Author: Kim Fluxgold

“You’re never fully dressed without a smile.” 


Behind every smile, there is often a story of personal struggle, but that same smile can also deeply impact a connection, influence another’s behaviour, and foster warmth and comfort. 


Smiles are contagious. 


They unify us.


It only takes a moment, and it costs nothing to you, but to its recipient, well, it may just be the most valuable gift in the world to them. 


#smiles #contagious #unifying #happyface #Mondaymotivation #mentalhealth 

As we light the Menorah on this, the last night of Chanukkah, it feels especially symbolic to watch the candles burn brightly one final time this year as we embark on the start of a brand new calendar year. 


The Menorah not only signifies light over darkness but according to Jewish belief, the last night of Chanukkah is also when the miracle of the “Festival of Lights” occurred, making tonight feel like a perfect opportunity to pause and reflect on what I want to leave behind from the past year and what I will truly embrace more of in the coming year. It may take a miracle, but today, as I look toward the light, I feel up for the challenge. 


2024 has been another really difficult year for me, but I know that by doing whatever I can in my heart to release the things that have been weighing me down will help to create more space for growth, emotional healing, gratitude, moments of joy, balance, clarity, connection and understanding of my “why”. 


Thank you again for coming along with me on another crazy year of my journey. May your light continue to shine brighter and stronger than ever before in 2025, and may the year ahead also bring our hostages home, bestowing many miracles upon them, their families, and the State of Israel. 


Wishing everyone a better year ahead.


Happy New Year 🎊 Am Yisrael Chai ✡️


#happynewyear #amyisraelchai #lightoverdarkness #Chanukkah #Menorah #shinebright #miracles #bringthemhomenow #lettinggo #embrace #pause #reflection #growth #balance #connection #gratitude #emotionalhealing #mentalhealth 

“Manifest” has been declared 2024’s “word of the year”, 


Although the word itself is as old as time, it has only become a popular buzz word in more recent years thanks to the many celebrities, mindset coaches and influencers channeling their dreams out into to the universe on their social media platforms.


According to the Cambridge dictionary, manifest means to use methods such as visualization and affirmation to “help you imagine achieving something you want, in the belief that doing so will make it more likely to happen,” 


To “manifest” our dreams and successes is actually backed by real science.


My girls can both attest to this with proven results this past year that it really works and has made me a believer. 


Our brains have the remarkable power to help get you what you truly desire in life. It’s about believing. It’s about changing the narrative. It’s about directing your energy in a positive way to make it happen. It’s about setting clear intentions to influence behaviours and outcomes. 


But there are specific steps needed first in order for someone to achieve their goal that creates a process where results get embedded into our subconscious mind. 


Writing it down. Reading it aloud. Reading it silently. Visualizing it. These are all equally important steps.


What happens, though, when someone like myself tries to manifest? When you have a brain built around a negative self-talk narrative and rumination or when you believe you are not good enough or deserving enough. That our fears lead us to believe we are not adequate enough. What happens when you repeat these stories over and over again to yourself? 


Well, the good news is that neuroscientists still believe there is hope for me. Neuroscience 101 tells me that we all have the ability to master the art of manifestation. It won’t happen overnight, though. It means putting in the work. And time. Again and again, and again, because it’s only through our actions that we will accomplish all that we want.


Heading into a new year, I never set myself up for further failure by setting New Year’s resolutions, but I will be focusing my efforts on methods such as visualization and affirmation to help me imagine achieving something I want more than ever, with the belief that doing so will make it more likely to happen (my friends and family reading this will know exactly what is top of mind for me right now!).


What is something you are manifesting for yourself in 2025? Write it in the comments because, after all, that is the first step.


Wishing you all a better year ahead.


#manifest #wordoftheyear #affirmation #visualization #repeat #neuroscience #believe #changingthenarrative #negativeselftalk #intentions #achieve #mentalhealth #subconsciousmind #wellness #newyear #youareenough

Tattoos are a deeply personal decision and a really meaningful way to express one’s spiritual journey. At least, that’s what it’s felt like for me.


If I might also add, they are kinda addictive and much “like potato chips, you can’t have just one.” ~ unknown 


I’d never had a desire to get a tattoo before my mental health journey first began 10+ years ago but like my writing, tattoos have now become a way to express myself, inspire hope and resilience and act as a daily reminder of my journey toward mental wellness.


Some tattoos serve as a reflection of our past. Some tell our ongoing stories of the present, and others represent an embodiment of the person you most want to become. 


That last part is where this most recent tattoo came to be; one I’ve wanted for quite some time now. 


Tattoo number four. 


Why a mountain? Well, for starters and maybe the most obvious reason, I thought it was a perfect way to pay homage to the #summerofrich, my love of nature, and my passion to explore the great outdoors. 


