wrong, alone nor are you going backwards. Particularly, those of us who are tuned into the subtle energy fluctuations of our world. We're feeling the frustration of systems that don't operate to serve the whole, that reject new ways of being that represent and serve many of the people that inhabit our world. Whilst there are pockets of change occurring across the world, I believe we're still invited to see the presence of separation and suppression in our personal and collective lives, so that through its awareness we can assist with the healing of our Earth, by choosing new ways of operating that are grounded in unity, compassion and true freedom of expression.I've been feeling and witnessing this heaviness recently around the humans that are showing these new ways of being, consciousness and awareness through their words, actions and presence, despite the themes of separation that still operate on a collective level. The theme of if something can't be seen, then it can't be real. The theme of if you don't fit in to the system that exists, then you're crazy. The theme that can't hold space for curiosity if it disrupts the world other's inhabit. The theme that doesn't allow the space for more than one way of seeing, being and experiencing the world. The themes that perpetrates an ‘Us vs. Them' narrative, where we're unable to put ourselves in the shoes of another. I don't have the answers, all I know is how to feel what surfaces, allow myself to be in both the light and dark, and then process this in my own ways, with the tools, resources and awareness that I have. Poetry is one of these tools and through the words I share publicly, it is my intention to offer the space for others that, may feel the same. Today this poem came through. I feel the ‘you' that this frustration speaks to through these words, is a collective one, that represents the narratives of separation and suppression.I feel, uncomfortable, with all of this suppression Where my only antidote is through un-filtered expression Intentional agression I can't abide by this repression I'm not trying to write to make some kind of impression I just want an honest reflection uoᴉʇɔǝlɟǝɹ Maybe I should include a section that warns you that I'm diagnosed as crazy A little lazy (isn't that what society would label me?) But, I won't be the target for your ammunition Nor, moulded to your perceptions projections I don't see it as a rejection That your closed mind Can't find the time To pause ▐▐ and see through another's eyes Instead You prefer to watch what I say with dread With fear, that my 'disease' of insanity might spread You prefer to ask me to "tread lightly around please don't make a sound" So, I don't trigger the ground that you walk on I'm not saying that you are wrong & that I am right It's just this plight, that I find myself stuck in Where I still want to be seen and heard for just, who I am How far that I have ran Where I'm seen for the depths and not just the surface Don't we, all deserve this? I don't like hate that you only see me through societies filters Who told you how we should be What's acceptable and what's crazy Maybe, I am just angry Because I am sad about the separation in our world A place where deep down, I think we all just want to feel held Safe to speak Because a different way of being doesn't make you weak a freak. Maybe, some of us just look at what others don't want to/can't see The unexplored emotions Oceans of our humanity I remember the days when we were persecuted for who we were And still, for who we are Because, can we really say we've come that far? I don't know. But, what I know, is to not be accepted creates much shame Separation invokes blame When who you are is neglected, you feel much pain The flame of who you are begins to waneYou feel alone and you feel afraid The words behind another's back and to their face when fuelled with hate Has us walking to a dismal fate I don't think, anymore, we should wait deny Try to cover truth with lie Suppress the shadow that's inside Look at others through narrow minds Simply because it's harder to look through their eyes We'd rather cry wolf Distort reality For our need to feel safe In everything staying exactly the same Not celebrate those going against the grain Trying to show that there's more than just one way Judgement, is just another way to say you're afraid But hey, these words aren't here to lecture Wake you up from your sleep They simply point to the need To the dream For everyone to feel free Free in who they came here to be In who they are Peel back layers of suffocating masks & still If we must question Another's intention Why don't we lead with curiosity compassion an open heart I think this, would be a great place to start To bridge the divides on our Earth Isn't this, what we all deserve?If you'd like to connect more intimately with this poetry, you can read my book, 44, here.If something sparked in you as you read, share it with me emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com or in the comments below.post contributors:Thank you for this photo by Paul Bulai which you can find on Unsplash Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

