Tracey Yokas Creates
creativity & connection
Bloodlines: A Memoir
Coming in May 2024 everywhere books are sold!
Creativity?
What does it mean to live creatively? In her book, Big Magic, Liz Gilbert writes, “A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life.”
An amplified life? Whoa. To fully inhabit our enoughness? Take up the space we’re entitled to? Put ourselves on our own to-do list? And at the top! And without guilt! Yes, please.
Each of us is invited to live amplified in our own unique ways, employing a variety of tools from our tool kit. Me, I write. I create art. I advocate for mental health. I encourage women to practice self-care and to connect to one another in community. I unravel ingrained patterns that no longer serve me and replace them with inspiration from my intuition and my relationships.
Here, you are invited to join me on an exploration of creative living. Let’s experience what happens when we give ourselves permission to Be, together.
Hi, I’m Tracey!
Years ago when I started writing and then blogging I had no idea I was healing trauma. At the time, I was writing to survive. The person I loved most in this world was suffering a significant mental health crisis and I didn’t know what was going to happen. I was terrified. I felt inadequate. Nothing I did to help was working. Then, a mentor said, “Write about it.”
Connection?
If you’re like me you got the message young that needing help equated to weakness. This belief clung to me like a static-y sock well into my adult years. I took pride in being available for others and never asking for help in return. Look at me, I thought. So strong!
But over the years I recognized a pattern. Behind me lay a string of broken friendships, and I was lonely. The depth of relationship I wanted with family members and other women–deep friendship–was eluding me. When my family faced a serious mental health crisis everything changed.
In her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown writes that connection is wired into our biology. “From the time we are born, we need connection to thrive emotionally, physically, spiritually, and intellectually.” Due to illness, I was forced to admit I needed help. I was forced to stop pretending that life was perfect. I was forced to wake up to the truth of this messy, wonderful world and I couldn’t be more grateful.
Making and sustaining meaningful relationships takes courage, dedication, effort, and (gulp) vulnerability. My healing journey taught me the value of letting my guard down, reaching out, and asking for help. I no longer live in a mindset of scarcity and fear. I’m becoming a better, healthier version of myself because I found my tribe.”
Here on this site, I’m building a community where we can experience the joy, love, and awe of giving and receiving with an open heart.
We live our most authentic life when we make the conscious choice to risk being seen and bridge the gaps between us. I hope you’ll join us.