Mountains are so rich in meaning. They symbolize greatness, perseverance, and personal growth. They remind us to stay strong, grounded, and to be brave and purposeful. They signify overcoming life’s obstacles and challenge us to triumph over our fears. They embody a feeling of stability, stillness, and a spiritual awakening; bringing us closer to a higher being.


These are all things I desire in my life right now as we head into the new year but if truth be told, I’ve been feeling pretty defeated and alone of late and I’m having a really difficult time looking toward the new year in a positive light which is why I thought this was perfect timing for my newest ink. 


It’s now a permanently etched and gentle reminder that “Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.” ~ Author, Barry Finlay


Thank you, @piranhatattoo, for being a part of my journey. 


#tattoo #climbeverymountain #keeponclimbing #selfexpression #ink #itsoktonotbeok #spiritualjourney #perseverance #strength #resilience #desire #mentalhealth #wellbeing #suicidalideations #broken #nature #hope #personalgrowth #newyearahead #agentlereminder 

The struggle to “show up” during the holiday season is very real for many. 

Whether you or someone you love is feeling the pressure to be present in the moment, suffering with social anxieties, feeling unmanageable expectations of others to be happy, are challenged with financial strains or the extra obligations set upon you this time of year, dealing with grief or loss or trying desperately to navigate their way through family conflicts just remember that you are not alone. 

Allow yourself or a loved one to recognize your feelings and validate them.

Let your loved one know that you are there for them. 

Spend time with those who understand you. 

Go out of your way to make them feel comfortable. 

Check in. Often.

A little extra kindness goes a very long way.

Merry Christmas Eve and Happy Chanukah Eve to all those celebrating, “and to all a good night!”

#struggling #validation #christmaseve #chanukaheve #kindness #itsoktonotbeok #mentalhealth #checkin #andtoallagoodnight #holidayseason #youarenotalone  

We spent the evening with friends last night at their home. It’s become one of the many traditions we share together each year. A family fun holiday game night.


After dinner, we gathered on their big, comfy couch before the games portion of the evening began, watching the Leaf’s on tv, making small talk, laughing and doing what we do best when we all get together; being in the moment, and enjoying each other’s company when someone suggested we take turns telling the others what our greatest success or most accomplished memory we had in 2024.


Everyone had something amazing to share. We all cheered. I especially loved listening to some of my kid’s stand-out moments of 2024. Among them were Jacob passing his journeyman exam and officially becoming a licensed electrician this year after a 6 year apprenticeship program. Hannah pursuing a dream job, manifesting it, and eventually landing it, and Rachel, after putting off getting her driver’s license for the past 5 years, finally, more determined than ever, went for it this past summer and got it on her first try. I am so damn proud of each of them.


There were many other special moments shared amongst us as well, and just as equally awesome as the next, but when it came to my turn, I froze. I couldn’t think of anything that stood out. I admit, I am always so focused on not being good enough that it often blurs my vision of success.


2024 has been another hard year for me. Both professionally and personally. I’m still working on myself, though. I’m still figuring out how to fix the broken. Still in survival mode. But I survived. Yes, I survived another year. I’m still here, barely hanging on most days. So if all I did this year was survive, then maybe that is my greatest success or proudest accomplishment of 2024. And for me, that’s more than enough. 


#2024 #success #proudestmoments #broken #mentalhealth #wellbeing #friendswhoarefamily #traditions #gamenight 

While in line at a Tim Horton’s drive-thru earlier today, I gave space to another car to go in front of me. 

Not thinking twice about it, I drove up to the window to pay and as I reached for my wallet, the employee, with a big grin on her face handed me my drink and told me that same car had already paid for it.

I’ve been in a pretty bad headspace all weekend. Rumination has kept me in a vicious loop of negative feelings and intrusive thoughts, which, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to find my way through it, that was, until a simple exchange of kindness between 2 strangers helped me shift my focus outward.

Suddenly, I too had a big grin on my face. 

It is suggested that carrying out simple, random acts of kindness in your daily life without any expectation of reward in return can positively change your thoughts by boosting the serotonin and dopamine neurotransmitters in your brain, giving you feelings of pleasure and happiness. 

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” ~ Mark Twain 

Thank you to the stranger who brought a smile to my face today, helping me to shift my thoughts outward with her generous act of kindness. With the holiday season upon us and only a few weeks left until the new year, let’s all promise to make every day count, whether it be by paying it forward, giving back or simply putting a smile on someone else’s face. 

#actsofkindness #smile #timhortons #drivethru #generosity #makeeverydaycount #weekend #dopamine #serotonin #thoughts #feelings #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety #intrusivethoughts #introspection #outwardfocus

For the past 7 years, I have dedicated my life to sharing my very personal and most intimate thoughts and feelings from my mental health journey with you. 