There's frost ❅ on the decking outside And despite the cold I find, inside, I feel warm I feel at peace Open heart to receive And still... This has been easy the hardest chapter of my life Not knowing whether to turn left or right A fight between mind and heart Trying to build new foundations that will last From the debris of my past Versions of me that never had the space to breathe Because to feel free I needed to face the darkest parts of me Find a way to meet them with compassion Am I brave? How long will I have to wait for it to all make sense? "You can keep looking over the fence to see if the grass is greener Or you can notice you've already arrived What was once a dream of the mind Is now fully awakened inside" Because it was who I became on the ride With every long stride And small step Every time I leant more into the depths Found resilience through every test I came to feel a little more blessed A little more present Isn't this what I truly wanted? Maybe it was never about the 'things' But the learnings my pursuit of them would bring Or, maybe, what is true Is that it's both Where every note♩ adds to a song So did everything I went through teach me to belong So that when I received what my heart could see Through many waves of serendipity My heart would already be full Because I'd already answered my own call I'd given myself what I, needed first Learnt how to serve Nurse open wounds So that soon, what I'd experience in my life Would only be a reflection of what was first, inside. If you'd like to connect more intimately with this poetry, you can read my book, 44, here.If something sparked in you as you read, share it with me emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com or in the comments below.post contributors:Thank you for this photo by Annie Spratt which you can find on UnsplashEmma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Love, I don't trust you All the pain you've put me through Yet, how much in all of that I grew When I ask, “show me how to love unconditionally” You show me all that is not love How I've wandered around not feeling enough You taught me to put myself in another's shoes See through another's eyes And it has me asking why Why did I cause pain to who I loved the most? My little self How I've dwelt in blame Going against the grain I've tied many sins that aren't mine to my name I've been afraid to be love Because when you are love You'll see all that is not that You'll see all that is lack You'll see all that is sep ara tion It's your preparation An invitation saying Can you still choose love? Can you stand in who you are as a gust of wind tries to blow you away? Is it better to be love than to be right? What does it mean to be love when it feels so out of sight? Many questions in my mindIt's funny that I don't trust love And it's funny how in that declaration Love came to me And whispered... "Take the pressure of your shoulders Love is not moving the boulders of others But showing them that, no matter what, they still belong That even when we, as human beings may do wrong We choose to remember that it is together that we are strong Different melodies, yet the same song" Isn't this love? Maybe this, I am safe to begin to trust. If you'd like to connect more intimately with this poetry, you can read my book, 44, here.If something sparked in you as you read, share it with me emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com or in the comments below.Emma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

I often re-read past poetry, particularly when I'm looking for guidance, today I reflected on one I wrote over a year ago, number 295, and the words spoke something that I needed to hear, maybe there's also a message here for you. I invite you to close your eyes, listen to the words, feel, hear and witness what surfaces.All of these thoughts going around in my head A merry-go round as I lay, still, held by my bed I contemplate on what direction to take ⇆ I make up ideas of what could be I explore every possibility I like to control, you see Mould the world to my own A Queen, sitting on her throne Oh, if I had known back then what I know Now That it's life that shows me the how Through feeling Through dreaming What if I stopped believing that I have to figure it out? What if I lived from listening to my body? Responding Belonging What if I could see clearly? Without projections, perceptions How then, would that feel? To see what is real Not how it should be What if I followed serendipity? (?) What if in, only trust, all my needs are met? The more I don't fret The more I am present, here & don't question Plan Many oceans I've swam To learn... demand of life Not, to demand of life But, to listen to it as a silent guide Speaking to me through inner sight Reminding me of the lightWho's source is only inside.If you'd like to connect more intimately with this poetry, you can read my book, 44, here.If something sparked in you as you read, share it with me emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com or in the comments below.post contributors:Thank you for this photo by Timon Studler which you can find on Unsplash Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

