The Hazel Perspective
The Hazel Perspective wants to hear from you!
Here your voice is heard and your words are valued! I would like to hear from you as an adoptee. Sometimes there is no better feeling than knowing that there is someone who can relate to you, and The Hazel Perspective aims to bring people together from all walks of life to talk about their experiences. You are invited to share your own story.
The aim of The Hazel Perspective is to capture your own relationship with self-love and self-care in a world that often times can arguably make one feel unworthy. There is no right or wrong answer here, your response can be one word, a sentence, a poem or a whole paragraph. Ultimately, The Hazel Perspective aims to allow you to recognise that the setbacks you may feel as a result of adoption, do not define you. It is a space where we can document and celebrate ourselves, where our stories are cherished and are relatable to others with the same experiences. On another note, if you have had a positive experience as an adoptee and would like to share your positive story, which in turn may be a guide for others, please do share.
Here are some questions to get you thinking;
What does adoption mean to you?
As an adoptee, have you embraced it?
How has your own experience of adoption shaped you as a person?
In your own words, why do you think talking about adoption is so important within society?
If you could write a letter to yourself from 10 years ago, what would you say?
Do you believe that your knowledge of being an adoptee has altered your own personal self-love or self-care? Why?
What kind or supportive words would you give to another adoptee who is struggling to come to terms with their adoption and or circumstances?
Do you have a self-love / self-care goal that you one day hope to achieve? This can be anything - something as small as having more ‘personal / me time’ or sharing your experiences with other adoptees so that they know they are not alone, giving you more inner confidence.
When thinking about your answers to these questions I would like you to be as open-minded as possible. When I mention self-care / self-love, I'm referring to the things you do as an adoptee that encourage you to be the best version of yourself, which allows you to embrace the experience and really exercise your happiness.
For example; What do you love about yourself? What are you learning to love about yourself? Have you done anything recently that has made you feel good about yourself or about your life - if so, what? How do you care for yourself in a world that could potentially make you feel so unimportant? How have you learned to embrace things about yourself? How would you like others to view you? How do you seek validation as an adoptee? What are some of the things you do to clear your mind or to embody positivity at a time where you may not feel the greatest?
The Hazel Perspective is not exclusively for people who have been adopted. It is important for everyone to be educated and open-minded in order to create a better society. However, The Hazel Perspective will only be featuring adoptees and their experiences on this page as social stigmas and taboo’s surrounding adoption have tainted talk about it, lending to our voices having a limited platform to share thoughts or feelings and thus disabling the ability to promote self-love. As it follows, it is important to highlight life through the perspective of the adoptee.
To contribute your response, please email [email protected]
Please include your full name and a photo of yourself. It would be nice to have a baby photo and a recent photo in order to post the pictures together, but it is not essential. If you wish to remain anonymous please let us know and we shall respect your wishes.
Please don't let the above information be overwhelming! A lot of it is just there to get you thinking. Your responses don't have to cover every single question, nor does it have to be very long. Feel free to express yourself in as many words as you may like, how you like.
Thank you for taking the time to read and contribute to The Hazel Perspective.
