Rowan Flores
Bio
Writing has always been a cathartic experience for me. I have been able to process a lot of demons by word vomiting into a keyboard. I hope that by reading my stories they allow you to do the same!
Stories (29/0)
How to Set Intentions
Ah, yes. Another year has passed, and you know what that means. The gyms become jam-packed, new organizational tools line store shelves, and artful advertisements about weight-loss programs seem to pop up during every commercial break. (What a time to be alive.) These shame-inducing tactics are geared towards one thing: the money companies can make off of New Year’s Resolutions. Yet, every year, so many people waste their money on things they don’t even really want to do or really even need. And with each passing year, the cycle continues. Why? One word: pressure. Pressure to do better. To be better. Pressure to look good. Pressure to be the “health nut.” Societal pressure…self-pressure...any kind of pressure, really.
By Rowan Flores5 years ago in Motivation
So You're a Glutard
A Glutard is someone who has been diagnosed with either a gluten intolerance, or Celiac Disease. So you’ve been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Now what? Well, first off, you need to know that there’s a huge difference between having a gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease. A gluten intolerance is when your body, simply put, does not process gluten very well. This can cause bloating, indigestion, and acne among other symptoms. Celiac’s, however, is an autoimmune disease. While some of the symptoms may overlap, Celiac’s can cause much greater damage later on if not taken care of. One major difference is the topic of cross-contamination. This is when gluten comes into contact with non-gluten food items and contaminates the food. This can occur with shared pans, fryers, utensils, cutting boards, etc. While someone who is just gluten intolerant can handle cross-contamination a bit more, someone with Celiac’s will have to be cautious and avoid it.
By Rowan Flores6 years ago in Longevity
Supplements?
Almost everyone I know takes some sort of vitamin or supplement. I hear debates about this all the time, especially in my field. I hear people say that supplements are the worst and that you should avoid them at all costs. I also hear people say that they need their supplements to function and that they wouldn’t be able to live without it. After all this back and forth, I can understand why it seems impossible to find the right answer. But there has to be an answer somewhere correct? Surely there’s a mad scientist deep in a cave someplace that has come up with a solution and is hiding it from us. There must be. Right?
By Rowan Flores6 years ago in Longevity
Guess What: It Doesn't Pay to Be a Dick
Sometimes, when I hear about other people’s relationships, I cringe. I haven’t been in that many relationships, but I’ve always had a sense of how you should a treat one. I’ve heard so many people talk about their relationships and think, “That… can’t be healthy… can it?” Even when I was little, I would hear people bashing their significant others and be confused. “If you don’t even like them… then why are you together?” In today’s world, society makes it okay, even encouraged, to drag your partner through the mud.
By Rowan Flores6 years ago in Humans
Soul Mates
Ah yes, the ever mysterious “Soul Mate”. Media has portrayed the Soul Mate as the perfect fit. The peanut butter to your jelly. The wind beneath your wings. It’s gotten people crazed to find someone that they can have a fairytale love with. And look, I totally get it. Who wouldn’t want to find the love of their life and ride off into the sunset? But there’s one thing people forget: Life isn’t a fairytale. We get so wrapped up in trying to find the perfect partner in crime, that often times, the definition of a “Soul Mate” gets misconstrued and warped into trivial meanings. We think our Soul Mate is going to ride in on a white steed and hand us a bouquet of roses. We think that every conversation is going to be perfect and we won’t get into arguments. And look, if you do happen to be in a relationship like that, awesome. I’m not saying that your love isn’t valid. All I’m saying is that the term Soul Mate is often used incorrectly when describing types of connections.
By Rowan Flores6 years ago in Humans
Woman vs. Food
"If you're going through Hell, keep going" —Winston Churchill My Story There are many reasons why someone could develop an eating disorder (or ED for short). They could fill books with all the reasons, situations, and psychology behind them. (Actually… I’m pretty sure they have… ). And, as much as I would love to explore those reasons, that’s just too much information to cover here. In fact, I’m not even going to dive too deep into why my ED behaviors started (for personal reasons). But, to put it briefly, when I was a kid I always felt as if I wasn’t enough. With anything I did, I always thought that I was going to do something wrong, that, no matter what I did, I was always going to come up short. That feeling of inadequacy mixed with my anxiety and spiraled me into what I now know as ED behaviors. When I felt I had no control in life, I could control what I ate. But there was no specific moment that made me that way. When I look back, I just remember having these thoughts and rules around my body, what I wore, and what I ate. But that’s kind of how an eating disorder feels. You’re going along in life, thinking that everything is fine, and then one day you look in the mirror and don’t recognize yourself anymore.
By Rowan Flores6 years ago in Psyche
Stop the Stigma
You know in the cartoons where the character has a mini “Angel” on one shoulder and a mini “Devil” on the other? Well picture that, expect one of them is named “Anxiety” and will not stop tapping his foot in your ear, and the other is named “Depression” and sighs despondently whenever you refuse to acknowledge him. Welcome to my head. All the time. Every day. Well…most days. Between therapy and developing a deeper understanding of mental illness I have made some improvements.
By Rowan Flores6 years ago in Psyche
Conversations I Wish I Had #3
I have a lot of things to say to you. But when I try to put my thoughts into words, very little comes out. Much like what happened when we were together. It made for a very smooth relationship. At the beginning it was all so…surreal. We were picture perfect. Every cologne-scented note and late night voicemail was like it was picked out of a movie. I don’t even think we ever fought, not even towards the end of our relationship. Looking back, maybe that’s what was needed? Or was there was nothing left to fight for? I think that a lot of what happened between you and I was because I didn’t speak up and say, “I’m not okay with this”. I was complacent, for fear of losing someone I loved so dearly. I would speak my mind but then take it back. Set boundaries but then let you walk all over them. Only speaking out over text messages when you couldn’t look at me with those eyes I had grown to adore. Most of the time I never got a response back. Maybe I should have tried harder? But if three years with someone teaches you anything, it’s that sometimes no response is a response in and of itself.
By Rowan Flores6 years ago in Humans
Maiden to Monster
Growing up, I absolutely loved learning about Greek Mythology. I was always a bit of a nerd and, to me, mixing an ancient history lesson with an element of fantasy or mystique was GOLDEN. So when I stumbled upon the Ancient Greeks, it was a match made in Olympus. The myths and legends fascinated me! The Gods, demi-gods, quests…and let’s not forget the monsters. The Ancient Greeks have some of the most interesting monsters I have ever seen. Some you may know, like the Minotaur, Pegasus, and Cyclops. Others may be more obscure such as the Graeae, Empusa, or the Manticore. But the most popular monster, and the one most discussed, is Medusa the Gorgon. This snake-woman hybrid was said to have the ability to turn man to stone and could only be killed by cutting off her head.
By Rowan Flores6 years ago in Horror
Conversations I Wish I Had #2
To be quite frank, I don’t like you. And why should I? You were the final wedge between me and someone I loved. I’m not saying it’s 100% your fault. It does take two to tango (or in this case, to cheat). Some of the blame goes to him as well. But you guys are together on this one. You were two peas in a pod.
By Rowan Flores6 years ago in Humans
Pondering on the Universe
Do you believe in destiny? What about miracles? Do you think that we are guided through life or that everything is simply happenstance? I used to think that this was just something that hippies and yoga instructors preached about. But I, being the control freak that I am, was sure that I was the captain of my ship. That I was in control. Right? Wrong. Well…kind of.
By Rowan Flores6 years ago in Motivation