The words of my poetry move through me when I'm processing emotions or when I'm responding to something in the world. This poem poured out of me from a question someone asked me. I didn't really understand the context of the question, the intention behind the question or even what was being asked, yet it felt like a question that I didn't need to answer directly to the other person, but instead a question I needed to ask myself. This is the answer that came.You're asking me is this real?You're wondering if I know what you feelOr can time heal The deepest of woundsThe cracks that we try not to showWhen it's what allowed us to growBecause only by the cracks can we see the lightCan I see you guiding me through the nightBecause we are a messYet, how deeply we've been blessedBecause I know I'm where you are You're where I am Even if it appears to make nosenseEven with every where that I went To try to forgetI did neglect my heartWhen at last I stopped runningFrom the prison only I have builtFrom the walls only I put up Brick by brick It takes vulnerability to kick them downThen maybe I'm not destined to live undergroundLive in a cageIt's because I've been afraidOf the sins of my name I keep taking on the blame for the old meForgetting that by nature I'm already freeSo if I trust thisWould I not be destined for bliss?If I trusted loveWould that not be enough? If I didn't lock myself up inside Would that mean I no longer have to hide?Only inside can I find the answersOnly inside can I see the path The one where spirit and human meetWhere I am one with those that I greetWhere who I am can finally speak Because I gave myself what I really did needWhat only when I closed my eyes and breathedCould I finally seeThat only I can choose who in this life I be The fear OR the heart of serendipityThe heart whose whispers are getting louderAren't I the founder of a new way?Can I stop digging my own grave?By staying the same By believing it'll all fall apart Go wrongWhat if I do belong?What if all the mess I've made is okay? What if today I could step into faith And didn't have to waitTook all this b******t off my plateAnd create something newWhat if I could do all this with you?Somehow, I know it's my heart that speaks true Because I am the few, not the many Who doesn't have to be ready to decideThat what is real is first, inside So for all the tears I've criedThe anger that's built up I trust that as i let it go As i release this load This weight I'll be met at heavens gate on EarthReady to serveReady to hold spaceI've been gifted with the grace To taste love in formBecause I leaned into the storm I was drawn into the depths of being human So dark and consumingI always thought my demise was loomingBut, to my surprise It was my demiseThat brought me back to lifeTo remember So when you ask me is this real?I say, trust what only your heart can feelIf you felt supported by this poem, please leave a comment below or reach out via email, emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com and let me know what came up for you. I love to hear from people that connect with the art and words that come through me.

Welcome to a new podcast episode of The World Through the Heart of (also sharing on A Journey Through Poetry). The world through the heart of is a conversation with individuals exploring consciousness, awareness and living life as a divine human being. Today our guest is . Prior to the episode, Mariah shared with me that those on the creative path, experience a “longing to express ourselves in the world and share our he(art) and yet if we're dependent on the receptivity of others, or the external measurements of success, it'll never be enough.” She then asks the question “How do we navigate that tension?“ Join us for this conversation where we'll explore this in more depth. Emma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.If you found this episode supportive, don't forget to share your takeaways with us by leaving a review or reaching out to us on emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com.Key Discussion Points:* navigating the tension of being dependent on the validation/external results of others as a creative * honouring your desires to create and creating the space you need in order to do that* building confidence and resilience* approaching creativity in a gentle, sustainable way* honouring the cycles of creativity and being present for the journey * safety and surrender on the creative journey * leaning into community and connection as a tool for support* embracing discomfort and receiving through vulnerability* creating from pure emotion Connect with Mariah:Mariah Friend is a writer, new mama, and grieving daughter. She currently lives in Kansas City, Missouri. A former I.C.U. nurse and a world traveler, her writing is influenced by her travels, Midwestern childhood, and the twin vocabularies of medicine and healing. Cycles of life shape her work — the paradox of grieving while celebrating new life is a recurrent theme in her writing. She shares her work on thebarefootbeat.com and writes Heartbeats, a weekly newsletter on Substack.Thebarefootbeat: https://thebarefootbeat.com/ Heartbeats: https://thebarefootbeat.substack.com/ Clarity for Crossroads: https://clarityforcrossroads.substack.com/If you felt supported by this conversation, please leave a comment below, review or reach out via email, emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com and let us know what came up for you. We love to hear from our listeners.

