I’ve written about my dislike for wintertime before, but a new thought popped into my head as to why this time of year isn’t great for me. We know about seasonal affective disorder, shorter days and colder nights and all that, but there’s another big reason that I don’t love this time of year. I have several activities and hobbies that I do that relieve/help me manage my mental health challenges, and the winter is one of the most challenging times because it limits what I can do.
Continue readingWith Anxiety, It’s Always Something
While I’ve improved how I manage anxiety over the years, there are plenty of ways my anxiety manifests that I’ve never been able to get a handle on. No matter how much I try to manage anxiety in every possible area of my life, there always seems to be something that makes me anxious. Once I see what that something is, I work to manage that anxiety or try to problem solve as best I can. But when that problem is solved, it seems like something else pops up in its place that also makes me anxious. So why does this happen, and what can we do about it?
Continue readingGuest Post: 3 Ways Toxic Shame Can Wreak Havoc On Your Life (and What To Do About It)
Today’s guest post is written by freelance mental health writer Taylor Blanchard, who talks about toxic shame, what it looks like in our lives and how we can manage it.
Continue readingHow To Start the New Year Off Right
I’ve said it too many times on this blog, but it’s another new year (and another new year during a pandemic!) and I thought it would be good to share this message again: I don’t like New Year’s Resolutions. It’s not that I think they’re foolish or misguided – to be honest I don’t have many opinions on them as a concept – but I know that they are not a realistic way for me to achieve my goals. Crafting New Year’s Resolutions and telling myself “this year I’ll start…” never created an impactful change on my life or how I do things. A few years ago, I finally owned up to the fact that ‘New Year, New Me’ just wasn’t for me, and that it would be better to focus on other things. So here’s how I start off my new year right.
Continue readingThis Year, You Did Enough
I don’t have a particularly long post today, but it’s a message I wish would be shared more this week. This year has been hard. At times, this year felt impossible. Even as we near the end of it, parts of this year still feel impossible. But I hope you take heart in the fact that, despite how you may feel about the state of your world and what you’ve done, this year, you did enough.
Continue readingRemembering The Connection Between Physical and Mental Wellness
As someone who celebrates Christmas, this past week was a busy one. The holiday season can take its toll on us in many ways, and while I tend to shine a spotlight on mental wellness during the holidays, there are other areas of wellness that are important to remember. Sometimes I forget about the connection between my physical health and my mental health, but when I forget to take care of my wellness, my body reminds me in a major way.
Continue readingFive Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Health During the Holiday Season
It’s not easy to take care of your mental health during the holiday season. Whether it’s handling family dynamics, dealing with unpleasant memories or grieving during an especially sentimental time of year, the holidays can bring challenges for our mental health. Here are some reminders and ways you can check in on your mental health and wellness during this time of year.
Continue readingThe Holidays Aren’t Easy for Everyone
As I’ve written before, I tend to get sad during the wintertime. At this point, it’s become something to expect and prepare for more than anything else, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating when it happens. But it’s not just the wintertime – it’s the holidays, too. Last year, I wrote that it’s okay not to be okay during this festive period, and while the sentiment remains true for this year, I also wanted to issue a gentle reminder that many people struggle with their mental health during the holiday season, and what we can do about it.
Continue readingTaking a Look at Youth Mental Health: A Statistical Breakdown
Mental health matters for people of every age, race and demographic, but an area that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves is in young people. It might not be news to some, but the numbers are rising year after year when it comes to young people dealing with mental health disorders and mental illness. After an insightful Q&A earlier this week with Tilly’s Life Center, I decided I wanted to spotlight some of the important statistics about young people and mental health that are important to know.
Continue readingTeenagers and Mental Health: A Q&A with Tilly’s Life Center
Mental health is important for everyone, but it’s especially important to spotlight teenagers and mental health. For today’s post, I was able to talk with Monica Utley, the Executive Director of Tilly’s Life Center. Located in Irvine, California, Tilly’s Life Center teaches life skills to teenagers that build confidence, inspire compassion, and encourages adolescents to pursue their dreams. Thank you to Monica for taking the time to answer my questions!
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My Brain's Not Broken 