Seek with Ser

24/04/2024

The revolution is not in the comments section ✌🏼

Read my new post on Substack: “Are you Being Radicalized: Red flags to look out for.”

Link in bio 🔗

19/04/2024

Asking and saying no in relationships is about counterbalancing 3 things:

1. Your objective goals
2. Your relationship
3. Your self-respect

Depending on the weight of each of these, you’re gonna approach the conversation differently. Context matters!!!

Don’t forget to save the slides so you can revisit later! This framework has been so pivotal for me in my own interpersonal effectiveness.

I highly recommend enrolling in the 16 week DBT skills group training with .psychology to learn more valuable communication and life skills.

This training has been a game changer for me & I believe everyone could benefit! Contact .psychology for more info or comment “DBT” and I’ll put you in touch 🙂

(Not a promo post, I just really believe in this method).

👉🏼Where do you usually land on the “asking and saying no” scale?

28/10/2023

New post on my substack

The fascists are closing in

08/10/2023

I’m so exhausted I can’t articulate my words. My brain and my heart hurt. I don’t know the geopolitics of this conflict well enough to form an opinion. But I come from a humanitarian perspective when I say that what Hamas has done is wrong, just wrong. Yes, any human being can be pushed to the point of murder—does that mean we should?

I think of it like this: if Armenians were to rise up against Azerbaijan and started indiscriminately killing and r@ping Azeri women that would be ABSOLUTELY AGAINST MY MORALS and something I would never support under any circumstances. That is not political resistance, that is straight TERRORISM.

And at the same time we can acknowledge that the Israeli government is a war-mongering, far-right militia that needs to be held accountable for its crimes against humanity towards the Palestinians (and Armenians, while we’re at it).

Y’all, foreign policy is corrupt and complicated. Innocent civilian lives should NEVER be condoned as collateral damage in political negotiations. We have to drawn the line somewhere. Once we support terrorism, we are going south as a society. It‘s very hard to walk back from there. We don’t want to go there.

Please be mindful of the posts you’re sharing. Knee jerk reactions to complex and devastating humanitarian crises are not helpful or effective.

Condemning domestic terrorism committed by Hamas does not mean you condone Palestinian oppression and apartheid.

Denouncing the Zionist authoritarian regime does not mean you’re antisemitic.

Nuance and discernment y’all. Please practice it. 🙏🏼

I pray for the innocent lives that were lost and my heart is with Palestinian and Israeli families who are mourning their loved ones. There are no winners in war.

06/10/2023

Snippet from my substack:

It’s almost poetic how much life imitates art. It would be funny if it wasn’t so dark. Perhaps there is some comedic relief in it, if you’re into that sort of thing.

While conspiritualists are concocting fantastical narratives about imminent zombie doom, the viral TikTok “math” trend reflects our collective struggle to make sense out of senselessness where things just don’t add up.

What’s logical and reasonable often gets lots in the sea of misinformation, internet echo chambers, and capitalist propaganda.

That’s the thing about dystopia. It highlights the paradoxical nature of reality where we mistake abstractions for real entities.

Dystopian narratives often involve inversions of societal norms, values, and realities. These inversions can reveal the darker aspects of human behavior and societal trends, where what appears to be "positive" or desirable may, in fact, be the result of underlying absences or distortions.

In the context of misinformation and conspiracy theories, this paradox is evident when people treat abstract, unfounded claims as if they were concrete truths and in doing so they completely miss the plot.

Read the rest on the link in my bio or comment “Zombie” and I’ll DM you.

Enjoy and please subscribe if you’re not already! 💜

25/09/2023

SWANA communities are seriously tired of our indifference and hypocrisy.

And yes, I am holding myself just as accountable here because although I am Armenian, my Eurocentric features have protected me from the discrimination and prejudice that my SWANA sisters and brothers have faced and continue to face.

Seriously, what’s it going to take to cut through the noise of our social media feeds and bring this atrocity to the forefront of the conversation?

I don’t have the answer to that. But I do know that we are doing ourselves a serious disservice if we’re not at least willing to ask the hard questions.
They
In my substack newsletter, I ask these hard questions and also point to important call to actions.