I just wanna be human Without the confusion Emma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.I'm the mad hatter I don't flatter I walk to the beat of my own beautiful madness It's a sadnessForgetting the child within The grin that knew all possibilities That walked the wave of serendipity She only knew the moment She only knew how to be here But don't fear Because when you see clear You'll remember it isn't near It is here To steer you through life I cut myself on the edge of the knife To come back to what I know is right Because don't we also need the opposite to see Don't we all need To feel trapped to know who we are as free Don't we need separation to remember unity It's not a curse you see To live as a human being It's actually quite freeing When you embrace all the imperfectionIt's really a regression to being a child To being wild To being nature To being spirit in form Waking a new dawn Waking to a new rising sun To once again play and have funIt's not really a conundrumwith love,EmmaIf you felt supported by this poem, please leave a comment below or reach out via email, emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com and let me know what came up for you. I love to hear from people that connect with the art and words that come through me.

As you read/listen, I invite you not to take my words as truth, but to trust your own interpretation of them. Feel free to share with me in the comments your own experiences and realisations, because all of our unique ways of seeing are valid.In a world where we're told to look for answers through other people, through systems, through what your best friend said, your parents told you growing up or the general societal conventions of the times we live in, it can be seriously scary to trust yourself, to trust the wisdom that resides within you, that resides within all of us. Emma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.To me, the truth that flows through each of us is unique. The image I always get is of a puzzle, where we are all a unique piece of that puzzle, and it's in being that unique piece that we can begin to see, understand and function as a whole. This is when we stop seeing ourselves as separate, and at the same time, see the value in our differences. At the same time, it's important to refer to the other pieces in the puzzle in order to determine exactly where one piece fits, just as it's equally important to refer to the truths that others share with us, to connect, refine, gain a deeper understanding and deeper clarity when remembering our own wisdom. Both are needed. Based on my experience, it's when we make what is outside of us (the words, actions, dreams, beliefs etc. of others) as our source or destination, that we can find ourselves in conflict with ourselves because we're overriding our own wisdom. We're trying hard to be a different piece of the puzzle, or reject the existence of the puzzle entirely. This has been a very subtle realisation in my own life, where decisions have arose from the wisdom of others, rather than my own. Why do we do this? There's many reasons, for me it was a need to prove myself, thinking that what I had to offer wasn't enough. I'd worked with many coaches and therapists throughout my life that I unconsciously had outsourced my wisdom. Rather than listen to their words with curiosity, with the ability to not take on what I felt wasn't for me to hear, I made their words my own, I became a copy of their puzzle piece rather than my own, I moulded myself to be seen as, what I thought, would be more acceptable in their eyes. The funny thing was, the way back wasn't trying to fix or change how I felt, but in allowing myself to fully go into all of the pain that I felt from forgetting and neglecting my own wisdom. The pain I felt from trying to be someone else other than all that I am and the gifts that arise from my unique ways of seeing the world. If something in you resonates with this, I can only speak from my experience and say that whilst it's important to surround yourself with the guidance and space of those that you trust, do this on the foundations of first learning about who you uniquely are. Know the intricacies and the value of your puzzle piece. Use these foundations to explore the world with curiosity, and continually return to what's inside to determine what's for you and what isn't. Get to know the unique way your body, mind, heart and gut speak to you. Understand your unique cycles of both human and spirit. Use nature as your first reference point. Practice and know that whatever you're feeling and experiencing right now is okay. There is no destination in life except to return back to where we came from, so in my eyes, the greatest gift we can offer to ourselves is to begin to remember and practice trusting the way that we want to experience each moment that we receive in this beautiful life. With love, EmmaPhoto by Vardan Papikyan on UnsplashEmma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

