Good or bad moves are decided by state of mind and the decisions follow. Sharing vulnerabities with someone depend on how much believe u have on someone. We have this notion where it takes time and patience to breakdown pre-conceived ideas that we have already had we just cannot believe it to be true so we start defending it. We have to understand that patience and persistance is what we need for progression of any idea. The one happened with us when on a long walk or around the fire was most stimulating. The key of any conversation is you wanna go into listen. I believe whom we have converstions with allow us to see a different perspective every single time. Someone who is open minded and has a varied perspective give us the insight that we have never had but more importantly if we are open in a conversation we will learn every single time. What kind of conversations we have allow us to give topics that no one really strive for.

Mental health cookies

This is a self care routine that myself and my 12 year old son with ASD & anxiety came up with for when we get overwhelmed and wrote on the chalk board in out kitchen. We wrote it in recipe form to add a little humor on the dark days….I hope that it can help someone else out there too.

MENTAL HEALTH COOKIES

3½ cups MINDFULNESS - sift out negative thoughts.

2 cups SELF LOVE AND KINDNESS 

1 cup SELF VALIDATION - You are perfect the way you are.

1 tablespoon SELF COMPASSION

A dash of humor (add sarcasm to taste)

Bake with SELF CARE & top with SUPPORT FROM TRUSTED LOVED ONES.

USE AS MANY COOKIES AS NEEDED 

Calorie content 0

Love content - Infinite

How I Got My Power Back

Hi my name is Morgan M., thank you so much for taking the time to hear part of my Mental Health Journey. This is difficult for me to talk about so please be kind and laugh at my jokes (well… normally I laugh a lot but I’m not sure where this will go, we’ll see)! My story starts during one of my first memories as a child. My mother came home from a very bad accident. From popping her occasional pill, losing her mind to slitting her wrist in front of me and my twin sister, looking at me saying “this is what you do to me.” That stuck with me because of the shame and guilt I had already been very familiar with. Shortly thereafter I overheard my mother talking about wanting to kill herself to a childhood friend’s mother. 

Of course I felt to blame, nightly panic attacks aren’t the easiest to deal with. My mother decided to find Doctors to prescribe me medication at a very young age. Topamax, Risperdal, Adderall, Xanax, Wellbutrin (’m sure I’m missing a few).This medication adventure started when I was 6. Even though I was an unstable nuisance to my mother, she loved me. I know with her issues she was not fit to handle a child with my needs and I have forgiven her for that. I remember gaining a ton of weight that 8th grade year and pretending to take Risperdal. I came to find out she was putting it in my food. In her defense I would stay up for days but still there should have been other options explored first. 

For the sake of keeping this short and sweet we will skip high school (when I lost all the weight) and go to college and my mother was not doing well. I used to check up on her everyday on my way to class and she was heavy on dope that day, my ex at the time said he knew, and came to find out he was selling it to her. That relationship obviously didn’t last but all the betrayal was taking its toll. The mental, physical and emotional abuse made me feel not only misunderstood and alone but ashamed and worthless. A constant burden whom my family would be better off without.

I think back now and say to myself, wow you poor little girl, I wish you knew how unique you are and cannot wait until you love yourself. 

I was tired of being tired, and I do know the feeling of being happy and all I wanted was to have that feeling more times than not (but it is DEF OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY) We just want more good days than bad. Once I realized the source of my depression it I knew I had to ditch those habits (I know easier said than done) but if nothing else be consistent in even the smallest things! Stop relying on the expectations of others, focus on your good qualities, go to therapy/support groups to talk to a Professional and like-minded people without judgment.

I’m strong AF 

Once I realized I was ignoring parts of myself I needed to care for and stopped living by the expectations of others I felt free to start loving myself. I only surround myself with positive people who I know care about me. I am at a point in my life where I can say that I haven’t sunk into a major depression for the largest stretch of time since I was in my late teens/early 20s. I feel powerful, like I can do anything. This coming from someone who years ago was hanging on by a thread, living day-to-day in misery, living my nights wondering how I will feel tomorrow makes me confident anyone can live a functional happy life with Mental Health issues. 

Those of us who struggle with Mental Health know the feeling of guilt and shame all too well. Those out there who judge are weak and ignorant with no respect or class. They are the people who should be ashamed, not us. 

What helps me stay consistent, stable, worth-it, happy, but remember it’s OKAY not to be OKAY it doesn’t mean you fell off it means you fell, everybody does!

• Therapy 

• Positive support system 

• Consistency 

• Yoga/meditation

• Medications (in some cases) 

• Exercise 

• Walks 

• Music 

• Helping Others 

• Forgiving those who have hurt you 

• Know your strength, a lot of people could not live with Mental Health problems

• KNOW YOU ARE WORTHY - Share your hardships, inspire others… you are worth more than you know

• Self-Care 

• Positive Affirmations

• Stay Away From People Who Make You Feel Anything But Joy 

Thanks again for taking the time to read this!