Thank you to all that are willing to step into the mind of Cheyenne for a little while. This is the start of a fruitful future in my journey of establishing a safe space for black mental health. With doing so, during this quarantine, I have been on a self-discovery journey and I have been reading nonstop! As of right now, I am reading this book called “The Parable of the Sower”. In actuality, this book is a reread for me (I read it in highschool lol, it’s a good read) and it inspired my first blog post! As I read, it simply just came together. “Sometimes naming a thing-- giving it a name or discovering its name- helps one to begin to understand it. Knowing the name of a thing and knowing what that thing is for gives me even more of a handle on it. (pg. 101)
In the brainstorming process, the most difficult parts for me were naming this blog and writing its first entry. I was pulling from every influence I had, but nothing actually said "Cheyenne". I was looking for the "Rose That Grew From Concrete" to my Tupac, but I could not put the perfect pieces together. Long story short, every idea I thought of was not my own, they were ideas of like-minded individuals that have influenced my passions. But, they were just not me. I began to question if this blog was the right thing to do. "Is anybody going to even care about this? Will there be negative comments? Am I even good enough to start this?" running throughout my mind in the process. I decided to give my brain some rest and prayed on it instead. "Let Go, Let God."
A couple of days later, my light bulb dinged. "Bird's Eye View''. It made so much sense when the pieces finally came together organically. The story behind the name is "Cheyenne". In my entire twenty years of living, my mother has called me "Bird" or "Birdie. Yet, no one knows exactly why not even my mother herself. But, I now believe that this nickname was no coincidence. The minute my nickname was in mind, my passions connected like no other. The bird's eye view, in terms of photography, is used to capture images from a higher standpoint as if the photograph was taken from the perspective of a bird. The minute the name clicked, I called my mother. Explaining to her my motives for a "higher state of being" and "elevated perspective" through mental wellness for my black people. It felt as if this was my purpose finally revealing itself after giving me the time to understand myself. My mom absolutely fell in love with the concept, the message, and the expected impact. In actuality, she wished something like this existed in her time of growing up dark skin and experiencing colorism.
With all that being said, the power of naming provides one with a clear vision of the purpose. In my case, it was the name of this blog and the first entry. But, relating to mental wellness, it could be a multitude of things. Acknowledging triggers to general anxiety, noticing frequent unhealthy habits, or simply knowing when you are not okay can be that “naming process”. Once we open our eyes, minds, and hearts to understand the truth within ourselves, we can then work towards solutions and changes. Keep in mind the “naming process” is not always negative, but this can be a positive reaffirmation to keep hope and motivation. “I am worthy”, “I matter, “I am beautiful, and other affirming phrases can name the qualities that can make you the person you are. Name it, so you can claim it.
~Cheyenne aka Bird aka Birdie
Comments