Category: positive affirmations

YOU ARE ENOUGH THIS HOLIDAY SEASON 

When I woke up this morning I received a notification from my blogging site that read: “Your blog YouAreEnough stats are booming and it appears to be getting more traffic than usual!”  I felt a sense of pride knowing that others choose to turn to my blog to find some comfort and support but given that today is Christmas Day I quickly felt saddened knowing just how many people there are out there who may not have loved ones who can give them the comfort and support they deserve.

It may be difficult for some of us to understand but during the holiday season many people feel very much alone, isolated and simply like they are not enough. This time of year we are surrounded by so many bright lights, whether it’s from the candles burning on your Menorah or from the colourful lights hanging from a Christmas tree it’s hard to imagine why anyone would feel anything less than pure holiday cheer and joy. 

But this time of year can also be met by so much darkness which is too often due to having to deal with difficult memories, unattainable expectations, feelings of disappointment and of course the overwhelming stress brought on by the holiday season.  Stress is our body’s reaction to a trigger and is generally a short-term experience that carries with it many of the same symptoms that anxiety does such as having trouble sleeping, excessive amount of worry, lack of focus, irritability and a rapid heartbeat.

Often we believe that stress and anxiety are one and the same but anxiety is an actual mental disorder that can be brought on by too much stress.  Anxiety does not disappear when a situation is remedied and can impact every aspect of one’s life. And the more people who are feeling the darkness during the holiday season try to force themselves to feel holiday cheer and joy will only wind up feeling like a giant sack of coal! 

Many of us need to be reminded that the holiday season is a time for giving, a time for kindness and a time to help someone who may be in need of some extra comfort and support.  It’s a time to remember that itsoktonotbeok, it’s a time to remember to checkonyourlovedones, it’s a time to remember that youmatter and most of all to remember that youareenough!

#itsoktonotbeok #checkonyourlovedones #youmatter #youareenough #bekindtoyourself #youarenotalone #christmastime #chanuakahcheer 

World Kindness Day

It’s #WorldKindnessDay. Take a moment today and reflect upon the simple acts of kindness that you have experienced in your lifetime. How did it change your day, what did it mean to you or how has it shaped your life? We can all spread kindness and compassion. Celebrate today by spreading that kindness and compassion onto someone else, and don’t forget to leave some for yourself too because a simple act of kindness can go a very long way! What does kindness mean to you? #kindness #kindnessmatters #bekind #selflove #payitforward

Should I Or Shouldn’t I?

As most of you who have been following my journey know, I gave up on medication several years ago after being diagnosed with Treatment Resistant Depression. I struggled for close to 3 years with trying to find the right concoction of medication that could help lift my mood and keep my anxiety to a minimum.

I experienced severe side effects from trying over 20 medications (sometimes 3 to 4 at one time) which led to a tremendous amount of physical health challenges and many additional mental health issues too. I had enough and so did my husband. Throughout the last few years since coming off my medications I have continued desperately to find other kinds of treatment that would hopefully do what the medications were unable to do and without having to endure any additional and sometimes quite serious side effects that they were causing.

I don’t think anyone can say I didn’t try hard enough except that is for my inner voice that keeps telling me every day that I haven’t tried hard enough, that I should have tried harder, that I need to try harder. It’s that same inner voice that agreed to go see one of the top psychiatrists in the city when I was presented with the opportunity recently.

I have not been to a psychiatrist in a couple of years mainly because after my wonderful psychiatrist left the province I never found anyone who seemed to be truly invested in my recovery which is what led me to find other avenues myself most of which have not been very successful to say the least.

As I have mentioned over the last few weeks my symptoms of depression and anxiety have become amplified to an all time high. I have been battling with more panic attacks and worsening anxiety than ever before along with very intense suicidal ideations which is why when I was presented with this opportunity by someone who may not know me well but is just as invested in my journey wanted to help make this connection happen quickly and from the kindness of her heart.

I am beyond grateful that so many people have not given up on me and go to great lengths to ensure that I don’t give up on me either. I have already met with the new doctor a couple of times in the last couple of weeks and we have discussed with both me and my husband many avenues we can take from here and in the near future. One such avenue is of course medication.

