On Tuesday, I wrote a post about the work that it takes to get “back to center,” which to me means finding the right level of calm and mental balance. It’s a place where I feel as much like myself as I can, and where I can a productive person because I am present and able to manage the distractions that come with living with mental health conditions. After writing about how important it is to stay calm and centered, I thought it would be good to share some of the techniques that people use to get back to this state of mental balance so that you could try them too! Let’s dive in.
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The Work of Getting Back to Center
Since the past few weeks of my life had been a lot to deal with mentally, I’ve had to get in touch with my mental health strategies a little more than usual. A large part of this process is what I call “getting back to center,” which is a common term people use to remain calm, stay balanced and relieve stress or anxiety. Also know as grounding yourself or staying present, what it means to get back to center is different for people depending on their personality or specific mental health situation. For me, it is less about being present, and more about making sure I am somewhere near my level of calm. Let me explain.
Continue readingMaking Space for Positive Moments
I’ve written about the power of positive moments a few times on this blog. One time, it was about it’s hard for me to enjoy good moments or changes in my life. Another time, it was about trying to hold on to those good memories, wherever they find me, and take them with me as I continue on my mental health journey. The relationship between people and their memories is fascinating to me. For some people, memories are something to be left in the past, to never be thought of again. For others, memories can be a crutch that can hamper someone from continuing on with their life. In any case, I think there’s a positive relationship we can cultivate with our memories that can help us grow stronger on our mental health journeys.
Continue readingNot Keeping Calm, But Carrying On
While I mentioned last week that November was a very challenging month for my mental health, I was still uncomfortable to share anything to detailed out of fear of jinxing myself (yes, I am definitely scared that I will jinx myself about most good things in life, but that is not a problem for you to hear, just my therapist). But things actually turned out pretty well – I signed on the dotted line for a new job (I start in January!), and I’ve been able to secure a roommate who will move in without interrupting my rent payments. Things worked out! But, as with everything else in life, making these things happen was not a simple process, and it took a toll on my anxiety. And even though I didn’t always remain calm, I found comfort in how I handled these things.
Continue readingA Lesson in Stress and Mental Wellness
After months of mentally training to overcome COVID obstacles, I faced a few new challenges in November. They are fairly common obstacles that many people deal with throughout the course of adulthood, but because of the circumstances of this year, it felt like an entirely different challenge than anything I’d been experiencing. However, those challenges were also very common, real-world experiences, so I started to examine my relationship with stress because of them. Since then, I’ve learned how I handle stress in these situations, and it’s taught me more about myself and how I manage mental wellness.
Continue readingA More Difficult Holiday Season Than Usual
It’s no secret that the holiday season is a difficult time for many. Whether it’s that the sun sets earlier, the weather gets colder or you have to deal with family more than the rest of the year, the next few months bring challenges and difficulties that are unique to this time of the year. And this year, those challenges are even more difficult than usual because of COVID-19, meaning that plenty of people won’t be around the people they usually see during the holidays. Since we already know this will be a challenging time, how do we use this to our advantage? It’s time to get intentional!
Continue readingI’m Changing Things Up This Week – Here’s Why
*Deep breath*
*One more deep breath*
*A final deep breath to calm the nerves*
Okay. As we continue on with what feels like the longest week ever (a reminder to maintain your mental wellness and self-care this week!), I started thinking about how I could cope with the uncertainty going on right now. Many people have activities they turn to or know exactly what to do when they’re trying to distract themselves or find a way to make the time pass. For some, sticking to a schedule is the best way to deal with uncertainty going on around them. If that works for you, that’s awesome, and I urge you to continue doing what you need to be functioning and effective. But I’d like to encourage you all today to being open to mixing up your schedule every so often – and this week might be the best time to do it.
Continue readingDating With Depression: To Love and Be Loved
This post is the last part in this “Dating With Depression” series. You can read the first post about putting yourself out there here, the second post about talking about mental health with your partner here, and the third post about what your partner should know about your mental health here.
As I’ve gone through this series, I’ve been looking at different stages of a relationship in chronological order, and that was done for a specific reason. Every part of a relationship requires different advice, knowledge and tips, and having romantic interests while living with mental illness can make those parts even more complicated. But to wrap the series up, I want reflect on something for the readers, and it’s this (potential hot take coming up): for people living with mental illness, it’s possible to give and receive love in a romantic relationship. Not only is it possible, but being who you are can actually improve the relationship.
Continue readingDating With Depression: What Your Partner Should Know
This post is the third part in my “Dating With Depression” series. You can read the first post about putting yourself out there here, and the second post about talking about mental health with your partner here.
Dating someone while dealing with mental health issues, or living with a chronic mental illness, isn’t easy. It’s not easy for the people who are living with these issues (obviously), but it can also be very difficult for the other person, the other half of the relationship. It’s great that people want to help care and support their partners who live with mental illness, and it’s beautiful to see relationships thrive even though one (or both) people are dealing with mental health issues. But if someone wants to be as helpful and supportive as possible, what am I supposed to tell them? Even though my experience is specific, there are a few things you could tell your partner that might help them understand what you’re dealing with.
Continue readingDating With Depression: Talking About Our Mental Health
In the first post of my Dating With Depression series, I wrote about how to put yourself out there and be open to meeting someone. I don’t think I’d have been able to put myself out there if I wasn’t prepared to handle what was next, which is how I’d like to segue into the next post in this series – how to bring up that mental health conversation with someone you’re dating. Obviously every relationship and person is unique, but there are a few bits of advice I’ve learned (and heard from others) about more approachable ways to bring up mental health that everyone can shape for their own needs and relationships. Let’s dive in!
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My Brain's Not Broken 