Tag: #bethehero

In praise of age

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized

I have not withdrawn into despair, I did not go mad in gathering honey, I did not go mad, I did not go mad, I did not go mad. – Hoda Al-Namai

Thinking a lot about how our society views getting older lately.   

I’ve never had a huge concept of “age”, but I experience the unhealthy concept we have of getting olderin our culture of age-obsessed thinking. 

It’s everywhere we look.  

It’s in Hollywood, in politics, in social media.  

We think we should look 18 when we’re 80.  Or at least, 25 when we are 50 and “youth culture” tells us that we are no longer valid.  

Topically, in my experience, (and quantum theory backs this up) the degree that we age is very much based upon the degree that we accept what society tells us is true about age. 

I’ve been told that I look significantly younger than I am my entire adult life.  Part of this is because I believe my body is my temple, and I care for it well, but beyond that, I just don’t think about what I am. “supposed to” look, feel, or be like at any given age. 

I haven’t quite cracked the code on not aging at all; skin cells still break down, and the rate at which they replicate may not be the same at 50 as it is at 15, but our mindset can hugely influence just how rapidly our aging markers shorten.

From every other perspective beyond what we are told about our held value, getting older is an incredible experience.  

Because I have lived many years here on earth,I’ve had ample time and opportunity to learn, to grow, and to

examine the doctrines and dogma that I was brought up with.  

I’ve had years to recognize, acknowledge, and fall in love with those previously lost parts of myself that I had disconnected from out of shame, or guilt, or fear. 

I have had decades to sift through and discard any previous belief systems that do not serve my best, my most true, and highest self.  

Because of my years of experience; the joys and the losses, the challenges and the triumphs, the grief, and the bliss, I am so much more settled into the gorgeous, full and authentic human, be-ing than I ever have before.  

I can feel the strength of my foundation; something I certainly did not have in my teens, 20s, or even my 30s.  

I feel completely safe in exploring alternate ideas and ideologies from what I have learned to date. 

In fact, I have come to realize that this is the best way to keep growing – and having the stable foundation of what feels true to me keeps my value system intact while I approach new things with curiosity.

I have learned that my value is not in the constant need to be validated by others.  

I don’t have to “Do” to prove my worth.  I love who I am, exactly as I am.  

For that matter, I don’t have to prove my worth to anyone, and I don’t have to stay in a room where my care and value is not recognized or appreciated.  

I am not in any way saying I am close to whatever “perfect” is supposed to be, and being a little more aware doesn’t mean that I don’t make mistakes.  

But rather than judging or shaming myself, I have learned to take a step back, acknowledge the “mistake“ or misaligned behavior, and then look for the root of that sabotaging behavior.  

When I was actively teaching martial arts, one of my favorite things was those moments when one of my advanced students would get a good strike in on me in the sparring ring. 

It didn’t happen often, but when it did, I would always get a little thrill, because that little “zing” would show me an area of weakness that I may not have recognized otherwise. 

I’ve taken that lesson into every aspect of my life.

We humans are such beautifully complex creatures, and our past can influence our presence, but one of the most powerful lessons that I have learned is that it doesn’t have to be our identity.  

Like that kick to the gut, or punch to the jaw, (geared up, ofc) I may have an area in my psyche that I’m not paying attention to, or have a link to a past identity or egoic construct that I didn’t previously recognize.  

I can acknowledge the trauma, the challenges, the losses, and the accompanying patterns that grew as a result of those past experiences – but I get to decide the meaning – and how I frame – the emotions and residual vibration of those life experiences.  

I can allow the energy that lies behind me to be anchors that keep me tied to the past, or I can embrace them as lessons that provide ammunition for future growth and evolution.  

Perhaps the only real “truth” that I know for certain is that when I’m in the present moment, the past is no longer real.  

With each turn around the sun this physical and spiritual embodiment of my Self takes, I have become more deeply attuned to the world and other souls around me; able to “see” what keeps people stuck, but I have also lost any sense of judgment over where people are at in their personal journey. 

