Hello,
This is Ana Barreto.
Please share this love,
Strength and belonging medicine with people who need to hear it and their families and friends.
To the gay,
Lesbian,
Bisexual,
Queer spirit,
Trans soul,
Intersex spirit,
The non-binary heart and to anyone who has felt other unseen or unloved.
The recent news about the executive order in the United States defining gender strictly as male or female may feel like more than just a political decision.
It may feel like a personal attack,
A dismissal of your existence,
A removal of the truth you carry in your heart.
If you are feeling disheartened,
Angry or afraid,
I would like for you to pause and hear me clearly.
You are not alone.
You are not alone.
You are deeply valued.
You are seen.
You are loved.
No law,
Policy or executive order can ever define the boundless beauty of your identity.
No decree has the power to erase the truth of who you are,
The light you carry,
Or the unique mark you've made on this world simply by being yourself.
Your existence is not up for debate.
It has never been.
This message isn't about reassurance.
It's about honoring you.
It's about reminding you that even when the world feels heavy,
Even when it seems like the ground beneath you is shifting,
There is a foundation beneath that,
A truth so solid that no human hand can dismantle it.
You are enough.
You've always been enough.
Let's start with this.
The problem is not you.
The problem has never been you.
The problem is the systems,
The outdated beliefs,
The rigid minds that fear what they don't understand.
When the world tries to box people into categories too small to hold their vastness,
It's not because you don't fit.
It's because those boxes were never meant to hold the brilliance of the human spirit in the first place.
Imagine standing in front of the ocean,
Its waves crashing against the shore,
Endless and powerful.
Now,
Imagine someone trying to capture the whole ocean in a small jar.
It's impossible.
That's what these restrictive definitions are like,
Trying to contain the infinite beauty of humanity in something far too small.
How about you?
You are the ocean,
My friend.
You are the ocean.
You are vast,
Ever-changing,
Deep,
And alive.
You are not meant to be contained.
You are sacred.
Your identity is sacred.
Your identity is not a political statement.
It's not an agenda.
It's not something that can be recognized or invalidated by a stroke of a pen.
Your identity is sacred.
It's the song your soul chose to sing in this lifetime,
The colors you've painted onto the canvas of your existence with courage and authenticity.
When I think about the richness of humanity,
I don't think of sameness.
I think of diversity,
The wild,
Breathtaking spectrum of who you are.
Flowers don't apologize for their colors.
Stars don't deem their light because someone prefers the darkness.
You don't need to shrink to make others comfortable.
You were born with a divine fingerprint that no one else in the universe has.
That's not an accident.
That's also not negotiable.
That's sacred.
I know that sometimes it feels like the world doesn't see you,
But please hear me when I say,
I see you.
I see your courage.
I see the small victories you celebrated when no one was watching.
I see the quiet strength it takes to walk into a where you are unsure you will be safe.
I see the resilience in your heart when you choose to live your truth in a world that tries to deny it.
You are not invisible.
You are not a whisper in the background.
You are a powerful force,
Even on the days when it feels like you are just holding it together.
And here's the truth.
Even when you feel unseen by others,
You can see yourself.
You can stand in front of the mirror,
Look into your eyes,
And say,
I'm here.
I am here.
I matter.
I am whole.
When the world feels heavy,
Remember these five mindful principles.
Number one,
Stay informed,
But protect your peace.
Knowledge is power.
Stay informed about how changes might affect you,
But don't let the weight of the news crash your spirit.
You have the right to step back,
To disconnect when needed,
To preserve your energy.
Balance awareness with self-care.
Number two,
Find your people.
Lean on those who hold you with love and without judgment,
Whether that's friends,
Chosen family,
Support groups,
Or communities that see you fully.
Surround yourself with people who remind you of your worth when you forget.
You are not meant to carry this alone.
Number three,
Use your voice in whatever way feels right.
Advocacy isn't always about grand gestures.
Sometimes it's sharing your story with one person who needs to hear it.
Sometimes it's simply living your truth unapologetically.
Your existence is a form of resistance.
Your joy is an act of defiance against ignorance.
Your authenticity is a beacon for others who are searching for the courage to be themselves.
Number four,
Hold space for your feelings.
It's okay to grieve,
To feel angry,
Sad,
Or afraid.
These emotions are valid.
However,
Don't let them convince you that hope is lost.
Feel them,
Honor them,
And then let them move through you.
You are not broken because you are hurting.
You are human because you are feeling.
Number five,
Reconnect with what grounds you.
Whether it's nature,
Art,
Music,
Prayer,
Meditation,
Or simply moments of stillness,
Find the practices that reminds you of who you are beyond the noise.
You are more than the labels,
More than the headlines,
More than the opinions of others.
You are you,
And that's my friend.
It's more than enough.
Here's a mantra for you.
Hope is not fragile.
It's fierce.
Hope is fierce.
Hope is not naive.
Hope is a quiet voice that says,
I will get up even when you are exhausted.
Hope is the heartbeat that keeps going even after it has been bruised.
Hope is the seed that cracks open in the dark,
Trusting that it will find the light.
When you feel hopeless,
Borrow hope from those who believe in you.
Let my words be that borrow hope when you need it.
Let this message wrap around you like a soft blanket in the cold night.
You are not alone.
You are not broken.
You are not wrong for existing exactly as you are.
Here is how the universe,
God,
Source,
Higher power,
Or greater power sees you.
You are a someone's silent prayer.
You are needed.
You are here for a reason.
The world is better because you exist.
Believe it.
I have one final thought.
No law can define you.
No policy can diminish you.
No decree can erase you.
You were here before this moment,
And you'll be here long after.
Your story is still being written,
And it's filled with chapters of courage,
Love,
Joy,
And triumph.
Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.
Hold onto hope.
Hold onto yourself.
And know without a shadow of a doubt that you are irreplaceable.
You are extraordinary.
You are loved.
With all my heart hanging there.
And if you need additional support,
Listen to one of my meditations that will help you.
The protection bubble or the releasing resistance meditation,
Which is also called the allowing meditation.
Again,
Hanging there.
This is Ana Barreto signing off.