He is well aware now of my history with medication (and my GP sent him the endless list of the ones I’ve already tried) and he is definitely aware of my fear of even thinking about trying one more. He discussed one in particular with me today that he feels could be worth being that one more try. He talked about it’s benefits compared to many others I’ve been on before, we talked about the side effects that terrify me and he gave me handouts on it and wrote me a script which he said if I decide to try it he will monitor me every step of the way and that he will increase it at a snail’s pace for me.

So what do I have to lose at this point? Should I or shouldn’t I?

#mentalwellness #mentalhealth #youmatter #itsoktonotbeok #depressionkills #anxietyisreal #suicide #ideations #youareenough #medication #antidepressants

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Panic Attack

I’ve been experiencing an extraordinary amount of panic attacks lately which have been quite damaging to both me and my entire family unit as well.
It’s difficult for someone to truly understand what is going on inside another person’s head and especially when what they are experiencing seems totally abnormal to a normal healthy brain. And I for sure don’t expect anyone to understand what a panic attack actually feels like if you have never experienced one before and boy do I hope you never will.
But either way if you are ever in a situation where someone you care about is having a panic attack try to ease their fear, remind them that they will be okay, encourage them, give them positive affirmations and remember to
stay calm and stay with them if you can. And more importantly do not minimize their feelings even if you think their fear is irrational; judgment and criticism will only make things worse for everyone.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Feeling the Love

Today my depression had tipped the scale at an eleven on a scale of one to ten. So on a day when I needed to be reminded that I have to keep going and that I can’t give up I opened the mail to find this letter. It is a reminder that I will hold close to my heart knowing how much love and support I have in my life and truly the greatest friendships anyone could ever ask for. 💓💕💓💕

It’s Thanksgiving Today And “I Get To”

Thanksgiving isn’t really a holiday that we celebrate in our home (although my kids have been dying to make pumpkin pie; I’m just not quite sure who’d actually eat it though!) but the significance of the holiday is certainly not lost on any of us.
I am grateful, I am blessed and I am thankful for having each one of these Goons (insert loving tone here 💕) in my life and I know that no matter what challenges we may face, obstacles we must overcome or hoops we will jump through, we “GET TO” do it together.
Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks to those who mean the most to us and to express our gratitude in general. It’s a time for feeling blessed and remembering that we should celebrate each victory, big or small and embrace every challenge in our life because we can and because we “GET TO”.
But for me, suffering with chronic depression and anxiety these are gigantic tasks. My perception is often not my reality but still I keep trying to challenge the very cruel and daunting voice in my head by changing the conversation each day from “I have to wake up again today” to “I get to wake up again today”. I’m not gonna lie though because many days the challenge feels endless and much of the time too burdensome to even want to keep trying.
When having the mindset that “I have to” do something it’s implying that it is a real burden as opposed to telling ourselves “I Get To” which is truly a blessing. I know just how important these 3 little words are to my recovery because as we all know it’s not what I “have to do” in my life that matters, it’s who “I GET TO” do my life with that does.
Maybe today we “get to” go to the grocery store (we are blessed to have food to eat), or maybe we “get to” pay some bills today (we are blessed to have a home that keeps us safe and warm) or maybe we “get to” take our toddler to the doctor today (because we are so blessed to be someone’s mom/dad).
So whether or not you are celebrating Thanksgiving today, lets all make a pact together and change our perspective to “I Get To” instead of “I Have To” and help each other look at life through the eyes of opportunity, gratitude and blessings because every day should feel like it’s Thanksgiving.
What do you “get to” do today?
#thanksgiving #getto #blessed #grateful #thankful #myreasonswhy

Crafting

Crafting or working on creative projects is an escape for me and always has been and lucky for me it also has many health benefits for your mental wellness too. Crafting is a great way for me to relieve stress by taking a break from my chronic anxiety and depression. Crafting can build self-esteem and self-confidence when you feel a sense of accomplishment or success from your achievement.
For me, part of the crafting or creating of a project itself is the excitement of planning and executing it. It’s not just about the finished product but also about the journey of getting there as well. It’s about challenging myself, learning new skills and once completed maybe even having a new knick-knack to display!
I created this piece to remind myself everyday and for anyone else who walks into my home that “you are enough”. That you were enough before you walked through my door, that you are enough now and that you will continue to be enough after. And even though I am forever believing otherwise I now have something to remind me that I am worthy, I am valued, I am accepted, I am true, I am loved and I am purposeful because I am me and that also means that you are you. #youareenough #bekindtoyourself #depression #anxiety #mentalillness #mentalhealth #mentalwellness #mentalhealthawarenessweek #itsoktonotbeok #ichooseme #youarenotalone #bekindtoyourself #crafting #create

Can You Tell Me How To Get to Sesame Street?

