Works In Progress

So today, October 10th, is World Mental Health Day. Within the past year or so, I have realized first hand that self care and mental health are two very important things that go hand in hand within our everyday life. If we don't take the time to practice self care, our mental health will be negatively affected by it. If our mental health is in trouble, everything that we do is also in trouble. Someone who may be depressed may not be able to get themselves out of bed in order to make it to their classes, or they may start disappearing from their normal social scene. This can unfortunately result in anything from grades beginning to decline to weakening of relationships between friends and loved ones. This all happened to me. Sometimes it still does. From dealing with depression to trying to get a hold of my anxiety, it's been a battle that has changed me so much in the past year. Everyday I'm reminded of how lucky I am that I'm not at that dark point in my life anymore. No one realizes how incredibly relieving it is to finally be able to see the light even in times of sadness. I still have days where I struggle with my past or even doubt about my future. But I still try to remember how uplifted I've become over the past nine months. I don't know what I would've done if I hadn't gotten my faith back and I'm so grateful that I don't have to even think about that. I watched the music video for "1-800-273-8255" and it reminded me that I am beyond lucky and it reminded me of the dark times that I have been through myself. The story in the music video, along with my own hardships are living proof that you can make it through anything, even if it means fighting with all you've got. I have such an incredible appreciation for life and all the things that I've gone through. I knock on wood for myself and others around me for happier days in the near future and very limited days of any emotion other than happiness. I still have days where I want to sit in my room all day by myself until I can scramble up the emotional courage to get up and go outside. But I'm so much stronger than I was last year. In many of my posts, I've mentioned how whatever I was going through at the time was making me stronger and I probably even said something along the lines of "I'm so much stronger than I was". But that's because life is constantly throwing us into new situations and experiences that are harder than the last which forces us to build up our strength. Our level of strength in a work in progress. Our life is a work in progress. We are all works in progress. Even though I still struggle with my mental health at times, I am still progressing. Today being World Mental Health Day reminded me that it is especially important to take any time that you can get out of your day to treat yourself with some respect and do something that helps you recharge to not only go on with your day, but also to help remind yourself of the little things in life that make it worth living. Because there's so much out there that makes life worth living. I hope that people learn to practice self care to possibly prevent depression and other mental illnesses. It's developed in our mind and emotions. We can come back from these darker times with more knowledge, courage and strength that will lead us into the lighter days if we try our absolute hardest. We just have to remind ourselves that we are all works in progress and masterpieces weren't made overnight.

Take care of yourself each and everyday because you will be a masterpiece

- Jillian



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