Tag acceptance

Sometimes by embracing things we can reframe them in a different way. These are my thoughts and feelings from my heart that I share with you. Take from it what you so choose…

Why I would rather be broken than bent.

If if I were to be bent that would insinuate that somehow I was only one thing and that thing or object could be bent. A steel rod, a piece of wood, something that is straight and linear. When you bend and eventually bounce back. there is usually a point of weakness somewhere in the object. Unless it’s springy material.
At a low point in my life a very good friend told me that when you are broken you can take those pieces and put then back together anyway you want. I didn’t have to be a teapot or a cup, I could be a beautiful mantle piece or a plate (hypothetically)
By being broken, I can create cycles. I can rebuild myself in any way I so choose and I can leave behind the parts that no longer serve me. A broken piece of glass or mirror refracts beautiful light. What does something bent refract. I would rather be broken and shattered into a million pieces and rebuild myself self than bend and be somewhat conformable. I was made to begin each day anew, so from the broken pieces I reframe and rebuild to be better and stronger. When I am broken I can analyze which pieces don’t fit back into the existence that I am choosing to manifest. Which means that I can break myself at any moment take pieces away and rebuild as something better. Just like death brings rebirth, brokenness brings beauty. 🙏

-Dawn McIlmoyle

Renegade Lightworker

The Tale of The Walls

“I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow those walls down because I want what you have.”

“I will take your power your innocence and leave you feeling a living dead girl broken and not able to see your own light.”

At a very young age I had my “NO” taken away and learned you need it to hide your true self. Put on a smile, do what you’re told, suck it up, be a good girl, and big girls don’t cry.

I was born into a family where most could not see my gifts and forced me to suppress them and those that saw my specialness decided to greedily take a piece of it for themselves.

Not able to verbalize what was going on or chastitized for telling the truth, I built a wall of straw because I knew I needed protection. This wall was to protect me from my family because although they were supposed to protect me they failed to do so as they had their own issues add their own issues. Alcoholism, abandonment, and abuse left me with an insecure attachment and not knowing what love or acceptance looked like. I did not know where I fit in or where I belonged. I knew I was a part of my family, I looked like them, talked like them, liked what they liked, but I did not feel like one of them.

Those walls broke down easily and at school and in the community, I learned you needed stronger walls. So, I built walls of sticks and wood. Teachers can be cruel. They have their favorites and succeeding doesn’t get you anywhere if someone has slapped a label on you.

Difficult, hard to handle, too emotional, not a good role model, and not good enough to be Valedictorian despite straight A’s.

It was better to judge me or call me names and degrade me then find out what was really going on with me or show some interest in my life or well being.

A desire to be a part of something beggar, to see the world, to be of service to humanity, and a thirst for knowledge led me to join the Canadian Armed Forces. A quest to hopefully get educated enough to become a doctor.

I built walls of brick in attempt to be Bad-Ass, tough and able to take on anything. I wanted to be the best me possible and be all I could be.  A defender, a protector, a leader, and a helper. Children that don’t feel wanted, grow up and often go into professions where they feel needed.

Well in the military they know how to blow things up and friendly fire on domestic territory left me and my walls of bricks shattered into a million pieces and a desire for safety and security that led me to run for a safe room.

Betrayed, abandoned, rejected yet again and conditioned to believe I was a bad person, that things were my fault, and I was a failure I then locked myself in a safe room metaphorically where the only way anyone could get near me was if I invited them in. Letting people into my safe room was not a successful way to move forward.  Those I invited in brought their trauma, issues and conditioning into my safe room with them making the environment toxic, negative and full of bitterness and ungratefulness.

I wanted better. I wanted to move forward and go from surviving to thriving. I began to understand my vulnerability was my strength. My adversity had made me resilient and able to overcome any obstacle. When I started to tear down my walls and be true to myself, I started to accept myself and love myself. 

I found a way to leave the safe room and face the Big Bad World. By conquering fears, wanting change and more for myself I was able to transform my hurt to lessons. By challenging myself to be comfortable with being uncomfortable I can transmute the darkness to light. I can finally step into my power by taking control of my feelings, my actions, my behaviors, and by being accountable to myself. I fall down a lot without the security of 4 walls protecting me but they only kept me in a Box where I could not see my true potential. I could only see shadows and glimpses of what could be. I was looking through the window of my safe room watching the Big Bad World but not participating. 

I feel so I can deal than I can heal. I left the safe room and I’m finally free to be the real me.

-Dawn McIlmoyle

-Renegade Lightworker

-August 2021

I am not a Victim

because I have been

blamed, objectified, dominated, supressed,

seen as a possession or trophy,

had aggression taken out on,

been used as a toy,

and disposed of like a paper plate

when no longer useful.

I am not a Survivour

because I have endured

childhood abuse, sexual abuse,

physical and psychological abuse,

domestic violence, systemic discrimination,

spiritual manipulation, sexual abuse in the military,

assault by police officers, conditioning of fault,

 or uncalled for judgements and public shaming.

