Connection
We very much value dialogue and engagement. One of the best ways to learn and heal is to CONNECT with someone.
We strongly encourage you to offer support to others by COMMENTING on their posts. Each time you visit the group, take time to read and reply to at least a few posts from your peers who are asking for input and support.
If You are Finding Things Challenging
Show up even if you find that living your Bright Line life is challenging. You will get support here. If you have questions, ask them.
Tone Matters
There is a difference between posting "I'm not sure I can do this today—I need some support to keep going" and "I don't think I want to keep doing this—does anyone else feel like quitting?" The first is vulnerable, the second is venting. Please keep your focus on the positive. If you need help finding that, share authentically and we'll help you find stability.
How We Show Up Makes a Difference
Our community comes from a place of love, kindness, and support. We do not accept any type of hate speech or bullying, including anti-blackness, homophobia, transphobia, classism, antisemitism, fatphobia, etc.
We also use inclusive language: e.g., y’all, folks, people, everyone, community, etc. We don't use the word “tribe” when referring to BLE communities. If you’d like to hear Susan’s thoughts about this, watch the vlog, “An Update on Inclusivity, Sisu, Tribe, and Swearing.”
In addition, we use gender-inclusive language, addressing people using the names and pronouns they identify with—e.g., she/her/hers, he/him/his, and they/them/theirs.
Please be aware of the language you use in your posts and how your words may affect other members in this community.
It’s important to take similar care when reading posts. We've all noticed a post we've had a less than favorable response to. When that happens, we may want to pause, reflect, and pay attention to the impact we could have with our responses.
Even if we might feel reactive, posting is most beneficial when it contributes to a culture of support. While feeling reactive, we might want to consider hanging back. Feelings are not always cues to act; this can be an opportunity to become curious and open to our feelings and reflect on our inner landscape.
How to Give Support
The best way to give support is to let the person you're responding to know you've heard them and share your own experiences. Practice empathy in your responses and avoid giving unsolicited advice.
Watch the “How to Provide Loving Support” vlog.
Spirituality
Bright Line Eating is faith neutral. Anyone can do Bright Line Eating and succeed, whether they have a spiritual or religious practice or not. In this community, it's important to keep in mind that faith and religion are very important to some people, and not having faith or religion is equally important to others. What we do here is love, accept, and encourage everyone, no matter their background or beliefs.
If faith is a part of your journey, you can incorporate that into your posts here, but please make sure it's done in a way that's respectful of people from other belief systems. For example, writing, "I'm leaning into my faith to stay Bright," is acceptable. Quoting verses from your sacred book or specific images from your religion is not. And if you're agnostic or atheist, please take equal care to make sure that your posts on this subject are accepting and loving.
Partisan Politics
BLE is politically neutral. Typically, when it comes to our personal life events, we have a saying here in BLE that there are no outside issues. Your child’s accident, your mom’s health, a chronic health condition all affect your food journey, and we want you to bring those details here. However, we are a global community with members of widely varied affiliations, ideologies, and political beliefs. Given the inflamed nature of politics in the world, this is one place we ask to keep free from partisan politics, though not stressors caused by civil rights issues or issues affecting your human dignity.
In order to maintain this neutrality, please note the difference between, “I’m feeling triggered; today has been an incredibly stressful day” and “I’m feeling triggered; today has been an incredibly stressful day because of [insert any specifics about a political event that happened that day].” No matter your political affiliation or where in the world you are, please take care that your posts are free from political commentary.
Protein Neutrality
BLE does not take a stand on what protein anyone eats. Similarly, we are neutral about susceptibility scores (SS), recognizing that people have different reactions to NMF depending on where they are. If someone low on the SS shares a food commitment that is not similar to yours, please be curious and courteous but not judgmental.
