Meet Patty Tacuri

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Patty Tacuri a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Patty, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

My purpose is storytelling . I found my purpose unintentionally in the summer of 2021 when I was diagnosed at 40 with Borderline Personality Disorder. Going against the advice of my therapist, I went ahead googled my new diagnosis and found that 1) BPD is if not the most, one of the most painful mental health disorder someone can have 2) People with BPD are often seen as these manipulative monsters who can’t sustain healthy relationships 3) Most mental health professionals shy away from treating people with BPD because of how awful it is. These were just a few of the things I saw online that made me question my existence and if I was a human being worthy of being loved and valued. It was a very dark time in my life and I went looking for answers as to how I ended up this way. In my quest for answers, I started reading my old journals and poetry and as I was doing that, I had this lightning moment in my brain. I decided to restart my blog and start blogging about my diagnosis and start telling my story through poetry. There was something instinctive in me that told me that one way I would heal was to start telling my story. This along with therapy became an instrumental part of my healing/self discovery journey.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a first generation immigrant from Peru who’s had to navigate two languages and two cultures since the age of 5. My parents immigrated to California when I was 5, moved to Hawaii when I was 11, and the final move was to Georgia when I was 18. I would say that my upbringing was a bit chaotic but I’d also say that my parents did their best to give me and my siblings stability in the midst of the unexpected plot twists life brought but it was hard. I don’t think I would be the storyteller/writer I am now if it wasn’t for everything I went through. I’m focused now on growing as a writer and poet, This means I’m reading a lot, have a strict routine when it comes to writing, and also submit my poetry to different publications. One thing I’m really excited about is my plan to rebrand my blog at the end of this year. When I first started the blog, the focus was mainly on me recovering from mental illness. That focus has shifted somewhat throughout the years but the name still reflects how at one point in time, I thought my diagnosis of BPD was the most interesting thing about me and now I believe it isn’t. My plans for the rebrand is to focus more on storytelling that encompasses all areas in my life.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Three qualities that were most impactful in my journey are my determination, persistence, and a hard work ethic. My advice to folks who are early in their journey is to keep going and not give up no matter how hard it gets or how much your inner critic gets to you. I remember in my early days of blogging/writing making videos or writing letters about where I was in my progress with this understanding that one day my future self would be proud of me. It was hard because I didn’t see myself as a writer until the age of 40 so my imposter syndrome was big but I got to overcome that by showing up every day and writing-absolutely anything, even if it was nonsense. I think that if you want to succeed, you need discipline, determination and to keep showing up for yourself no matter what.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

I’d say that one of the most impactful thing my parents did for me instilled a love for learning and reading. One of my first childhood memories was my mom reading to me. Also, some of my happiest memories involved my dad taking me and my siblings to museums and of course the library. The library was and still is a very happy place for me. My mom is also the one who introduced me to poetry when I was 15 when she gave me a book by the Spanish poet Gustavo Becquer. I don’t think I’d be the writer I am without this strong foundation of knowledge and love for literature my parents provided for me from an early age.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lifeonthebpd.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patty_tacuri_81/
• Other: blue sky: https://bsky.app/profile/pattytacuri.bsky.social