Here are some below:

✊🏼 Follow as they document their lived experience of ethnic cleansing in Artsakh. Witnessing their stories humanizes a political conflict and let’s them know that people around the world care about their plight.

🤳Follow as they are independent activists on the ground doing important work to document and provide humanitarian aid.

💵 DONATE to nonprofit organizations like that are providing much needed immediate humanitarian aid to displaced Armenians.

🗣️SPREAD THE WORD. Armenians are at a critical point where we need momentum and awareness. Please SHARE this post and others like it.

Check my highlights for more and use the hashtags below.

Please don’t sleep on this! We need your voices, your dollars, your eyeballs, and your support.

💔💙🧡

We can’t do everything, but we can do something! Every small action matters! THANK YOU ✊🏼

11/09/2023

The more I unlearn and deprogram from toxic capitalist x patriarchal standards of success, femininity, personal growth, etc., the more I realize how much of it I had internalized. I spent this weekend cleaning, organizing, and relaxing and no part of me felt FOMO about that. Good riddance.

Whenever I see words like “rapid,” “quantum,” or “instant,” in personal development jargon, it’s like an instant repellent. I’m at a point in my life where slow and sustainable are attractive and I no longer need to make myself wrong for not chasing ambitious goals of overnight success.

I’m in the season where not everything has to be a ‘teachable’ moment, a life lesson, or a sign that I’m on the right path. How unnecessarily complicated, and exhausting.

There’s a soft, ‘feminine’ kind of surrender that comes with letting go of the idea that I’m not a hero, or an archetype. I’m just a human, I’m just me. How liberating.

My life matters because it does. Not because I’m the main character of my own story. Not because I’ve turned my pain into my ‘purpose.’ Not because I’ve manifested and achieved great things. Not because of my intelligence, strength, or resilience. But because I’m a human. What would happen if we all made peace with our humanity? Could it ever be enough?

Capitalism doesn't seem to think so. Society likes to dress things up—even something as personal as femininity—into romanticized, idealized labels that are often caricatured and envisioned through outdated stereotypes. Why do we need all these labels? Why turn everything into a production?

I’ve learned that personal development is a process of self-discovery where we get to redefine success and personal growth on our own terms. Staying true to yourself and not chasing someone else’s ‘manifested’ reality is a form of resistance to the success industry that is constantly trying to get us to dehumanize, exploit, and monetize every aspect of our lives.

Be free 🕊️

Which slide spoke to you? What is your feminine urge being called to?
———-
For more of my writings, subscribe to my free Substack newsletter. 🔗in bio!
——-
🎨 Art by

07/09/2023

I know I talk a lot of sh*t about self-help but it should be reiterated that while I believe the self-help industry is toxic, there are still wonderful self-help authors whose work I appreciate and admire.

It’s unfortunate that the industry has been infiltrated by bad faith actors and opportunists but I don’t think we should throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Instead, we should approach with more careful consideration and a critical lens, which is what I try to promote on this page.

Hope this guide helps. Please let me know if you’d like for me to expand on it and I’m happy to create a free PDF version with more information on how I critically evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and credibility of self-help books. More than anything, it’s a great exercise on critical thinking and media literacy!

Do check out my last two podcast episodes on the Cult of Self-help Part 1 & 2 for a deeper dive & more insightful discussion.

Would love to hear ethical self help books and authors that you recommend! What else should I add on this list?

04/09/2023

As a follow-up to my last post and podcast episode about MCS, I’m writing a blog post on the new trend of “romanticizing your life” and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.

These are some of the questions I’m interested in exploring through a psychospiritual lens within the context of our loneliness and narcissism epidemics that define our era.

I’d love to know how you interpret or relate to the concept of “romanticizing your life” and how it has shaped or evolved your personal growth, especially as it pertains to Main Character energy.

Let’s discuss 👇🏼

31/08/2023

The self-help industry has distorted our concept of self-love.

On the surface, it promises personal growth, empowerment, and transformation, all of which seem to align with self-love.

However, beneath this veneer lies a paradox.

The self-help industry often commodifies our inherent need for self-love by perpetuating the idea that we are inherently flawed and in constant need of improvement.

In its pursuit of profit, this industry sells us a prepackaged vision of what self-love should look like. It peddles an idealized version of self-love that tends to favor those who are privileged enough to “achieve” it.

This vision often portrays self-love as a state reserved for the successful, the beautiful, and the accomplished. It creates an unattainable standard that leaves many feeling inadequate, fostering a cycle of perpetual striving and discontentment.

Genuine self-love transcends these narrow confines. It's not contingent on external achievements.

Genuine self-love is rooted in self-acceptance, compassion, and authenticity. It embraces our imperfections and acknowledges that our worthiness is inherent, not “earned” through accomplishments or external validation.

When self-love becomes synonymous with optimizing our human potential, it loses its authenticity. It becomes a means to an end, rather than an end in itself.

Genuine self-love is not a product to be bought or a goal to be achieved; it's a lifelong journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. It doesn't require us to constantly fix or improve ourselves but invites us to embrace our humanity, with all its flaws and complexities.

💭Thoughts?

29/08/2023

“The first time I heard of the concept of "self-love" was when I was wandering around aimlessly at a local art fair in Melbourne, Australia.

I had just been stood up by my date.

TBH, I didn't even like the guy, but the feeling of rejection pushed my already fragile self-esteem past its breaking point. I wanted to crawl out of my own skin and flush myself down the sh***er of the nearest porta potty. You know that feeling?

So, picture this: there I was, 7,500 miles away from home and infinite miles away from myself, obsessively checking my phone every 5 minutes (err, 30 seconds?) waiting on some rando dude to validate my self-worth. Feeling like the lowest of the low about myself while searching for the nearest escape route to my existence. And that's when I saw it: the psychic booth.

I don't know what compelled me to walk into that psychic booth. At the time, I was a hardcore atheist and didn't believe in the supernatural. I suppose it was a testament to how desperate and confused I felt. If the rando dude couldn't validate my worth, maybe this psychic could?

Boy, was I comically wrong. You know that moment in a movie when your compassion for the main character turns into second-hand embarrassment? But you can't help but feel amused because the cosmic joke is irresistible? That describes the story of my life when I sat down in front of the psychic for a reading: a cosmic joke.

I had a few minutes to spare before my "appointment," so I pretended to be fascinated by the little trinkets 'n things that were on display outside the booth (meanwhile, coming up with hypothetical scenarios of all the ways I would tell off my no-show date if ever ran into him).

Amongst the ornate tarot decks, incense sticks, crystals, and other bejeweled amulets on display, one thing caught my eye and brought me back into my body: a little book with a BIG title, "When Loved Myself Enough."

I started flipping through the book:”

🔗Read the rest on my blog—> link in bio

17/08/2023

The culty-est aspect of the self-help/wellness industry is that its success hinges on the ability to convince people that there is only one true way to live well (with guaranteed outcomes that are largely based on anecdotal or circumstantial evidence).

They do this through promoting an “us vs them” attitude that gets reinforced through false dichotomies and other types of cognitive distortions.

Nuance is being able to acknowledge that issues aren’t always just one extreme or the other.

Critical thinking is being able to evaluate situations independently rather than categorically favoring one side or another.

Critiquing self-help/wellness industries does not mean we are advocating for “biG pHarMa.” The bigger here is about holding all industries to ethical standards and promoting evidence-based practices.

Exploitation should be address ACROSS THE BOARD.

Thank you.

31/07/2023

🥳New month, new topic!

This month’s “to debunk” topic is self-love. Or, more specifically, how pop-psych and new-age interpret self-love, which we know is chock full of hypocrisies, inconsistencies, and shallow waters.

Instead of leading us toward loving ourselves, new-age orients us toward a path of self-destruction. 😑

This is a topic that I have been studying (both academically and within my self) for yearsssss.

It’s perhaps THE topic I have turned over again and again until no stone has been left unturned.

It’s both a personal and also cerebral topic for me. I’ve been scrutinizing it from many angles that I can’t wait to discuss with others who have come to similar realizations.

I’ve studied the self-love literature so much I could write a damn book on it. Oh wait, I did! Ask me about my “Demystifying Self-love” ebook—I think you’ll find it v interesting 🙂

I also have a blog post, reels, and in true debunking fashion—a host of interesting studies and thought-provoking insights to share with you.

It’s gonna be a good month. Stay tuned ✨

What else would you add? Comment your thoughts 👇🏼

20/07/2023

It makes sense that when resources are scarce people tend to look out for themselves.

But research shows that when resources are abundant, people still look out for themselves.

This points to the reality that it’s not a resource problem. It’s a people problem. Specifically, the problem of greed.

How can we fix this problem?

13/07/2023

I used to get inspired by these “self-help” gurus who made it sound so simple to fix our problems with our mindset.

“Change your mind, change your life!”

Then I realized that working on our mindset takes time, energy, and resources.

And in our inequitable society, it is a privilege to have those things.

Instead of shouting at people to fix their mindset, I saw their mindset as a reflection of the larger systemic and social issues.

This is a systems-level approach to social change. And it is a much more compassionate, inclusive, and effective way toward collective liberation, if that’s your goal. 💜

I would love to hear your biggest takeaways from mindset psychology. What have you learned?👇🏼

12/07/2023

The new-age spiritual and self-help industries are bankrolling humanity’s self-destruction.

By equating ‘spiritual abundance’ with ‘material abundance,’ new-age spirituality promotes capitalism propaganda of endless growth, overconsumption, unsustainable practices, manufactured demand, and exploitation.

The relentless pursuit of ‘abundance’ prioritizes profit above all else and contributes to a culture of wastefulness and rampant consumerism.

The reality is that our planet has finite resources that humans are burning through at unsustainable rates.

Not here to tell anyone how to live. But promoting the narrative that ‘there is plenty out there and enough resources for everyone’ is incompatible with the reality that resources are limited and resource distribution is unequal and uneven.

Downplaying or undermining these realities is a massive disservice to the collective. Mind you, these are the same money cult ambassadors that believe ‘more money in the hands of good people will solve the world’s problems.’ Hypocrisy. Hypocrisy everywhere.

I just published a blog post about the Dark Side of the Abundance Mindset where I challenge conventional narratives around ‘abundance’ and its connection to wealth and success. I also shed light on the ‘abundance paradox’ and why the opposite of abundance is not scarcity, it’s greed.

🔗 in bio!

Your turn! What are some affirmations we should add to the Money Cult edition of abundance mindset?👇🏼🤑

06/07/2023

You can always count on me to point out the hypocrisy of new-age spiritualists who behave opposite to what they preach.

Abundance mindset is a huge one.

Exploiting, deceiving, taking advantage of, and manipulating people is not a sign of abundance.

Building your empire selling snake oil is not a sign of abundance.

Hell, even qualifying someone’s experience of abundance for them is not a sign of abundance.

Tomorrow on my Substack, I share my “abundance mindset” story and how it indoctrinated me into the money cult.

I’ve realized through experience and science-backed research, that the opposite of abundance is not scarcity—it’s greed.

To read this and more original think pieces, find me on Substack!

Substack.com/ or through the link in my bio 💜

Tell me, what contradictions of “abundance mindset” have you seen in new-age? 👇🏼

02/07/2023

Looking for a fun scammer movie to watch? “Sharper” draws you into a thrilling ride of deception, manipulation, and a web of schemes. If you’re fascinated by the art of the con game, I think you’ll enjoy it 🙂

01/07/2023

I love Rachael Kay Albers cause she keeps it real and makes s**t make sense. Also she’s hilarious.

Join us on this thought-provoking conversation as we unpack how capitalism propaganda has intercepted every single aspect of our culture—from brand culture, to self-help, to how we interact with each other.

One of the most prevalent narratives that we hear by money cult ambassadors is that “good money in the hands of good people” can be the solution to the world’s problems. But is that really the case?

Does capitalism and its promises of prosperity truly hold the key to our collective well-being? Can we capitalism our way out of capitalism? Is there such a thing as ‘conscious capitalism?

🎧 On Ep. 13 of the , we explore these topics and so much more!

Warning: This episode MIGHT radicalize you 😉 (in a good way) 🔥

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Substack, or YouTube w/captions.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conscious-revolution/id1496090447?i=1000618891961

29/06/2023

EFC is a passion project that we started because we wanted to create positive change in a toxic industry.

The people who launched this initiative have had a front row seat in watching the coaching industry collapse from the center.