I feel ashamed That I don't have any money to my nameEmma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.I want to blame past versions of myselfWho wanted to proveLive beyond their meansIt would seem that I thought I wasn't good enoughAfraid to trust the life inside To know I'm held by loveBy lightAnd what might look like a failure on the outsideOr where you may perceive me as walking around blindI've forgotten what is linear time You see, it's when I rhyme that I see a truth That, right now, having nothing to my nameIs a sign that I've been braveThat I've not been afraid to follow my heart Where I've learntThat what I have, doesn't say anything about who I am Who we areStar-dust Energy appearing physicalAn Earth born miracleSo don't be ashamed If it appears that you have nothing to your name Or if the everything you do have Doesn't bring you the joy you seekYou are not weak There's nothing that you need to fixI believe there's a lesson in every brick that builds a homeThere's a realisation in every twist and turn And when you yearn to be away from where you areYou've forgotten how far your soul travelledTo experience being human And even on the days you feel forlornIn the centre of a stormOr lost out at seaSimply pause, return to nature and breathe See your life through compassionate eyes See the beauty in every verse of your lifeRemember the light That shines bright from insideAnd if your challenges have you ever in doubt Know that this light can't ever go outwith love,Emma If you felt supported by this poem, please leave a comment below or reach out via email, emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com and let me know what came up for you. I love to hear from people that connect with the art and words that come through me.

I was sharing with my oldest brother how I felt like a burden, to my family, to my friends, to myself, how I felt like a complete failure. The months leading up to this conversation I'd made some big changes in my life after realising the way I was living wasn't going to nourish me in the long-term, realising the way I was showing up wasn't fully true to who I was or what I wanted to experience. Many of these changes felt so scary, I remember asking life back in April “show me what my heart and soul truly want to experience”, and feeling willing to follow wherever it would take me. That conversation with my older brother felt like a pivotal moment for me, I can see how a lot of the things I had been doing and who I was being, were attempts to prove something about who I was, to be seen for who I really was, and when the success that I perceived as success felt unmanageable, I was afraid to let it go because I thought that it would mean letting go of the validation that I thought I needed. The permission I thought I needed. A young Emma wanted to be seen so badly, because she spent many years hiding from being herself, suppressing the gift that is who she is, by simply being herself. Emma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.It feels strange to say that now, to see simply my presence and my being as enough. To trust that whatever arises from that being as enough. Although this is definitely a way of living I'm continuing to practice and learn about, I've found the peace in choosing to operate this way, in a world that operates based on what you do. Think, how many times when you first meet someone have you been asked “what do you do?”, as if that defines who you are, what if instead we asked “tell me about you”, “how are you feeling” - what if we all created spaces to share openly, transparently, to feel safe and held to simply share what is our truth in that moment. I believe, it starts with exploring the inner conflicts within ourselves. The conflicts that arise from trying to escape, from judging the phase we're in right now. From seeing where we are as not good enough, who we are, where we are as not successful. A plant doesn't try to skip the phase of being a seed, and still grows into it the full essence that existed inside of that seed. Nor does it try to resist when its death feeds the soil for new life to grow. There's a common saying “be the change you want to see in the world”. Emma, a few months ago would've shared she felt that she was a burden to the world by doing what she wanted to do in this phase of her life, by being who she is right now. I felt inspired to share my truth now, to remind you that it's okay to feel like a burden and, to also remind you that you're not one. To share with you, that, right now, I'm choosing to just be, enjoy life and create without putting pressure on myself to do anything else. Here, in the form of a poem, is what surfaces for me around choosing this. Burden Am I even deserving? Of a home where I'm not just observing My life As it drifts on by Sometimes I feel as though I'm looking out of a window Where the glass is frosted The snowfall touches the winters of my life A breathe, a deep sigh To now know who I am Back in the days I began To run far away from my homeland The days that I sang to soothe Holding a tune A hot air balloonWeightless Amazement The heaviness still has moments where it pulls me down Back when I forgot how to touch the ground Because I was following the remembrance of the heavens High vibrations Yet always escaping A prison that I had built for myself Where what I needed