Who doesn’t love Sesame Street? I mean it doesn’t get much better than Elmo, Oscar The Grouch and Big Bird now does it? Nor would they be celebrating 50 magical years on air next month if it wasn’t one of the most beloved neighborhoods for kids of all ages!
Throughout the last 50 years Sesame Street has embraced a myriad of groundbreaking storylines on their show with open arms. Each and every year they continue to tackle topics that reflect their diverse audience with only one goal in mind; education and inclusion.
These topics have ranged from racism, adoption, autism, down syndrome, divorce, being in a wheelchair, 9/11, death, a family member being incarcerated; the list is truly endless and for each topic they tackle, millions of children and their families are sitting in their living rooms, watching and feeling less alone in their own relatable struggle.
And now this week Sesame Street has done it once again by adding to their list of inclusive storylines when they recently introduced a new character by the name of Karli who begins to open up to her friends in the neighborhood about her mom’s addiction and mental health crisis. She tells her friends that her mom had to go away for treatment and that she is now in recovery and that a big part of her recovery is attending meetings every single day with people who have the same problem as her in order to help her stay healthy while being surrounded by people who understand what she is going through and learning how to take better care of herself.
The message Karli receives from her mom and her friends is one of hope and healing and it really resonated with me, bringing tears to my eyes (not that it takes much to make me cry). The message Karli receives is the same message that “Where Did Mommy’s Smile Go?” aims to teach children which is that Mommy’s disease is not their fault, that they are not alone and that they are safe and loved.
It is also relating another very important message to their audience which is that it is never too early to start having these conversations with children because the more we open up and have honest conversations the sooner our children will understand that they are not at fault, that they are not alone and most of all that they are safe and loved. And lets not forget that the more education and inclusion we project upon young children today, the sooner we help to end the stigma around mental illness for future generations to come!
Watching Karli made me want to reach out and hug her so tight and then curl up next to her while reading “Where Did Mommy’s Smile Go?” together. Just one quick question though before I go; “Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?”
#youareenough #youarenotalone #mentalillness #mentalhealth #mentalwellness #addictions #opioidcrisis #epidemic #compassion #friendship #itsoktonotbeok #acceptance #startaconversation #courage #wheredidmommyssmilego #amazonca #sesamestreet #inclusion #educationiskey #childrenareourfuture #endthestigmatogether #kidsarepeopletoo #speakyourtruth #honesty #elmo #happyanniversary #cheerstofiftymore #mentalhealthawarenessweek

World Mental Health Day

Today is World Mental Health Day and its main focus is on suicide prevention. Today we need to start important and necessary conversations. Today we need to check in on our loved ones. Today we need to give hope to someone who may need it the most. Today we need to ensure that no-one feels alone. It takes less than a minute to do so and by being present in someone’s life who may be feeling vulnerable right now can make all difference.

Whether it’s a quick chat over a cup of coffee or a simple text message or maybe a phone call or even a quiet visit together in the comfort of their home, I can tell you how much moments like these make a difference in my own life. Keep talking, keep sharing, keep showing up, keep being kind and compassionate toward others because your voice may just be the voice who gives someone else the courage to reach out for the help they need. #givesomeonehopetoday #itonlytakesamoment #itsoktonotbeok #suicideprevention #depressionkills #anxietyisreal #mentalillness #mentalhealthawarenessweek #worldmentalhealthday #checkonyourlovedones #startaconversation #youareenough #empowerment #compassion #kindness

Self-Forgiveness

Today is Yom Kippur; which is considered the holiest holiday in the Jewish faith and according to the tradition we are encouraged on Yom Kippur to “make amends” and ask for forgiveness from any wrongdoing we may have done throughout the past year to others. Forgiving others can be very hard for many but what about learning to forgive ourselves? That is probably one of the most difficult things to do; but also one of the most courageous. I struggle with self-forgiveness every day but I know that in order to begin healing, it is also one of the bravest things to do.

#mentalhealthawarenessweek #mentalwellness #mentalhealth #selfcare #ichooseme #selfforgiveness #youarenotalone #bekindtoyourself #youareenough #youmatter #introspection #selflove #itsoktonotbeok #yomkippur