So I feel like many of you are aware that I’ve been planning a big Europe trip for the end of the year. That I’ve been working toward emotional and mental health. And that I’ve been very focused on being the best version of myself that I can possibly be. All with the point of accepting my life, living as fully as I can, loving myself, and feeling at peace — truly whole — within my existence. Not an easy thing at all. Well, not at all unlike many of you... my life has been tur

Shan of The Kind Mind Club was generous enough o share with me her story of mental health growth and it served to me as an amazing inspiration... it's a story of strength and hope much needing during this time of confusion and fear due to the ever-growing COV-19 pandemic. Please do not hesitate to read more from her at thekindmindclub.com Writing a New Story: A few years ago, I was lost. I was hurting. I was struggling with my mental health and was diagnosed with generalized

*trigger warning* I struggled with bulimia for years. I had a tangled mix of self esteem, body, and control issues. I remember comments from my school friends and coworkers about how skinny I was, despite the fact that I would eat anything offered to me. I am/was blessed with a great metabolism - genetically predisposed to being a "healthy" weight without really having to try. But then I also added on not eating much in the way of breakfast and rarely packing myself a lu

I don’t remember when my brain got sad. It wasn’t like I woke up one morning and noticed that a melancholy had set in, deep into my bones, and said to myself, “I must be depressed.” All I know for sure is that winter holidays made my spirit feel heavy and growing up - going through middle school into high school - really took a toll on my mental health. *suicide trigger warning* I do remember, very clearly, one cold December day after the school bell had rung: I had opened up

Self love, I truly believe, is the hardest love to master. Or at least, it has been for me. I don’t want to be selfish, greedy, or come off as entitled. I believe in kindness, care, and in serving others. And I hate saying “no”. Because of this, canceling plans makes me feel guilty, spending money on myself makes me feel egotistical, and resting - even when it’s truly, 100% necessary, makes me feel lazy. I never want to say no to helping someone out, I strain myself way past

When you are brave enough to speak up, you give power to everyone who hears you. Fear and shame shroud mental illnesses in a way they do few other things. Many people stay quiet about their struggle because they don’t want to seem needy, weak, ungrateful, crazy, or make themselves a burden to others. But when you speak up - when you tell the world that you’re hurting, and do so without cowering, without apologizing, without succumbing to guilt - you are giving others encourag