I am not a Hero

for sharing my story

so others do not feel so alone.

I recognize I am not the only one and

want to use my pain for purpose

so that something good can come

from the trauma that was imposed upon me.

I only want to turn my darkness to light.

Not outshine anyone.

I have made some bad decisions and choices,

and I have had some imposed upon me.

My choice and my power taken

so that someone else

could feel better about themselves.

These experiences happened.

Good and bad.

It is my responsibility to learn from the pain,

to set boundaries

and to know

what I will and will not accept.

Those that harmed me

have their own journey,

and I have mine.

I will take the knowledge I have gained

from the lessons of hurt and sorrow,

and turn it into wisdom,

So that I can learn

to empower myself to

love, accept and finally believe in

ME.

-Dawn McIlmoyle

-July 2021

When I was young, I felt like an outsider.

I thought I was different and for some reason,

I believed every bad thing that happened was my fault.

I thought I was forsaken.

I thought I was unwanted and unlovable.

These thoughts, feelings, and beliefs

led me to wear a mask of a fake smile,

to supress my anger

and burn myself out pleasing others.

yet rarely myself.

My lack of love for myself

          Faith for myself

          Belief in myself

and my self worth

left me in darkness.

Like the darkness of a cave deep in a mountain.

My eyes saw shadows.

My world was black or white.

They saw only good or only bad.

They focused on the bad because good

was thought to be unattainable

for this dark, demonized Soul.

Negative mindsets

attract more hurt and pain.

They attract suffering with

what seems like no end.

It left me tired depressed and wanting to give up.

I desperately wanted it all to end.

Desperate for change

and a knowing deep inside

that I was not what everyone else had said I was.

A knowing deep inside

that there had to be another way.

A knowing that if darkness existed

then light had to too

and a desire to use my pain for purpose

and to turn my knowledge into wisdom,

I decided to leave my cave of darkness

and begin the journey

to unknown places because anywhere

was better than where I had been for so long.

Abandonment, rejection, attachment issues, exclusion, irrelevancy

and constantly being underestimated were some of the challenges

I would have to face on my journey to get comfortable

with being uncomfortable

and to build a different perspective on the actions

and behaviours of myself and others.

I walked and walked.

I fought my insecurities, my ego and my demons

telling me I would never succeed,

that I would never win,

that I should just give up and go back to what I knew.

My determination and will to keep going was rewarded

as I met a stranger huddled in a grotto on my journey

to something better.

The stranger had retreated to the cave to regroup.

He was tired and overwhelmed; he had returned to the cave

to be reminded of his higher purpose.

He told me tales of overcoming obstacles,

a world full of colour and rainbows,

and of wounds healing.

He gave me a gift of advice that kept me curious enough

to keep moving forward.

“We all have the power to transform our own reality”

The stranger decided to join me

on my journey out of the dark mountain

as he told me the light and a new way of thinking

was not too far ahead.

The stranger did not have to go too deep into the cave

for his darkness anymore.

He just visited from time to time to find the lessons in his hurt

and transmute his darkness to light.

He told me I had done the hardest part of the journey alone

and I had made the hardest decision by myself.

To seek change.

He said, “When you want better, you do better.”

He told me he saw a spark inside of me that was getting

brighter by the moment.

He taught me about reciprocity

and how because long ago

someone had saw something in him

that he could not see himself and led him to his light

that it was his responsibility

to pay it forward and accompany me

to support me in the change that was to come ahead.

The stranger was helping himself

by helping others.

He was being of service to humanity and a higher purpose.

Through our conversations,

I started to understand there were reasons

that I was the way I was.

I started to see there was nothing wrong with me.

I was me and it was okay to feel the way I did.

I did not know better

but now that I knew better I must do better.

As I gained a better understanding

I was filled with a knowledge

that everything that ever happened to me,

happened for me and made me me.

My wounds, suffering, pain and hurt were my teachers.

They taught me what I will and will not accept.

They taught me boundaries.

They taught me I was worthy of love, respect, and acceptance.

They also taught me the most important lesson.

I had been seeking love, respect, and acceptance

from outside sources instead of within.

I could see the light ahead and

I was filled with

benevolence, ease, and grace.

Gratitude filled my heart and the darkness

faded away and suddenly seemed so far behind me.

The stranger stepped aside as my eyes adjusted and said

          “You will be ok,

           You can and you will,

           No road is wrong, they will all teach you something.”

“Now that you have found the light

           your darkness will always be filled with

           lessons and you must use your pain for purpose.”

          “Its okay to go back to the cave to regroup but don’t

           stay too long and when you do visit the cave

           should you encounter someone like yourself

           seeking to switch on a light,  

           Share your knowledge,

           For it is power and meant to be shared.”

          “Now go,

               Be the light you know you are, and were always meant to be”

I thanked the stranger and wanted to somehow repay him for his kindness.

He replied it was not necessary.