I love it when my experience and ability to heal or empower can be a catalyst for healing or growth in others, but my years of living this life have taught me that I don’t need to be a “savior” to those around me. 

I may be able to guide another soul who is ready along the path a bit; the reason I got trained in and and started my healing “business“, but I have learned that it has never been my place to try to change any other soul who doesn’t want to change, no matter how  “good” I may have thought my intentions to be. 

I have also learned that the law of equal exchange is both real and valid. I used to give my services away for free, or ask very little in exchange for my lifetime of experience in empowering, healing, and coaching others – then be hurt when the teaching or training I had given away was neither valued or implemented. 

 I have come to realize that if someone truly wants the help that I can provide, the equal exchange of energetic currency is incredibly important, and devaluing myself also devaluates their experience.  

When I was very young, I had a bit of a “Cinderella” complex.  

 Because of the lens that we are taught through fantasy and fairytale, I associated my childhood trauma with the idea of some prints or Savior who would sweep in to save the day, making all of my dreams come true, and fulfilling my every heart’s desire.

In gaining both years and experience on this earth, I have realized that there is no fairytale hero who will save me.   I have to be the hero of my own life, as we all do.  

I believe this is the primary lesson of this existence, here on earth.  

If we learn to love and heal ourselves, and in doing so, experience firsthand our incredible power and ability to shape our individual reality, the magnetic resonance of that love, healing and self-creation is projected into the Field, and may provide the spark for someone else to find wholeness, too.✨

This is how we save the world. This is how we heal our planet; one beautiful soul awakening to their incredible value, beauty, and power, becoming a ripple that spreads into the ocean of this reality.  

We are the new Christs, creating heaven on earth.  

This is the importance, and immeasurable value of each additional year we spend on this planet, in this time space reality. 

So darling, the next time you look in the mirror and see the physical evidence of your time here, celebrate that shit.  

Own your age, in your completely unique perspective. 

Trash whatever opinions someone else tries to force down your throat in what you or your life is supposed to look like at any given age.  

Wear the flowers, or the stripes, the sparkles or the tie-dye, or whatever suits you, Boo.

Keep your hair long, or rock a mohawk.  

Follow your bliss.  Follow your heart.  Listen to the whispers of your soul.  

Love yourself, and recognize your incredible contribution and value on this planet. 

Be gorgeously, gratefully, fully what you are.

But please, beloved, for the love of All That Is, stop thinking that your value ends at whatever perceived age your culture or society may tell you is valid.  Let go of old and outdated identities that no longer serve your highest self. 

Cast them off like an old coat that is three sizes too small and horribly outdated.

Step into the glorious version of yourself, as you are, right now.  

It’s more than enough, I promise.  

Big love.💖

  • Terah 

America the Beautiful?

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized

This morning, I came across a post on the Internet in which the author was discussing the silence and lack of action over the political and economic crisis that is happening right now globally, but particularly here in the US.

 In the article, she compares it to an (true) experience she had on a flight to New York, in which the hydraulics of the landing gear failed completely. The pilot announced what was happening to the passengers on the plane and explained that he was going to have to cruise at altitude for several hours to try to burn off as much fuel as possible so that when the plane caught fire on the runway when he tried to land, the fireball would be minimized.

The plane flew in circles for more than four hours. What surprised her the most about this experience is that the passengers didn’t scream or cry, didn’t pray loudly to God. Instead, they remained “eerily silent“ as the plane circled the airport, waiting to see if they would live or die.

She believes this silence to be essentially what is happening in America right now, and as I read the article, I had a bit of an “aha“ moment.

I’ve  been thinking a lot about this “eerily silent” phenomenon, and trying to understand what is happening in the minds of so many Americans over the past several months.  

I’ve questioned it as masked agents, intent upon deporting “illegals” (even when they are not) invade school campuses, farms, churches and businesses, break car windows to forcibly pull folks from their vehicles, and seemingly without accountability, other acts of violence, ironically, against those who fled countries rife with corruption and violence, seeking a better life for themselves and their families. 

I have questioned the dismantling of public systems put in place to protect the elderly, the infirm, and others most in need.  