It has become my passion and purpose to advocate for others, raise awareness, help reduce the stigma, provide support, and promote understanding. 


In doing so, I have learned so much about myself and the importance of taking care of my mental health, but somewhere along the way due to my severe anxiety and major depressive disorders, I have forgotten how equally important it is for me to take care of my physical health too.


Physical and mental health go hand in hand. Our mind and body are so deeply connected to one another, and when one of these areas becomes compromised or off-balance, it can significantly impact the other as well, leaving serious consequences on your quality of life. Which it has for me.


Self-care is often put on the back burner, yet it is critical that we make it a non-negotiable priority for our overall well-being. I know I need to listen to my own words more often.


The past 10 years have been brutal on my mind and body, leaving both my physical and mental health severely compromised and even more so since participating in the Psilocybin Research Trial 2.5 years ago which left me with serious neurological damage as well. 


When you live with the mental health struggles that I do, you often tell yourself you are not worthy or deserving of living a healthy, normal life or maybe it’s that I just don’t want to anymore. I tell myself all the time that I am a burden to my loved ones and that the world would be much better off without me, so why bother making my health and wellbeing a priority. 


Last week, I had my first physical exam in several years. Leading up to my appointment (which took great strength and encouragement to make in the first place), I thought about cancelling it many times, making one excuse after another as to why I shouldn’t go, right up until the morning of. Those same anxieties, depressive thoughts, and suicidal ideations were getting the best of me. 


But I went. I prioritized my own self-care by attending my scheduled appointment with my doctor and promised her that I would follow through on the laundry list of tests I was behind on. I’m proud to say that this evening, I made good on one of those promises by having a mammogram, and I feel better knowing that I’ve checked this very important exam off my list.


This is your PSA, ladies. Early detection for breast cancer is key to treatment and survival, so if you’ve been putting off your exam too, make an appointment, and do it today! Your gals will thank you 😊. 


#mammogram #physicals #exams #mentalhealth #physicalhealth #breastcancerawareness  #earlydetection #advocate #anxiety #depression #passion #purpose #bodyandmind #selfcare #wellbeing #youareenough 

5 years ago today I achieved a goal I’d never dreamt possible. I had been invited to sit on a panel of a National Television Morning Talk Show; Global TV’s, “The Morning Show” during their Parenting Playbook session to discuss my recently published children’s book “Where Did Mommy’s Smile Go?” and talk about the importance of opening up conversations with children about a loved one’s depression. 

Setting goals in life is a fundamental part of our growth, both personally and professionally. They are what drives us forward, inspires us, gives us direction, a sense of purpose, make us more productive, help us stay focused, make us accountable, and motivates us to achieve success. 

From the moment I set out on my journey to write, publish and market my book, I had a vision that included making attainable, short-term goals. This helped make the process more manageable and way less overwhelming for me by breaking down such a large, long-term goal into smaller ones.

And I’m not done yet. 

If you or someone you love is in need of some guidance and support, please feel free to message me for a copy of my book today.

#childrensbook #author #nationaltelevision #globalmorningshow #parentingplaybook #mentalhealth #Mondaymotivation #startaconversation 

I love warm weather, which is why summer is my most favorite season, hands down. It’s the time of year when I’m most active and carefree, but it is also the time of year when I become most self-conscious and self-critical of myself. 


There are too many days to count during the summer months that I find myself yearning to crawl back into the comfy, cozy warmth of sweater weather simply so I can go back to hiding my body.


It feels like sweater season happened almost overnight here in Toronto. Summer lingered well into fall, but with still more than 2 weeks to go until winter officially arrives, it has already hit the ground running. 


I’m not complaining, though I really do despise the blustering cold and shortened days of sunlight hours, I am all in when it comes to the warm embrace of a cozy sweater. There is something nostalgic and inherently comforting about it.


I’m quite conscious and very much aware that I’ve had a distorted sense of self long before my mental health journey began 10 plus years ago. I’ve feared my body ever since my late teens when I developed an eating disorder, and I’ve come to realize over time that those triggers never truly go away. They just present themselves in different ways. 


From the end of last summer, to the start of the one that most recently passed, I had lost just over 60 pounds. I should have been celebrating my accomplishment, but still, I found myself consumed by my body’s flaws all summer long, and instead of feeling proud, I simply wanted to cover up in shame and disgust. 


I’m a work in progress, and with many months still ahead of me until another summer season rolls out, I promise myself I will continue to work on my body dysmorphia issues, peeling away one comfy layer at a time and focusing more on self-love and self-acceptance, while curling up by the warmth of the fire in a cozy sweater of course. 


#bodydysphormia #sweaterweather #cozy #warmth #mentalhealth #winter #ilovesummer #selfconscious #selfcritical #selflove #acceptance #workinprogress #warmembrace #flaws #shame