belonged at the back of a shelf I delved so deep I forgot what it meant to be human I forgot what it meant to be me I wanted so badly to feel free That I forgot my own needs To feel at peace Yet, be seen in all that I am How far have I swam Yet, I feel I'm going in circles Stuck in a whirlpool Where I keep having to start all over again Where I keep having to pretend Having to mend I'm angry I'm frustrated Yet, I'm calm At peace Because I find ease in chaos I find relaxation riding the wavesCan I pave a new way? Can I rise from this grave? Can I just write? Can I arrive? Can I sing? I don't know I suppose I only want to just beI have so many questions That I no longer want answered Because someone once told me The answer is found in the question The suggestion is that we already know The seeds we are destined to sew That life, can't always be only flow Because even the river crashes into rocks Sometimes the unconscious knocks on the door of our hearts To ask us to see what we once suppressed The test of the parts we neglected That over protected Disrespected How deeply they were affected by the world We're all only young girls And boys Trying not to destroy our dreams Trying to trust what our hearts believe And not lean into greed and pride To walk this way you must let yourself die into new evolutionsBirth new ways of being Feeling Healing Because everything is change Yet, in that change, the I am that I am, is always the same with love,EmmaIf you felt supported by this poem, please leave a comment below or reach out via email, emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com and let me know what came up for you. I love to hear from people that connect with the art and words that come through me.

Why do I keep on crying?I feel like I'm somehow dying Emma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Fighting with life What I can feel when I look through my eyesVs. what I feel inside Its a fright To have been a whole life in disguise The dark soul of the night To lights burning bright I want to hide I want to pause I have no remorse for my deaths Many learnings from many tests I have learnt, I am blessed Never would I have guessed I'd land hereBetween a rock and a hard-place I can't open the gate to move forward I feel my direction Blocked by walls of protection Doubting what I know What I feelIs it real? Will it ever happen?Happiness?Peace?Can I be only ease?Can this be created by me?Can this just come in and I be free?Surely magic and miraclesAre available?Surely I'll be able To feel stable Because I long for a home To be alone And in community How much longer until I see what I feelDo I still have even more to heal?Shake me awake from this dream Where inside I scream For the scars that were wounds that had to bleed Can I surrender to what I believe? Live as all of me?I grieve who I was Because the tears water who I am They are the antidote to being in mind Is it the end of that time?I don't want to hit rewind Only keep swimming Beginning to trust what I know Move with life's flow Oh gardens, please grow Take me home Take me to what I've always known. with love,EmmaIf you felt supported by this poem, please leave a comment below or reach out via email, emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com and let me know what came up for you. I love to hear from people that connect with the art and words that come through me.

It's easy for us to feel that our ‘dreams' are far away, myself included. The image that comes to my mind, is a donkey chasing the carrot dangling at the end of a stick. Our dreams always appear in front of us, yet we can never quite reach them. This poem, I feel, reminds us that, if we look closely, we are already experiencing what was once only a dream. That, more often than not, we've already arrived at the place or experience, we're busy trying to arrive at. Because even if the place where you are isn't your dream right now, in what ways was it once a dream? Aren't you already experiencing your greatest dream, to experience yourself in form? I hope you find your own answers to this question through these words. Emma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Spanish MorningsThe bustle through the street Intrigued by those whom I might meet The atmosphere, greets me with enthusiasm I feel I'm on the edge of something that could happen Possibilities, I can't even begin to imagine And yet, it's the simplicity I love The mundane Where everything appears as though it stays the same But, with every breath, I know there is change I feel this new way of being Where I notice movement in stillnessWhere experiencing life is what heals this fearThat I won't ever be safeThat I'll never get to taste Or seeThe life my heart speaks to me You see it's in the stillness Being grounded here Enjoying these Spanish mornings That I remember, that I've already arrived Living what was once, only my dream lifewith love,EmmaIf you felt supported by this poem, please leave a comment below or reach out via email, emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com and let me know what came up for you. I love to hear from people that connect with the art and words that come through me.

