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IN THE MIRROR | Part One

Humans are creatures of habit, and our comfort zones provide us with a sense of security.


Stepping outside these familiar boundaries can be intimidating, leading to fear of the unknown and resistance to change.


But change is an inevitable part of life, and my blog series IN THE MIRROR presents us all with different opportunities for personal, introspective growth as we experience the world changing right around us.

Our beliefs about ourselves and our abilities can influence our willingness to embrace change. We all get stuck in thinking patters and ways of thinking and a negative self-perception might lead us to doubt our capacity for success.


Societal expectations, cultural norms, family and peer influence can create pressures to conform, making it difficult to pursue personal aspirations.


IN THE MIRROR brings valuable resources to YOU. Each of these resources are outlined in the following list. Today, we will provide information in the first two sections of the list (IN.) Be sure to check back for more information in the subsequent sections.


  • I - Involve

  • N - Notice


  • T - Think

  • H - Hear

  • E - Engage


  • M - Move

  • I - Inspire

  • R - Reflect

  • R - Read

  • O - Observe

  • R - Reevaluate

I - Involve

Take some time to consider the following people and organizations that I have compiled below. As you learn more about each new resource you come across, be sure to think about stepping out of your comfort zone. Most people ease into involvement and find that using social media tools to get involved is a great way to begin. Our actions have meaning, so be sure to take action on your socials: like, share, comment, follow, connect and repost. Get out there, get involved. Broaden your perspective on new subjects as you learn more about them.


N - Notice

There is so much out there and so much that goes unnoticed. My recommendation is to invigorate those muscles that self-drive you to get out into the world and change up what you notice while you're at it. You'll be surprised with what you see and what you don't see.


Ask yourself these questions and challenge yourself to open your mind to things that, at times are right in front of you.

These questions are designed to encourage introspection and foster a deeper understanding of how one perceives and interacts with the diverse world around them. Self-awareness is crucial for promoting positive change and contributing to a more inclusive society.


Eureka Springs isn’t one of those places where diversity is printed in small font at the bottom of a brochure and then forgotten under a stack of zoning forms. Oh no. Here in Eureka, diversity is painted into our Victorian gingerbread trim, sung from the stage of the Auditorium, and danced into the not-so-straight streets at Diversity Weekend. It’s baked into the cornbread at Java Dudes, where your barista might be a drag queen on Saturdays and your mayor could be walking their rescue dog named Tofu past your porch with a wave and a “Hey, y’all!”


In Eureka, we don’t just tolerate differences. We toast to them with locally brewed kombucha or a stiff Ozark mule from Missy’s White Rabbit Lounge. We celebrate your pronouns. We cherish your culture. We applaud how fabulous you are, whether you’re wearing rhinestones, work boots, or both.


And the magic isn’t just in the people (though we’re a wildly magical bunch). It’s in the town’s very soul. It’s in the way we embrace outcasts, misfits, truth-tellers, wanderers, and starry-eyed dreamers. It's in the way the historic hotel whispers to ghosts and goths. It’s in how we champion art that’s weird and wonderful, and how we leave room at the table, even when the table is an old piano turned garden bench.


Radical inclusion here isn’t a slogan. It’s how we survive. It’s how we thrive. It’s how we’ve taken the pain of being "othered" and turned it into a symphony of belonging. We are the glitter in the cracks. The wildflowers in the sidewalk. The disco ball in the forest.

So if you’ve ever felt too queer, too spiritual, too brown, too broke, too much, too anything—come. Come to Eureka Springs. This town will look you right in the eye, give you a hug that smells faintly of patchouli and pastries, and say, “Oh sweet soul, we’ve been waiting for you.”


Because here, you don’t have to fit in. But, like all of us, you have to change with the times. Grow. Evolve. Develop. Learn. Our life is short, and we've been given an opportunity to see all of what is offered during our time here. So, embrace the changes as they happen to you on your journey.


As the saying goes, "The only constant is change." Change is an inevitable part of life, and we are all contributing to life in some way with how we see, think and do.


The best place to start is to start from within. Be the change that you want to see in the world. Ask yourself: Am I looking IN THE MIRROR?❤️



"IN THE MIRROR" is a blog-series that features viewpoints from the personal opinion of John-Michael Scurio, local resident, blogger and coach here in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and creator/owner of this blog - www.iloveureka.com. In this LIVING WELL blog-series, we uncover the depths of change and how we all have the ability to change. But it takes time, and it requires some learning. Take time to learn and grow. Please enjoy!

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