When that same leader (illegally) sent the National Guard against our own people in our own states, I questioned how this could be happening in our country; the so-called “Land of the Free”.

I’ve questioned why we aren’t doing more in protest of the monstrous acts against #Gaza 

I’ve questioned why people that I know and love support a man leading our country who is a convicted felon, racist, (was convicted in court of blatant racism and bias in his rentals, amongst other on-record incidents) sexist, (“I just grab ‘em by the 🐈 “ and the many, many other comments and actions against women), pardoned men who are convicted abusers, pedophiles, and rapists, has direct links to Russia/Putin, Epstein and child exploitation, 26 allegations of sexual abuse and rape, has had multiple bankruptcies, draft deferments and fraud judgements – and that’s not even naming all of the convictions, judgements and allegations against him.

I’ve heard “It’s in God’s hands”, suggesting we should just “let go and let God” –  and I agree that in those things that we can not influence or control, we have to be able to surrender.  

But right now, I believe we have a responsibility to stand against these injustices, illegal and unconstitutional acts.  We have a responsibility to stand up and speak – and act where possible – for those who are not strong. 

We have a responsibility to protect our democracy, our citizens and those that are here genuinely trying to make their own lives (and of future generations) better, and are contributing to our economy and the betterment of the United States.   We have a responsibility to protect our beautiful country and all that inhabit it. 

Coming back to those that claim to be “biblically based Christians”, what about the parable of the three Stewards?  Aren’t we commanded from Genesis onward to care for and protect not only our lands but ALL of its inhabitants? 

In biblical scripture including Romans, James, and Matthew, we are commanded to protect the elderly, the infirm, women and children.  Jesus himself spent his adult years preaching this gospel, healing the sick and feeding the hungry. 

One of the things I’ve especially is questioned why, on multiple occasions, I’ve been told to stay silent, stay in my lane and stick to the positive, “rainbows and butterflies” content that I have been known for for over a decade.  To pretend that our country is not on fire – and as a result, let it burn.  

My father is a mechanic, and has told me stories of how, when he was a child, he would be compelled to take apart household appliances and machinery to understand how they work, then would put them back together again. Cool, right?

I have no talent for machines, but I have the same compulsion when it comes to understanding the nature of reality, humans, and spirituality.  Perhaps because of this, learning (at least those topics I find interesting) is one of  my most fundamental character traits and “love language”.   I literally learn every single day; reading, listening to podcasts, audiobooks, or YouTube.

As a result, I have, for decades now, studied world religion and mythology, multiple facets of psychology, relationship science, neuroscience, physiology, quantum physics, environmental sciences.  And a fair smattering of history, which ties into all of the above. 

Though the most recent research shows that our thoughts and desires directly affect our physiology, magnetic field and reality itself, I can tell you for a fact that burying our heads in the sand and pretending that “everything will work out” would be “magical thinking”.  

We have to balance the reality that we wish to see with the reality that actually is if we want to create lasting change.  

We have to heal ourselves, our societal dysfunctions and the harm we continue to inflict on the planet in order to build something better. 

I understand that many people are afraid, and perhaps that causes us to be silent.  I’m sure there are many that genuinely believed,  and still wish to believe, that our current leader is going to “Make America Great” again, and perhaps this wishful thinking, along with the mass of  propaganda and misinformation out there, makes it hard to recognize the slippery slope of fascism we are sliding down right now.   

We humans also tend to stick to our pre-programmed belief systems, especially in times of challenge or difficulty.  

Yet, all we have to do is look at world history and how many countries transitioned from democratic to authoritarian rule with just one leader, even within the past century, (Russia, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, most South American countries, Poland and Hungary) to understand that the direction we are going is the opposite of ”great” for the average American citizen, though a  May 2025 analysis by Oxfam found that the 10 richest U.S. billionaires increased their wealth by $365 billion in the preceding 12 months and $196 BILLION between Trump’s taking the Oval Office and May of 2025.

Remaining silent in the face of grave danger, challenge or even the unfamiliar is our primitive brains’ (primarily the amygdala) way of keeping us “safe”.  

