The most difficult issue for me since starting this lifestyle has been self-esteem. (Of course I had issues with that before, but now it was exacerbated.)

So I’ve been looking at spiritual/mental aspects. Mostly my reactions to things, past and present. I mean, I can mentally react correctly but it doesn’t seem to be enough.

Lately I’ve been reading “Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English”. The mental concepts aren’t new. I haven’t figured out how to incorporate it to anything deeper though.

I think one of the key factors to health when living in a sub-culture that many people denigrate is to have a calm, accepting, and non-judging core.

I know that I have all the pieces, compassion, empathy, understanding; I just don’t know how to meld them all together into a whole yet.