His reward was knowing

he had assisted someone on their

Journey of BECOMING.                                                                       

-Renegade Lightworker

I was a caterpillar,
crawling through life;
when I found a beautiful plant
and spun my cocoon.
As I metamorphasisized
and grew my wings,
I thought about
how grateful I was,
for the hibernation.
For I had only experienced life
from one perspective.
When my wings had grown,
The struggle began
as I broke free from the confines
of my cocoon.
I thought of how the fight and the change;
no matter how hard it was,
no matter how much it hurt,
no matter how much pain it caused,
was going to be worth it.
I was no longer
going to see the world
just from the ground.
When the time finally came
and I spread my wings,
I could fly.
Bright, bold and rainbow
I used my wings
to fly high.
I let the wind
blow me around.
I was happy.
I needed to learn,
and then when I
established control,
I could see from above
and
I could fly down below and
I could sit on
a plant like before.
I could see the world
from 2 different
perspectives,
and it allowed me
to be free.
The watcher and
the experiencer.
The best of both worlds.
Once I could fly,
I never once
looked back on
the struggle in the cocoon.
I had a whole new way
to look at everything.

This is me and my brother Andy. His birthday is 8 days before mine and we are what is known as Irish twins. Born within a year of each other.
Now the reason I am posting this is because I see a serious flaw I would like to point out. My brother has his dukes up. He was taught that, to be a little fighter and believe me, him and I got into some pretty crazy battles so I learned quick. When we were young my Dad would put the boxing gloves on us and then we would fight. When I started to win it was game over. Couldn’t have the girl beating up the boy. Then Andy got taught he should be a lover not a fighter… Yah well this isn’t about him so we can stop right there.
I got to sit in the background as the girl and hear all these things but I was expected to put on the dress and act differently. It’s un-ladylike to want to fight, it’s not very girly-girl to act that way. So from the start there was a double standard I have had to fight. I have fought so hard to get where I am. I have fought to expose the truth, I have fought to find myself and I have fought for the rights of others to be treated fairly. I have fought for love, love that wasn’t even worth fighting for because fighting was what I knew. I had to fight myself to finally love myself. I am the black sheep of the family for doing what is right because it’s the right thing to do and it’s OK. I cannot fit into a World I was not meant to fit into.
I was taught to be passive, submissive, unasserting, non-resistant, docile. meek, non-aggressive and afraid while my brother got taught right from the start to be dominant and aggressive. Had I not had my Brother I would not have learned how to be a fighter. I also thought that as a girl watching Disney someone was going to rescue me but nope, had to do that myself as well.
I am learning that while I still need to stand up for myself, it is OK to not fight the battle, just let it go as well. Feel the pain, surrender to it and deal. It’s not pretty but the other side sure is…. The other side of the pain, when you realize how beautiful and worthwhile you are, what your value is and the only person you need to impress is yourself.

Rock Bottom

Same shit,
Different day
Living the dream
Chasing the dragon.
But one day 
You realize
It’s not your dream
You don’t even know who you are.
The mirror reflects
A stranger
Full of guilt and shame
For not knowing better
You realize
The dragon you have been chasing
Lives within and feeds on knowledge.
You hit the floor
Thinking of all the loss,
The pain,
The suffering.
Yours and all that you have caused.
You know there is a better way
You want change, yet
That change scares the fuck out of you
And you hit rock bottom
The place where all the walls
Have come crashing down.
All the barriers
All the things that didn’t work
All the lessons.
Look around at rock bottom.
Take the best memories out of those rocks,
Leave all the irrelevant shit
And Rebuild.
The way you choose
They way you always wanted
And be true to you
Be magnificent
Be the you, 
You wanted to be 
Before life got in the way.
It’s never to late to discover 
Who you truly are.

@renegadelightworker

I did a thing.

A thing to say

I did a thing.

I challenged myself and created a homemade calendar filled with encouraging, uplifting messages.

All proceeds from this calendar will be donated to causes for Veterans and their families.

$25.00 Canadian shipped. I accept PayPal and email transfers.

The roots I have grown remind me of the blood blood red of a rose, full if beauty and tragedy.

The foundation I have built with beautiful Souls reminds me of the orange sky at sunset.

The joy I feel when gratitude overfills me reminds me of the yellow in a Micheal Angelo painting.

The love I have in my heart reminds me of a walk in the forest amongst the green leaves of the maples, oaks and poplars, not to mention the stunning evergreens.

The truth I speak reminds me of the water. It is blue like the Ocean reflecting the sky. It can be harsh and hurt or soft and gentle.

The knowledge I have gained in this lifetime reminds of the Indigo sky at Dawn or Twilight where the night sky is about to break out more stars than I can ever see.

The Wisdom I possess through trials and tribulations reminds me of a Crown, Sovereignty. Gold and violet. It is an obligation to use my suffering to assist others on their healing journey.

A journey to self enlightenment.

A journey of becoming themselves.

Renegade Lightworker