B.A. Smith's Blog

A dear friend of mine commented the following on an image I posted with gender-neutral terms in support of #nonbinarypride.

Instead of getting upset at the biased opinions that continue to invalidate the #nonbinary or #trans communities, I was thrilled at the opportunity to educate her as I myself continue to learn and deconstruct the implicit biases that are ingrained into many of us.

We ended up having a very respectful and insightful conversation, and she even shone a light on my ...

I watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s starring Audrey Hepburn for the first time and, instead of iconic, I found the film deeply problematic because of its romanticism of dysfunctional relationships (which, if you’ve seen any Hollywood movie ever, is pretty standard), implied statutory rape/pedophilia, racism, and – what was really the last straw for me – Audrey’s character’s poor treatment of her cat. 

I’m not a psychologist, nor do I claim to be one, but I ...

Poverty, parental neglect, low self-esteem, alcohol and drug abuse are some of the highest contributors to crime rates. Some people are at greater risk of becoming offenders because of the circumstances into which they are born.

It is estimated that crime fell roughly 20% in the United States between 1997 and 2014 due to legalized abortion. The cumulative impact of legalized abortion on crime is roughly 45%, accounting for a very substantial portion of the roughly 50-55% overall decline from ...

Are you considering a business opportunity that involves selling products to family and friends and recruiting other people to do the same? That kind of business is called multi-level marketing (MLM) or network marketing. Some MLMs are illegal pyramid schemes.

Most people who join legitimate MLMs make LITTLE OR NO MONEY. Some of them lose money. People who become involved in an illegal pyramid scheme may not realize they’ve joined a fraudulent venture, and typically lose everything they i...

Intuitive Eating (IE) teaches you how to create a healthy relationship with your food, mind, and body–where you ultimately become the expert of your own body.

90-95% of diets ultimately fail and can actually lead to weight GAIN and a lower metabolism as your body learns to fight back against what it perceives as starvation in the form of restrictive eating.

Deprivation only leads to a stronger desire for the forbidden object and can actually cause over eating and unhealthy habits. When yo...

So I did a wild thing yesterday! I walked into the grocery store and actually told myself to go ahead and get whatever I wanted, true baller style. I didn’t care how much it was, whether it was on clearance or sale, I didn’t care if it wasn’t on my grocery list or something I would normally grab without thinking about it, and I didn’t care if it was something I thought was “good” or “bad” for me.

This one time, I wanted to see what would end up in my cart when I let my body decide what it wante...

I am beyond frustrated with all of the panic and news/social media blowout surrounding the coronavirus thats led to event cancellations and empty store shelves, but I also recognize this pandemic of fear has also been an important test on my own empathy and patience. All of the work Ive done to strengthen my mental and spiritual health now has an opportunity to be put into practice as Im learning how to balance living my life fearlessly and on my own terms with not being an unknowing dick to...

Other than the poem I read at my mom’s funeral when I was 18, this is the scariest goddamn thing I’ve ever read in public. I am forever grateful to Poetry 719 for creating a safe space at the Letters to My Exes open mic last month where I could rip my guts out and share my deepest insecurities amongst other beautiful kindred spirits without the shame of being judged.

I’ve been waffling back and forth on whether or not to post this, but I trust my tribe. If my experiences help anyone feel even...

It’s interesting to me how many people complain about the negativity/toxicity they see on social media, but continue to spread fearful or hateful posts on their own feeds. The world will always reflect what you put out there, and if you go looking for reasons to feel bad or afraid, I guarantee you will find all the “facts” in the world to support your case!

For me, social media is a tool I use to gauge exactly what I am placing my attention on, whether positive or negative. This year, I made...

Leaving behind people you love is never easy, but sometimes it’s necessary in order to grow into your fullest potential. I will always appreciate the time I spent at the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center learning and experiencing what it takes to start and grow your own small business, which is actually a HUGE undertaking that can only succeed with your tribe’s support and a lot of work even with their incredible resources. The team and the work they do is unlike anything I have...