Affirmations for disabled babes

podcastaffirmationshealingmental healthzines

Apr 18

[Healing is the Best Revenge is a podcast for survivors and the folks who love us to discuss healing, life with C-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder), survivorship, self + community care, and more. I offer affirmations, pep talks, encouragement, support, and shares about being in the messy murky middle of healing from trauma. This is a transcript of episode 30: “Affirmations for disabled babes,”]

Healing is the Best Revenge is a one-person production, created and sponsored by yours truly. In addition to making this podcast, I also make zines about healing, trauma recovery, friendship, disability, and affirmations, as well as cute stickers, colorful prints, and supportive survivor self-care packages.

If you love this show, you’ll also love my zine, “Healing is the Best Revenge #3” which is a colorful, cute, and uplifting personal zine about healing from trauma, vulnerability, writing your own affirmations, survivor solidarity, and reflections from my own healing journey. Click to link in the show notes or go to karinahagelin.etsy.com. Now, onto today’s episode.

Hi babe, Karina here. It’s an overcast and kind of cool kind of warm day here in Ithaca. Right now, I’m on the catio with my three rescue kitties, Cashew, Boo, and Chickpea. I don’t know what I’d do without them, to be honest. They’re my emotional support animals and like, everything to me. They’re all attuned to my emotional landscapes but Chickpea, whose sitting in the chair next to me, especially is. If I’m dissociating, she knows and will tap her paw against my leg over and over again until I come back enough to acknowledge her and give her some affection which helps to ground me. If I’m crying or having flashbacks or a panic attack, she knows. She’ll come to me and stay with me, comforting me through the hardest parts of my day. I’m so incredibly grateful for all of them. I love being able to come out and sit and work on the catio on nice days with the cats. Between the fresh air, sunshine, and enjoying the beautiful weather with them while I get work done, it’s my happy place.

Today’s episode is short and sweet, as always, to keep this podcast accessible for those of us who struggle with executive functioning and/or focus. I’m going to do a zine reading today! I’ll be reading you “Affirmations from Disabled Babes: Anti-Ableist Affirmations for Radical Self-Love” which is bright, colorful, bold, cute as fuck 12-page zine available in my shop.

I don’t know about you but even before I became chronically ill with autoimmune and connective tissue disorders, I identified as disabled - and proud. Living with CPTSD is disabling, like really fucking disabling, honestly - not that it’s a competition or like, a hierarchy, at all. If you’re wondering, “am I disabled” or “am I disabled enough”, I want you to know that:

Many disabled people have these same questions and doubts before they start calling themselves disabled and;
That’s something only you can decide for yourself

&/also I’d encourage you to do some research and reading and consume some resources that center disability justice, mad pride and liberation, and the psychiatric survivors movement, all of which really impacted me and changed my life, in the best way possible, when I was younger.

Before I read this cute lil zine to you, I’d like to remind you that I’d love to hear from you! You can always reach out to me if you have questions, are looking for resources, or just want to share your thoughts. I’m available via email at hello at karinahagelin.com and via DM on Instagram @femmesupremacy.

Okay, sweet friend. I’m really excited to share some of the affirmations from my “Affirmations for Disabled Babes” zine with you now! I encourage you to jot down any affirmations that feel supportive to you. And as always, you can find a link to the transcript in the show notes if that’s something you need or that feels helpful to you.

I’m not a burden
Self-care isn’t frivolous; it’s a survival skill
Asking for help is brave
I don’t have to be strong all the time
Disabled isn’t a bad word
Community care is my love language
My work, my ability to participate in capitalism, my productivity, don’t define me
I’m the expert on my experiences
I’m a gift; a gem
Boundaries are required for loving and sustainable relationships
There is more to life than survival; I deserve to thrive
Isolation separates us from each other; from building community and collective power
I’m a joy to be around! Being disabled doesn’t make me a “downer”
We shouldn’t have to crowdfund our survival but often, we’re forced to. There’s zero shame in asking for financial support and solidarity
When we let our communities care for us, we create space for liberation, joy, and pleasure
Care is political
We need you
I’m so glad you’re still here
I deserve people who want all of me; anyone who doesn’t want all of me doesn’t want me at all
I’m lovable and loved
I believe you
I’m not open to unsolicited advice and invasive questions
We support one another
We can build something beautiful, sustainable, and supportive together
Disability is expansive and so am I
You see my strength but do you also see my softness?
I’m not “faking it”; this is real and this is a big part of my life
I’m empowered to make decisions about my care
I’m doing my best and that’s all I can do
Keep going
Take that nap. Create time for rest.
I’m allowed to ask for help and any support I need that would make my life a little bit better
Being disabled is part of my life, identity, and experiences, so yes, I’m going to talk about it
I deserve to take up space
I don’t need to be productive to be valuable and worthy of care and resources
Being disabled is a big part of who I am and/also I’m so much more than any one thing
My life matters. My life is valuable. I’m not disposable and neither are you.
I’m not your inspiration.

Did any of those resonate with you? Which ones did you need today? I want to encourage you to take what you need and leave the rest behind.

If you’d like to support my work and purchase this zine, you can head to karinahagelin.etsy.com or simply click the shop link in the show notes. Most orders ship free or if it’s a really thick zine, for just a dollar or two.

Finally, before I go, I want ask for your help in getting this podcast to more folks who need it. Here are a few simple and easy ways to support this show: