Appreciating Life With Warmth!

Hello hello, everyone! I hope you all are doing well. Here I am posting personal interviews that I conducted. “Appreciating Life” is an interview series where one can question any leader or friend on their views and perspective towards life. This interview focuses on their personal thoughts and views and not their roles here.

My very first guest is my sweet friend, Elliot (@WarmLightXO)! They carry a warm, kind nature around them and have a very positive look towards life. I hope you all enjoy hearing from them just as much as I did. 💙

Star: If I give you five words, how would you describe life in them?

Elliot: False expectations but still good

Star: What are your core values?

Elliot: Authenticity, curiosity, community, personal growth, and ethics

Star: Since I asked about values, are you being true to your values? What would you say to someone who is not living up to their values?

Elliot: I don't think living up to your values is something you do and then don't worry about, it's not a goal as much as a practice. So every day I do my best to live out those values and try to be gentle when I don't. (Gentleness is another value, 100%) To someone else I would say, it's okay. None of us is perfect, and we all have different values. Maybe it's time to reevaluate what's important vs what you think "should" be ❤

Star: Imagine you achieved all of your goals, how would you feel? What can you do to feel that way as you work to achieve them?

Elliot: I have enough goals to last a lifetime hehe. Honestly, I'm not sure that accomplishing them is the point as much as working on them. The feeling of dedication and fulfilment is more important to me than a feeling of accomplishment. When I'm doing things that feel important, that's what feels like an achievement. Not to say that accomplishing things aren’t important- just that I'm more of a journey > end result type person.

Star: How would you thrive in a country where you don’t know anyone, don’t have a home and no one speaks your language?

Elliot: I'd find a small coffee shop or library, and that's where I'd hang out. I've learned that just being in the same place regularly, not even doing anything, invites friendship. You get to know the regulars and the employees, which would simultaneously teach me the local language and build some relationships 💕 I firmly believe that most people are good, and I think this is a solid (admittedly slow) way to garner some assistance. Otherwise… Cross my fingers and get a job with minimal communication 😛

Star: What Is Your Personality Truly Like and How do You Make Decisions?

Elliot: I would describe my personality as bouncing between warm and sarcastic. I'm very friendly and encouraging, and I have a really dry sense of humour that people don't seem to understand XD I make decisions with my gut most of the time. I ask questions like, "What would feel aligned? When will I be ready? In a perfect world...?" I also like to ask lotssss of questions before making big decisions 😊 It's a win-win, I learn more about any commitments, and I learn how people react when I'm requesting support. I'm very pro-information 😛

Star: What would you do in your life if money or other people’s opinions were irrelevant?

Elliot: Money-wise, I would be getting PhDs in everything lol. But opinion is this big question. So I'm intersex, and my parents really wanted a girl. I was named, raised, dressed, and taught to be very feminine. Anyone who knows me knows that it didn't work XD If other people's opinions were irrelevant, I would go by Elliot in my personal life as well as my Cups life ❤

Star: What’s the most important lesson you've learned so far in life? Are you living that lesson?

Elliot: I've said it till I'm blue in the face, but people are so happy to help if you ask. Just ask. Genuinely, you deserve answers and support, and there is someone who has the tools and willingness to share it with you. I certainly like to think I live both sides of this- asking for help and being friendly while providing it.

Star: If you had the chance to teach a big crowd of people something who are all eager to listen to you, what would you teach them?

Elliot: I'm not a crowd type of person, I'm more a 1-1 or small group, so this is hard 😮. I'm going to say I would teach them behavioural activation therapy, which is something we can all benefit from. It's this idea that our actions come before our feelings, not the other way around ❤. Aka- we have a lot more control over our behaviours than our emotions, and we can use that to our advantage by acting the way we ideally would and leading our emotions to follow

Thank you so much, Elliot! This interview was filled with warmth and lots and lots of funnnnn! 💙