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A Journey of Becoming
Reflections & Realizations in Recovery
Cassie Bardole
Mar 65 min read
2023: Realizing I'm Capable
It’s been a while. I chose to step away from blogging last year, mostly because I didn’t feel like I had much to say. Being a...
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Cassie Bardole
Dec 21, 202212 min read
2022: The Fight of My Life
Last year around this time, I chose my One Word for 2022: FIGHT. In true ‘fight’ fashion, I told very few people because I didn’t want to...
346 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Dec 22, 202111 min read
How Hope Showed Up For Me in 2021 and Other Reflections From This Past Year
I've sat and stared at an empty screen for a long while this evening. The longer I sit here, the longer it takes any words to come, the...
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Cassie Bardole
Jul 7, 20218 min read
What Makes Up Your Human Mosaic?
A few months ago, I noticed a new trend on TikTok. Admittedly, I spend entirely too much time scrolling through random TikToks,...
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Cassie Bardole
Jun 9, 20217 min read
The Truest, Most Free Version of Me
Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve written anything. It’s not for lack of things to say though. In fact, I have a whole list of things I...
140 views0 comments
Cassie Bardole
Mar 10, 20218 min read
A Rare "Good" Day
I’m writing this on a rare “good” day. There haven't been many of those lately. Maybe you’ve noticed I haven’t written one of these in a...
259 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Dec 30, 202010 min read
Reflecting on 2020
2020. Ugh. This is going to be a year to remember, huh? I’ve seen some memes about how in the future, social studies teachers like me are...
103 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Dec 23, 202012 min read
The Little Things That Helped Me Survive 2020
2020 hasn't been a great year. Global pandemic, quarantine spring/summer, lots of unknowns and dark days...here are the things that kept...
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Cassie Bardole
Nov 25, 20207 min read
A Birthday Proposal
Well, it’s been awhile, huh? It seems like historically, whenever I’ve felt really busy and overwhelmed, life just says, “You think this...
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Cassie Bardole
Oct 14, 20207 min read
The Teachers Are Not Okay
I’ve known I was going to write this particular blog post for a while. I just didn't know exactly how I was going to write it. I actually...
395 views2 comments
Cassie Bardole
Sep 23, 20205 min read
Three Little Birds
I think it’s funny how different themes from your life come back around. I wrote a blog post awhile ago, about being STILL, which was...
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Cassie Bardole
Sep 9, 20202 min read
Worth Living For
I wanted so badly to fall asleep on my couch tonight instead of writing this. Not because I don’t think writing this is important, but...
81 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Aug 26, 20207 min read
Looking in a Funhouse Mirror
I haven’t written for awhile. I could give you a whole list of reasons, but mostly I feel like the two biggest ones are 1) I didn’t...
307 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Jul 29, 20205 min read
"And the more treacherous the road became, the more of herself she found"
Well, today is the one year anniversary of when I came home from treatment for (hopefully) the last time. You all may be thinking that...
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Cassie Bardole
Jul 15, 20206 min read
With Love, Your Body
Dear Cassie, You saw your weight this week for the first time in almost two years. The number that you saw really freaked you out and...
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Cassie Bardole
Jul 1, 20209 min read
Every Single Moment of Every Single Day
As promised, I’m writing not because I feel like I have to, but because I have something to say. This post has been living in pieces and...
67 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Jun 10, 20209 min read
How My Bitterness Toward Writing Led Me Back To It
It’s been awhile. A lot longer than I thought, honestly. During this time, it seems like the days drag on and on, but the weeks go by...
59 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Apr 23, 20206 min read
My Classroom Is Empty and I Feel Guilty For Being Sad About It
I walked into my classroom yesterday. I walked in at 8 o’clock on a Wednesday morning in the middle of April. It was empty. Classrooms...
261 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Apr 16, 20207 min read
Life in a Snow Globe
This is such a weird time. I say or think a version of those words every single day, usually more than once. I don’t want to speak for...
67 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Apr 8, 20209 min read
Leaning On Happy Memories
I’ve been tossing this post around in my head for a while. That seems to be how it’s working these days. I’ve noticed that since I have...
133 views0 comments
Cassie Bardole
Apr 3, 20203 min read
These Are A Few Of My Quarantine Things...🎵
With this time in quarantine, I’ve had a lot of time to myself and with my own thoughts. Hopefully I’ll write more about those thoughts...
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Cassie Bardole
Mar 25, 20206 min read
The Hidden Dangers of "Social Distancing"
Considering I’m having a hard time keeping track of what day it is, it’s kind of a miracle that I’m getting this posted "on time.” I...
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Cassie Bardole
Mar 18, 20204 min read
Standing on the Ledge
I’ve been standing on a lot of ledges lately, both literally and figuratively. I just spent some time in Arizona, and was able to go on...
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Cassie Bardole
Mar 5, 20206 min read
Even If It Takes 1,000 Times
The past month or so has been pretty rough in my world. When things get rough, the less the words come--in all ways. Whether it’s small...
70 views3 comments
Cassie Bardole
Feb 27, 20208 min read
An Open Letter to My 12 Year Old Students About Their Bodies
Happy National Eating Disorder Awareness week! The theme for this year’s week is “Come As You Are: Hindsight is 2020.” NEDA is...