Beyond that, many of us who tend towards optimism (myself included) truly want to believe that good will win out, in the end.

Ultimately, I believe it will.  Again, looking at history, we can see that when humans decide on the right course and act accordingly, we can create tremendous change for the good of humanity. 

We can defeat despots.  We win wars, feed nations, stop disease from decimating populations.  We can invent miracles and what would have been called “magic” only a century ago.  We can stop this speeding train, or plane, or bullet, before it harms many more.

But what will be the cost,  if we stay silent, hoping for a miracle, in the meantime? 

How many will suffer, as we pretend that our engine isn’t failing and we don’t need to find a safe place to land?  

What will be the cost of our souls, if we continue to ignore the magnitude of wrongness that is happening right now? 

We are the miracle we are waiting for.  We are the heroes (or the villains) of this novel.

We can write a new, better story for ourselves, our country, and our children, if we speak up against what is wrong and stand together against evil.  

But we won’t change anything by staying eerily silent. 

It is my  personal belief that the entire point of our existence here on this planet is to love, protect, and care for and appreciate ourselves, those around us, and the planet, and to create a better world for generations to come.  I want my children to live in a country where they feel safe, abundant and happy.  I want them to inherit a country they are proud of.  An America the Beautiful; Home of the Free and The Brave.🇺🇸🌄🌾

I will continue to post tips and tools for increasing our “happiness baseline” and optimizing a better reality on my social media platforms – https://www.facebook.com/TerahDrake or my IG – @terahrosecatalyst or @thisblessedsacredlife

But I will also continue to speak out against those things that are wrong, harmful or even evil in our government and beyond.  

And I hope you will, too. 🙏🏻

Big love.💖

  • Terah

Hero or Villain/Victim? 🍆 or ✨💥?

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized

We may not realize it, but every moment we are choosing who we are.  Hero, Villain or Victim.  Eggplant or shining star. 

But when we act like a 🍆, it is only too easy to make excuses for our bad behavior, isn’t it?  

“I’m in a bad mood because…

 – I’m tired.  

– I have a headache/stomachache/body ache/allergies, etc…

– My boss/employee/friend/acquaintance/partner/kid doesn’t value me. 

– I didn’t get the job/promotion/position I wanted…

I didn’t get my way…  

There is always a litany of reasons/excuses why it’s ok for us to be difficult, moody or angry.  

These “reasons” allow us to lash out at those closest to us. To be a d#ck to our friends, co-workers or the cashier at the supermarket.  To allow a dark cloud to follow us around and confirm all the reasons why we are a victim.  

Right about now you might be thinking that I’m kind of a 🍆 for being so harsh, right?  😬

But here’s the thing, babe.  The truth often hurts – and it’s not until we take an honest look at our behaviors that we can actually become the person that we want to be rather than the person our past experiences and behaviors dictate we be.  

Unfortunately for many of us, our past involved parental figures and peers that made us feel less than capable.  Less than valuable.  Less than worthy.  And so we play out the emotional repercussions these past patterns cause each day by allowing our subconscious to rule our emotions and actions rather than our awareness.  But when it comes down to it, most of us would probably choose happiness, light, ease, kindness, and compassion as our key traits rather than being known as an Eyore or an asshole, right?  

You choose your behaviors, consciously or unconsciously.  The difference between training good behavior in yourself – or not – is whether or not you choose to be conscious or allow your unconscious patterns to dick-tate who you are.

So ask yourself this question:  Who do I want to be – a hero, victim, or a villain?  

This is your story and you are writing the plot, characters and outcome, my love.  You are the hero – or villain (victim) of your own story.  

So what are you choosing today?  

Are you allowing all of life’s contrasts to shape you into forged steel – or melt you into slag?  

Are you allowing that headache/fatigue/negative experience to excuse bad behavior – or are you becoming the hero and shining your amazing light, in spite of your circumstance?

Every moment is a choice.  Your choice, beloved.💖

#bethehero #betheheroofyourownstory #shapeyourmind #highvibes #itsallenergy #frequency #vibration #choosehappy #chooselight #choosepeace