The Value of Sharing
Hello, there.
My name is Sherilyn. I am originally from Singapore and currently residing in Bali, Indonesia. Living in Bali has been a long-time dream of mine, and many events had to happen before I could arrive at this reality. I am forever thankful for all the experiences, for they have led me to where I am today, physically, mentally and emotionally.
So, why am I starting this space? First and mostly, this is a space of reflection and exploration for myself. Who I am today is a direct result of all experiences, since I was born. Yes, there were and still are a few things I would like to adjust and improve. And while the process of change is accompanied by a nurturing patience I have discovered, deep inside of me, it never ends! We were never meant to be perfect, whatever “perfect” means to you.
The more important discovery is that I am no longer living as a “result” of my external experiences and circumstances. I now actively create my external reality, by first creating a flexible and harmonious inner world. At the same time, I realise that there is value in sharing my journey, and how I overcome old limitations with non-judgemental self-discovery and loving awareness.
Here’s my first story for you.
A week ago, I was invited to share within a women-only surf community, Malaysian All Girls Surfers. At first, I didn’t have a clue about what I would share. What could I share? Surf tips? Nah… many of the surfers are much more experienced that I am. It was suggested that I share about female sexuality. I was into that idea, until I realised that I myself was still discovering my own sexuality. How could I share about something that I didn’t have a firm grip on?
As I let the idea of this sharing brew in my mind, I realised that the only thing I could genuinely and confidently share would be my own experience with surfing. In a nutshell, surfing has enabled me to discover and understand myself, the real me, underneath all the layers of programming and conditioning. It has also led me to more self-expression. In fact, this space is an extension of self-expression.
So, I ran with that idea and came up with a 5-part presentation. It included thought processes that I use in my daily life, under various circumstances, not just for surfing. Part of the sharing included questions that seemed mechanical and probing, but were important for my audience to gain a better understanding of themselves. Here’s how it went for some of them.
“Soul food.”
“I actually made notes. This session really makes me survive MCO.” (MCO refers to the COVID lockdown happening in Malaysia)
“Thank you for making it a safe place for us to express.”
“The session helped to structure my thoughts and emotions about how I feel/think when surfing.”
It was such a heartfelt experience. I didn’t actually do anything. It was their open hearts and open minds that allowed them to get something out of my sharing.
And so here I am, feeling inspired and called to create a space for self-expression. I will be sharing bits of my healing journey, my observances, thoughts and questions. I will also explore emotions, mental health and personal well-being in the context of today’s world. My healing journey has involved a lot of feeling, questioning and understanding my own emotions. I have found that exploring my own emotions has helped me further expand my perspective. Expect the theme of questioning to extend into this space. For example, is it okay to be selfish? Why does it seem “bad” to be selfish?
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
— Anaïs Nin
I am not here to tell you how to live your life. You can’t live my journey, and I can’t live yours. If there is the opportunity, perhaps we will inspire and support each other. Such opportunities to me are what I call “a mutual expansion of perspectives”. While our journeys are different, the similarities will be abundant, because our journeys are all playing out from the same “machine” — us. Human beings. We have a lot more in common than we think, or rather, than we are taught to think. For the mutual expansion to happen, we have to be able to accept differences without comparison.
It’s okay if you don’t resonate with my sharing; we are entitled to our own opinions. We might have the same “factory settings”, but the gift of this life is such that we are all unique individuals. It is okay to be different. In fact, we need to be different! I believe we all have a role to play in this huge, 7.8 billion-piece jigsaw puzzle. However, if you do find yourself feeling anything at all, pleasant or unpleasant, from my sharing, please, I implore you to investigate your feelings and why you feel that way.
Here’s to forever exploring, questioning, seeking and changing. Join me.
