UPDATED 02/24/2025
When I think about mental health, I immediately jump to all the bad things. Anxiety, depression, severe manic episodes, darkness, and hospitalization. You might naturally go there too. That’s natural. But if it only goes there, we’ve got work to do.
Take a second and think of the people around you. Maybe you have tons of friends, and there’s a few that are at every gathering. From the outside, they might seem to have a great life. But on the inside, they could be dying. This was me years ago. I was playing war games inside my brain day and night. I was at a loss with what to do next. It might sound tragic, but always felt alone even though I was surrounded by friends. I used to hide all the pain and my true feelings. I lived that way for YEARS!
The subject of mental health is touchy. Especially because no one wants to talk about that dark place. Not even me, despite living through it. If you know my story, you know that at age 16, I tried to take my own life. I was in the darkest place I had ever been and just wanted to give up. I went to therapy for just eight sessions. Why so few? Because that’s all my insurance would pay for. Yes, astonishingly, even despite a suicide attempt. Even in those sessions, though, it was hard to share my real feelings because I wasn’t sure if this therapist was the right person to talk to. It wasn’t until much later in life that I found a group of people that taught me something so important-personal development.
Today, with everything in the media, therapy seems to be more of an open subject. I’m a total proponent about going to therapy and I share the fact that I go with so many people. Being able to tell someone what’s going on in my brain and my heart and have them understand is a godsent. Regularly, I think about people in the spotlight, like Kate Spade or Anthony Bourdain, and imagine how hard it must be for them. And I bet they went to therapy. Being in the spotlight, even as a business owner, it adds another layer to the challenge of managing your mental health.
So how do you stay afloat in your normal day-to-day life? I’ve got a few tips for you that worked for me.
- 1. Make time for YOU every week. Even if it’s just 5 minutes. When you make time for yourself, you allow yourself to be the focus of your attention and you’re free to do whatever you want with your time. Do something that makes your heart happy.
- Read or listen to an audio book that fills your cup. This is what pulled me out of the darkness. I started with a book by Bethenny Frankel-A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want. This book got the personal development ball rolling for me! You can learn more about some of the other personal development books I’ve loved here.
- Try not to forget that you ARE enough! This one is hard; trust me, I know. It takes time. Every day, try to give yourself a compliment while you’re getting ready in the morning. Write on your bathroom mirror words that inspire and motivate you. That feeling of enough-ness is hard because most of us want to be better every day and we want to do more for those around us. And as a result, sometimes, we leave ourselves behind. Stop now and change your direction.
I’ve only given you a few tips, but these will help you get started.
Even though I’m better, I’m still a work in progress. Personal development became the savior of my mental health and helped me get better one book at a time. It’s what lead me to seek out true, honest help. Now I have a therapy session twice a month to keep me on track and stay balanced. If you are struggling with your mental health, please call 988 to be connected to the 988 Lifeline, available 24/7, and get the support you need
