This is what I’ve learned on my journey that I want others to know:
“When things are tough, the adage is true – take it day by day. Sometimes, it’s minute by minute, and that’s OK.“
On my hardest day, I wish I could have told myself this:
“It’s okay to not be okay. Cry it out, yell it out, then go find comfort. Force yourself not to camp out in that space. Define your emotions, feel them, then move on. It will get better.“
This is how someone showed me kindness
“When I was in college, I had panic attacks pretty frequently. One night, I texted a friend when I was having a particularly hard night. A few minutes after I sent the text, I received a 2.5 minute long video from my friend – she serenaded me with goofy ukulele songs, told me all the reasons she loved me, and did everything she could to make me laugh. It pulled me out of panic mode. I still watch that video every once in awhile – I’ve held onto it for almost seven years.“
When I’m having a hard time, this is what I do:
“I take time for me to get away. This typically looks like going for a drive alone on back roads. Something about getting away with some tunes on some two lane black top helps me process my thoughts & feelings. No screen time or social media.“