49 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Feb 19, 20208 min read
What To Say (and Not To Say) To Someone With An Eating Disorder
I’ve started this post four different times. Each time, I get about half a page through and I trash it. Nothing seems to be coming out...
104 views2 comments
Cassie Bardole
Feb 12, 20207 min read
My Favorite Books of All Time
It’s been a rough couple of weeks for a variety of reasons. More than likely, those reasons will end up on this blog someday, but I’m...
73 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Feb 5, 20208 min read
Skiing & Vulnerability
This past week, we took all eighty-some of our 6th graders to learn how to ski. This is the second year in a row that I have done so as a...
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Cassie Bardole
Jan 29, 20206 min read
Giving Myself Permission to Be Unavailable
I saw this quote on Pinterest recently and it made me start thinking. You know when you see something and you’re like, “Yes! They wrote...
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Cassie Bardole
Jan 22, 20208 min read
Love, Rocky
Hi, I’m Rocky! I’m filling in this week for my mom. I’m always telling her that I have things to say. In fact, my favorite time to use my...
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Cassie Bardole
Jan 15, 20206 min read
"We Are More Alike Than Unalike"
Several months ago, I came across some tweets by Jon Gordon. If you don’t know him, Jon Gordon is an author and motivational speaker. It...
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Cassie Bardole
Jan 8, 20207 min read
2020: The Year of Possibilities
Last year, I introduced you all to my One Word Resolution for 2019 and gave a quick synopsis of my previous One Words. You can read about...
44 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Jan 1, 202011 min read
Reflecting on 2019
**This is kind of a long one. Stick with me though, it's worth it! I don’t do well during this week between Christmas and New Year’s. I...
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Cassie Bardole
Dec 18, 20195 min read
Christmas Traditions
I sat for several hours staring at a blank screen this weekend. Well, actually, it looked more like: Blank screen, Pinterest, Facebook,...
68 views2 comments
Cassie Bardole
Dec 11, 20195 min read
Attitude of Gratitude
Gratitude usually comes to the forefront around this time of year. Thanksgiving is a time that many people reflect on all the things that...
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Cassie Bardole
Dec 4, 20199 min read
The Treatment Experience
This coming weekend, December 7th, marks the one year anniversary of when I was discharged from treatment the first time. One whole year...
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Cassie Bardole
Nov 27, 20199 min read
The Day I Broke My Back
One year ago yesterday, on November 26th, 2018, I broke my back. This isn’t new news to many of you, and I have spoken of it a few times...
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Cassie Bardole
Nov 20, 20196 min read
BUT HOW? And other deep, philosophical questions
Disclaimer: this blog post sounds a lot like my brain lately...busy, rambling, and a bit disorganized, but exceptionally passionate and...
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Cassie Bardole
Nov 13, 20197 min read
Update: My New Normal
When I started this blog, I envisioned it as a way to finally be authentic and vulnerable, two things that I had been struggling with. I...
92 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Nov 6, 20195 min read
The Marks We Leave On One Another
This past week, I’ve been doing some math. To those of you who know me, this might be shocking because I actually hate math and am...
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Cassie Bardole
Oct 30, 20196 min read
Before 30 Checklist
Ok, I’m not sugarcoating anything in this one. This is brutal, honest truth. I’ve been reflecting a lot this past week about time and...
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Cassie Bardole
Oct 23, 20195 min read
Sitting in the Comfort
You all have probably heard the saying, “sit in the discomfort.” In fact, those are four words that I’ve gotten pretty sick of hearing,...
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Cassie Bardole
Oct 16, 20194 min read
~Transformation~
One year ago today, I checked myself into The Meadows Ranch in Arizona to receive intensive treatment for my eating disorder. In some...
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Cassie Bardole
Oct 9, 20197 min read
Gabe's Perspective
I still can’t wrap my mind around all the events of this past year. I’ve been trying to reflect and to really look deep into the past...
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Cassie Bardole
Oct 2, 20196 min read
Collecting Stories (Perfectly Imperfect)
I didn’t know it at the time, but I’ve spent the past year collecting stories. I’ve always loved stories, ever since I was a little girl....
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Cassie Bardole
Sep 25, 20196 min read
Trusting My Flashlight
I’m a go big or go home kind of person. You would think that this is a strength, and I think that it has been at times throughout my...
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Cassie Bardole
Sep 18, 20197 min read
The Bully in Our Brain
Although I haven’t mentioned it much on here, I’m a teacher. I spend my days with 85 eleven and twelve year olds. Sometimes it can be...
67 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Sep 11, 20194 min read
You Make Today Better
You make today better. Have you heard those words today? If not, now you have. You make today better. Your life and your story matter....
47 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Sep 4, 20196 min read
The View from the Other Side
Recently, I came across something that has really got me thinking. I stumbled upon something that a friend wrote about me, with no...
96 views1 comment
Cassie Bardole
Aug 28, 20197 min read
What is Coming is Better Than What is Gone
I’ve been contemplating this post for awhile now. Over the past couple of months, I’ve thought a lot about my blog and this moment. When...
109 views1 comment
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