We noticed 4 things unfold:

1. Ethical coaches closing up shop or feeling stuck
2. Consumers losing trust in the industry
3. Unethical coaches becoming even more emboldened.
4. Ethical coaches speaking out and making small changes to their practice.

The coaching industry is not going anywhere. And neither are the scammers nor the deceptive trade practices that are normalized in this industry.

We started this initiative because we believe that coaches and consumers deserve better.

Coaches deserve to work in an industry that meets the gold standard of professionalism & integrity.

Consumers deserve the help that they need when they’re struggling.

Will you join the movement to raise the standards of the coaching industry?

Comment to receive an invite to our upcoming Town hall meeting on 7/19.

This is a great opportunity to learn about the cause & participate in a live Q&A with our team of therapists, coaches, and attorneys who know this industry well.

Let’s clean this mess up, together. 💜

23/06/2023

In this latest substack newsletter, I share about something scary that happened to me earlier this year, and how it helped me distill the biggest on my --from navigating to deprogramming from my identity. Enjoy!

https://seekwithser.substack.com/p/losing-and-finding-my-voice

23/06/2023

I'm so excited to announce that www.seekwithser.com is now LIVE!! 🚀 🚀 🚀 Check it out!

Welcome to Seek with Ser: a space for socially-conscious humans who want to do better, feel good, and be the change.

14/06/2023

Please excuse my brief absence while I prepare for the official launch of SWS. 🚀 🚀

08/06/2023

Shout out to those who are doing the sacred work of collective liberation. The framework of collective liberation is built on the principles of spiritual activism. Outwardly it manifests as social responsibility.

This work is holy 🔥

For me personally, this work has been a profound and personal journey of reclaiming those parts of myself that were disconnected from my humanity, and thus disconnected from God.

Sacred activism is shadow work. It is light work. It is healing work. But mostly it is human work. Humbling, grounding, and real.

I’m taking a small break from social media to focus on my projects, but before I go I want to extend an invitation to those who are craving a new society and brave enough to imagine that it’s possible.

Our current systems are designed to make us feel inadequate, isolated, and powerless. This is where political awakening has helped me put my feelings and experiences into context and see myself as part of the world around me, knowing that social change is a process but every day is an opportunity to make progress, in subtle ways, that move the needle toward collective liberation.

This is why I speak out so passionately against systems of oppression and injustice and I don’t plan on stopping. I’m not here to be right, I’m here to remind you that it’s okay to think out loud, learn from mistakes and shortcomings, and draw lessons and insights to stay grounded as we navigate social currents of uncertainty, fear, and confusion.

And, most importantly, I’m here to encourage you not to sink into silence, complacency, and ambivalence when things get messy. Your voice matters.

It’s tieless work but it’s absolutely worth it. Operating outside the limitations of a bureaucratic ego that only sees itself as separate and superior is what brings deep healing and transformation to every aspect of our lives.

I would love to know how this landed for you today 💜

29/05/2023

It’s also important to remember that the No. 1 threat to national security are white Christian nationalist groups which are the groups committing these kinds of domestic terrorism crimes. These extremist groups are a rising threat not just in the US but around the world, and they are destabilizing the safety and security of not just children but society as a whole.

Understand that regardless of where you stand on trans issues, we as a society need to be very careful not to accidentally embolden and implicitly encourage these TERRORIST groups to carry out acts of crimes against humanity. This is not the reality that we are after.

For one, we need to stop calling it a boycott and call it what it is—economic terrorism. Language is important here.

Secondly, we need to stop misplacing our anger and fear onto trans people and direct it toward groups (and the policies they are pushing such as gun rights) who are actually a threat to children.

Third, we need to acknowledge that our society is broken and it has nothing to do with trans people and everything to do with the reality that Christian religious fundamentalism has a chokehold on democracy as we speak.

Thank you.

24/05/2023

Ironically, there’s a lot of gender bias in this post, conveyed through anti-feminist tropes.

The main trope here is the “not all men” argument. Or the idea that challenging the patriarchy means hating men. These tropes are tale as old as time, and they have historically been used to detract from systemic issues for the purpose of maintaining the status quo.

I want people to see that.

My wish is for people to understand that the ideas presented in here are not going to bring us back into harmony. They are only going to uphold the same systems of oppression that keeps us disconnected and disempowered.

