Tips for questioning therians

hey. if you are new to the therian community or you are just figuring things out, here is some advice I wish I had earlier. this is just from another teenager going through the same thing.

1. don't rush figuring out your theriotype
it takes time. you do not have to know your exact species right away. explore what feels right and do not force it.

2. shifting is not a competition
you do not need to do quads or have intense shifts to be a real therian. everyone experiences it differently. even subtle mental shifts are valid.

3. keep it safe and private when you need to
not everyone understands therians and some people can be rude. be smart about who you tell. you do not have to explain your identity to anyone.

4. gear is cool but not required
tails, ears, masks, collars. all fun, but not necessary to be a therian. do not feel pressured to buy expensive stuff just to fit in.

5. find community, not drama
there are chill, supportive therians out there. join spaces with good modorators and avoid ones full of arguments. being a therian should feel safe, not stressful.

6. your therian identity does not replace your human life
you can still do homework, hang out with friends, and live normally. being a therian is one part of you, not all of you.

7. trust your instincts
if something feels off or forced, do not follow it. your experiences are yours. no one online gets to tell you that you are doing it wrong.

8. you do not need to be super spiritual
some therians are spiritual, some are psychological, some are both, and some are just figuring it out. all of it is vallid.

9. be kind to younger or newer therians
everyone was confused at first. help people instead of gatekeeping. it makes the community better.

yes!! i second ALL OF THIS!! especially point 1! when i first joined i identified as, to name a few; cross fox, pumapard, budgie, painted dog, cat, dire wolf, eurasian lynx.. and a lot more. i've since come to realize that i am a polymorph, smilodon, dire wolf, and archaeopteryx! definitely shrunk and changed that list x3 that was around 2 years ago. now look at me. point is, yes! questioning takes time, and a lot of it! even now, the identity i have now could change! you never know

Yeah, this is all good advice. For the server part, id find servers who

1. moderators don’t preach their opinions as fact (unless its literally “sky is blue” type stuff)
2. Moderators aren’t power hungry or in the position just for power/control
3. moderators are people who act on your level, not above you. they engage with everyone
4. You are allowed to express differing opinions in the server
5. arguments aren’t happening all the time

Therian guide server is a good place to start, id be wary of any servers bigger content creators make. For one they’re extremely large and unregulated, and for two, in my experience the moderators are very egotistical and there because they want to be closer to the creator. This may just be my experience though

I’d stay off discord if you’re younger. It’s done irreparable damage to me. There are some good people but there are so. So many horrible people with bad intentions

stay in smaller servers pretty much

I second all of this, extremely helpful!!!