Mental Health Month Post #1
If I could tell my younger self anything it would be
1) Never stop painting and creating. Art therapy is real, and relatively cheap.
2) Work towards building self confidence. Let go of your constant need for perfectionism in all areas of your life. Nothing will ever be good enough for you and you’ll never be happy that way. Work hard, but take moments in life to appreciate your accomplishments rather than constantly focusing on achieving the next goal.
3) You’re going to fail miserably at times and that’s okay. You’re going to spend all your money on useless things and end up broke and in debt. You’re going to be fired from multiple jobs; sometimes it’ll be your fault, and other times it won’t be. You’re going to gain weight, and you’re going to lose weight, both are ultimately irrelevant. At times you’re going to treat people you love terribly. At other times you’re going to treat yourself terribly. Accept all failure and defeat with open arms, learn, and move on. Wallowing in self pity benefits no one, and failure has a way of building inside you like layering bricks to build a sturdy wall. Each one makes you harder to knock down. Always remember that.
4) Keep dreaming. It may seem like the act of fantasy is not mobilizing. It is.
5) Build friendships. Tell your story to anyone who is willing to listen. Your problems are not unique. Never be afraid to be vulnerable, and stop caring about what other people think. The more you open yourself up to the world and to those around you the more love you will receive.
6) Post the picture even though you think you look fat. Your body is beautiful at any stage and anyone who thinks otherwise can go fuck themselves.
7) Call your family. You need them and they need you.
8) Empathize with other people. Everyone is doing the best that they can for themselves in that moment. Do not pass judgement. Help people in need as much as you possibly can without taking away from your own needs.
9) Be fully present in each moment of your life. Every stage in your life has a beauty of its own. Enjoy it while it lasts, and let go of it once it evolves. Then enjoy the next stage in the same way. Nothing is ever permanent and that’s a good thing.
10) Always remain hopeful. A rejection in one area does not mean a rejection in another. Your life is going to unfold in ways unimaginable to you now. Anything and everything is possible.