Again, it is not a matter of “both sides” or which perspective is the “right” one. It’s a matter of, which perspective is the more effective one that is going to accomplish what we want to accomplish?

If your stated goal (bring us back into harmony and balance) panders those very ideas and tropes that prevent us from moving forward, not to mention undermines those very efforts of intersectional feminists who have been trying for millennia to accomplish what you say you want to accomplish—it is flawed. It is biased. It is misguided. And it is potentially harmful.

You cannot co-opt a historical movement you both benefit from and undermine, and call that progress.

Thank you.

19/05/2023

It’s time we acknowledge cancel culture for what it really is—

A co-opted phrase by the conservative agenda to stoke hate, fear, division, and violence.

We need to cancel cancel culture.

Not because it unjustly punishes people who don’t deserve it.

Or because it threatens free speech.

Or because people don’t know how to factor in context and nuance.

But because the politicization of cancel culture is wreaking havoc on society.

And allowing the rich elite to capitalize on manufactured collective outrage.

Often at the cost of those who are most vulnerable in society.

It’s a sick game, and I hope we stop playing it.

On my newsletter today I talk about the 3 step playbook of the hate economy.

The sociopolitical history of cancel culture.

And give suggestions for what we can do instead.

My writing is always backed with research & supporting claims. The intention is to give readers a framework for further inquiry with lots of resources for self-education.

Would love to hear your thoughts!

16/05/2023

Social media is rampant with online echo chambers and while there are important differences between them, online echo chambers border on being culty.

I recently saw a coach proudly claim that they have a zero tolerance policy for dissenting viewpoints and will delete any comment that is even vaguely debatey.

I think this is dangerous.

There’s definitely a fine line between having healthy boundaries online and creating an echo chamber.

By shutting down opposing perspectives without allowing for dialogue and exchange of ideas, people really miss out on valuable opportunities to challenge their own beliefs, learn from others, and be exposed to diverse viewpoints.

Engaging in healthy debates and discussions is so important for critical thinking and intellectual growth.

Not to mention, it contributes to creating more tolerant and inclusive online spaces online, which we need more of given how social media is set up to breed cult factories and echo chambers.

I would love to hear your policy for deleting comments. Where do you draw the line?

12/01/2021

Swipe 👈🏼for what accountability is vs what it isn’t.⠀
⠀
We all have blind spots. We’re human. We’ve all unintentionally (or intentionally) hurt people we love, respect, or value. It happens. S**t happens. No one is perfect. No one gets it right 100% of the time. Ever. But we don’t like to be wrong. It hurts the ego. And when someone tells us, “hey that was really hurtful” it makes us uncomfortable. And that discomfort is oftentimes where our journey begins. Towards seeking deeper truths about ourselves and the world. Towards peeling back layers of our own internalized biases. Towards greater depth and understanding within our communities. Towards collective liberation and joy. ⠀
⠀
Here are 5 simple phrases of accountability. These are just starting points to invite more dialogue if it feels safe to do so. I want to add that we should be earnest and sincere about these phrases, not use them to feign politeness or diplomacy. When you say you’ll learn, actually learn. When you say you’ll do better, actually do better. People can tell if you’re being insincere or dishonest. ⠀
⠀
1️⃣Oops, that was my bad. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll do better. ⠀
⠀
2️⃣Thanks for alerting me to this. I didn’t realize that my words could have been interpreted that way. I’ll take care to communicate more clearly so I don’t unintentionally cause harm. ⠀
⠀
3️⃣That’s not what I meant at all, but I can see how it comes off that way. I wasn’t aware of these issues. I’m looking forward to learning more. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. ⠀
⠀
4️⃣I didn’t see it from that perspective but that may be my own bias. You gave me something to think about. Thank you! ⠀
⠀
5️⃣It makes me sad to know that I hurt you. That wasn’t my intention. Thanks for being patient with me while I’m still learning about x and how to communicate more effectively around y. ⠀
⠀
Radical honesty bonus points: I understand these issues but I’m choosing not to be concerned about them at this time. I just don’t care enough to course correct. Right now, I’m at a time in my life where I need to be selfish. I understand if you don’t feel safe around me and need to disengage. ⠀
⠀
Lmk how this landed for you today🖤