I’ve never really belonged to a religion.
I’ve never felt fully at home in any political group, spiritual path, or cultural tribe.

And yet—like anyone—I’ve needed a compass.
Something to live by. Something to hold onto when the world feels fractured and uncertain.

Over the years—through therapy, trauma, solitude, near-criminalisation, mental illness, recovery, parenting, and simply watching how the world works—I’ve slowly built something:

A personal way of living.
Not handed down to me.
Not adopted from a system.
But built from scratch.

This isn’t a doctrine.
It’s not something I expect anyone else to follow.
It’s just what I stand for. And it keeps me steady.

1. Let People Believe What They Want—Until That Belief Becomes Harm

I respect belief systems.
Religious, spiritual, political—if it gives you meaning and you’re not using it to control others, I have no issue.

But when beliefs:

  • Oppress women,
  • Silence dissent,
  • Justify violence,
  • Or become immune to criticism…

…then I believe it’s fair—and sometimes necessary—to speak up.

I don’t speak to argue.
I speak to stay in integrity.

2. Free Speech and Autonomy Matter

I don’t need everyone to agree with me.
But I do need the freedom to express my own thoughts—without being shamed, censored, or boxed into a label.

You live your life. I’ll live mine.

We can disagree and still treat each other like humans.

3. Every Human Has Worth

Regardless of race, gender, class, religion, or diagnosis—
Everyone starts with inherent worth.

What matters is how we treat one another.
Not which tribe we come from.

4. Trauma Doesn’t Excuse Everything—But It Explains a Lot

I’ve lived close to the edge.
I know what it’s like to be misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and nearly criminalised when what I really needed was help.

So when I see someone in prison, or acting out, or hurting others, I don’t rush to condemn.

Yes—people need to be responsible for their actions.
But many have never had a fair chance.
Many were formed in chaos, pain, and fear.

Some people need consequences.
Others need a second chance.
And often—it’s both.

5. Integrity Over Ideology

I don’t care about ticking the right ideological boxes.
I care about being honest.
With myself. With others. With the world I’m trying to live in.

I’ve got no interest in performative activism or fashionable belief systems.
If something makes sense to me—after thought, experience, and observation—I’ll stand by it.
Even if it’s unpopular.

Especially then.

6. Strength Doesn’t Need to Prove Itself

There’s a younger part of me that still wants to speak up loudly.
To prove I’m not weak.
To be the protector I never had.

But I’ve learned that silence can also be strength.
That presence doesn’t have to be loud.
That walking away doesn’t make me a coward.

It makes me free.

Final Thought

I didn’t inherit this philosophy.
I didn’t read it in a book.
I’ve had to live it, bit by bit—through pain, failure, healing, reflection, and staying present with my own discomfort.

There are still parts I’m figuring out.
Still things I’ll refine.
Still places where I contradict myself.

But for now, this is my way of being.
And I stand by it.

Not because it’s perfect—
But because it’s mine.