I have a habit of starting new tasks without completing them. The thrill of exploring a new interest sustains me only until real commitment is required or I run into difficulty and don’t know how to proceed. I also judge myself harshly for failing which is not an ideal mindset for a beginner. Failure is part of the learning process.

I wanted to create a space where I hold myself accountable. A space in which it is safe to fail, but important to try.

Starting new hobbies as an adult is scary because it feels like we’re already supposed to know what we’re doing – or at least look like it. Now in my 30s, I’m reflecting on things I wanted to learn as a child that I couldn’t motivate myself to stick with for fear of failure.

Here I humiliate myself, make mistakes, tear my hair out when trying to solve a problem that others seem to have no difficulty understanding… I fall, but I get back up. I inevitably fail, but I am able to say that I tried.

What is more, this is a space of unlearning.

I have an immense amount of privilege and I consider it my responsibility to stand with communities who are not afforded these same privileges.

First this requires me to unlearn much of what I have been taught as fact. I am learning to question what I am taught and who benefits from this narrative.

It is important to remember that I am not an expert in any field. There are experts to whose work I encourage you to refer if you would like to better understand the topics I explore.

Unlearning what you thought to be true is a painful process. I am often resistant to change and growth, because I have been taught to see any correction of my behaviour or knowledge as an attack. When the world has been built to benefit you, it can feel like anyone asking for the same privileges means to take them away. This is not the case. We are all human beings, no human being is worth less than another.

I encourage you to keep an open mind as we explore together the lived experience of others and what we can learn from each other.