I'm broken down Sadness to frown Emma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Where am I going? What is my knowing? Why can't I see? Even as I trust serendipity Is it as simple as trusting me? I co-create with life I can't fight with strifeBecause that to, is me The experience I decided to have To learn and grow Sometimes to row We must release Everything we thought we believed Tears down the cheeks Signs of grief Signs of holding on Signs of days now gone Where have I come from?Where do I belong?Inside I feel home Outside I see home Even through this movement Even through this chaos I will not waiver From the path of my heart Because I have at last Learnt to surrender and listen Forget asking for permission Forget finding truth in the words of others Hiding under the covers I won't smother you Smother me Sacrifice who I came here to be Who I already am So many chaotic waters I've swam So many dead ends So many times I've tried hard to blend in So many times my tears have been received by empty space So many times I couldn't trace the source of the wound The sacred rage that would scream through I can hold space for all of you Because I can hold space for all of meThe darkness The intricacies My role is to simply be Sit in stillness and breathe Weave with nature Knowing I am my only saviour The source that flows through me The source that shows endless possibility The source providing all I ever needIn this moment In this Now Because seeking more has me lost in many paths of “but how?”Nature takes me through the cycles of my many deaths And rebirths Yes, it is nature reminds me of my pace Approaching this life with seeds of grace All I really ask for is space To create To serve To soothe those who's soul starve From an endless seeking I am a soul that lives as unconditional love Maybe one day I'll remember that this is enough That there's nothing more I need do Than choose to be who I am Until that day of full remembrance I'll practice I'll learn I'll grow Choosing to live by what I know Embracing my rivers that flow I am a being of light I am a bring of dark I am everything I am whole I am not the roles the human wears I'm not scared by steps that ask me to let go Yes, I trust what I know And what I know is not something that I can tell you For it is not a thing devised by the mind But a feeling as endless a time A feeling I place into my rhymes A feeling I see through the signs Future me left behind What I know is a feeling That asks for deep healing That asks for trust In the stuff of dreams Not of beliefs No, this is pure magic Pure beautyI sometimes wish you could see this all of me My depth My simplicity How free I feel The knowing of what is real That love is enough to heal That's why I don't seal my lips shut I trust that my writing holds keys The wisdom Source whispers through me Maybe, as we listen we discover what we seek Maybe, as these words we speak We remember all is not as it seems We look behind the veil of illusionThe curtain of separation We remember unity Maybe, this is my way home Remembering that as I journey, I am never alone Both the queen who sits on her throne And the one who kneels in awe At the ways life closes and opens doors Where you are both more And what you have I find it hard to say exactly what I mean Everything is more than it seems And now I deeply believe That what I need is insideThat what I need is not hide the love that I am Because a strand of hair From the crescent moon bear isn't what will save me But remembering that I've always been freeTrusting in the knowing that I now seewith love,EmmaPhoto by Alexandra Nicolae on UnsplashEmma Evelyn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human at uncomfortablybeautifullyhuman.substack.com/subscribe

I would always adjust the way I showed up in my world by what I thought was the right way to do things. We all take on other ways of being, because we find them more acceptable because we've been told that's the best way to operate in the world, because, as we've grown, we've been exposed to the judgements of certain ways of being. Through my eyes, we are all pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle, where every unique piece is needed to experience, to witness the whole in its completion and beauty. The intention of this poem is to invite you into the remembrance of what your unique way of being is, your unique way of working, talking, showing up, and beginning to walk the path back to this. I find the best way is starting to engage with how you showed up as a child. In this poem, I share my experiences of falling back in love with what feels more like my natural way of being, and the power that I've found in reclaiming and re-embracing this. I invite you to read or listen with me, and feel into whatever this poem brings up for you.Can you crack me open?Words yet unspokenCan you delve into my worldAnd see the beautyWhere others see imperfection?Can I sitA flower receivingA flower openingBloomingMy emotion, all consumingRenewing my energyRenewing my faithWould you like a tasteOf the pleasure of being humanOf being, beingCan you believe inWhat your soul is needingYes, that rapture, it's oh so freeingFor I exist as dappled lightTraces of the darkness from insideBought to the surface of my consciousnessBought to the surface of my bodyIs it strangeThat I find pleasure in this tensionThat I find pleasure in the mentionOf the taboo in me, in youWho am I to sayWho am I to be afraidOf my own strange waysI'm a blemished diamondFormed in times of pressureI'm a treasureWithout a glitz or shineMy simplicity is what's divineMy complexity is woven through my rhymesBut who would I beIf not all of me?Where would I sail?How else could I tell these tales?Is it strange that its cathartic to watch myself try and fail?To drink from the holy grails of many experiencesIsn't that what I came here for?Yet, as this heroes journey walks to completionComes full circleI find myself calling in something rather newWhere, what I now chooseIs pleasure in peaceThe feeling of homeWatching nature in stillness and silenceI'm in defiance of societies waysThat the introvert has no sayThat the introvert is timid and afraidThis me, that moves so quietlyWith intentionWith easeIn the moments that you think I freezeI'm simply contemplatingAwaitingFor the answers to present themselves to meWith raw clarityAnd depthLearning through awarenessMy cycles intuiting the road aheadSo that I may restIn the here and NowMy face would've drawn a frownI wouldn't have been so sureIf you'd told me beforeThat the answers really did exist in honouring my timingTrusting the words I'm rhymingIt's funny how what I was missing was what I was hidingA liberation of this introverted meWho finds herself most freeWhen she is held in what she needsWhen she is alone with natureWhen she is connected to others through silenceIt's so beautiful to find thisA childhood wishA way of being I've oh so missedThis introverted meAllow yourself to finally bewith love,EmmaIf you felt supported by this poem, please leave a comment below or reach out via email, emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com and let me know what came up for you. I love to hear from people that connect with the art and words that come through me.

I wrote this poem as a letter to myself as I was reflecting on what this summer has taught me, the healing my experiences provided. It was a moment of realisation, that I never made a wrong decision, that I was always guided, even when it didn't appear like I was. Life is always on your side and there's no destination to reach, only the whole essence of who you are to remember. My intention is that these words activate a glimpse of that remembrance that exists within you. The remembrance of the love that you are.If I could place you in my heart Never would I starve Because the love I feel In this new start How it's taught me to heal To grow To remember that I knowWhat I knowWhat you've bestowed on me Makes my heart shout with gleeBecause here we are together Not threeNot separate Not desperate But to the point where we've finally met with our pasts Where at last we walk out of a cageBecause we know we were born free anywaySo now I'll bathe In the truth That I've always known what to doBecause I took myself back to the places where I grewWithout knowing who I wasWithout knowing I could be all that I amI came back to give myself permission To release the wishing To see what I was missing And that I always made the right decision Followed the knowing of each moment Each step Never did I neglect myself I delved deep to come back to what is true That I always knewThat I was always enough That I was always love That I know how to trustSo now with an open heartAs I've remembered who I amA new start will emerge Now that I put all of me first And see that I deserve To be seen, loved and heard And from this love I choose to serveThose who have forgotten their own worth Be the space for their light to shine Because sometimesThe greatest healing, is to see yourself through another's eyeswith love,EmmaHey everyone, I have 1 space left in my women's online group community, starting Thursday August 31st 18:30-20:00 BST, and 3 spaces left in my mens group, starting Wednesday August 30th 18:30-20:00 BST.You can find out all the information and prices by clicking the link below and feel free to reach out to me on here or via email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com if you have any questions.