World Mental Health Day 2017

Hello friends!
Tuesday, October 10th marks World Mental Health Day.

   Although my week has undoubtedly been hectic, today matters a lot to me. This is because my struggle with mental health has been the foundation of this entire blog, the reason I'm so passionate about writing. My goal in life is to help people, and every time I go to this blog I try to write posts that I'm proud of, that make me feel happy, and that either help or inspire you folks, whether that be through my lifestyle posts or simply my beauty posts. I just wanted to create a positive environment since day one, and I'm still continuing to post weekly.

   Since I find today important, I decided it was only right to compile my most honest, passionate, and (hopefully) helpful blog posts that I've written on this blog so far. You can find all of my lifestyle-based posts here, but I'm using this post to compile the ones that people have not only helped me, but have helped others as well.

   Also I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has been supportive of my blog through these past few years. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

   Here are some topics that were the most important for me to discuss on my blog:

1. When I was honest about my depressive feelings

   My best friend, Megan, actually joined me for this photo shoot. For my blog post, Keep On Grinning, I discussed how it was okay to not be okay.  Life gets overwhelming, life gets scary. I remember writing this post when I was awaiting a call back from a business--any business--that would land me a new job. My old job just wasn't healthy for me, mentally, and I knew I needed to make some life changes. Now I'm in a positive work environment, and I'm loving every minute of it. Don't be afraid to make changes in your own life, big or small, if you're ever feeling stuck.

2. When I discussed the deepest parts of my anxiety, like, twice

   The first part of My Anxiety Story was published when I had first made my blog public. It took me a year to write about it. I discussed the all-around history of my anxiety, basically. Like how I was practically bed-ridden over the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of high school. But there was a part that I left out about my anxiety, which I discussed in My Anxiety Story Pt. II. The subject? My arms. I talked about how I struggle with coping and how I resort to picking at my skin. We all react differently to mental illnesses. My anxiety was diagnosed as severe, so I'm aware that it's difficult for me to cope, even today. If you have any form of anxiety, always recognize that you aren't crazy, that you aren't abnormal. Know that you have anxiety. And that I have it too. And if you ever want to ask questions, request a blog post, or simply talk, you can definitely contact me here.

3. That moment when I finally faced my biggest fear

   For me, a milestone on this blog and in my overall life has been facing my fear of flying on an airplane. I had never done it before, and I didn't think I had it in me. In the first blog post, Fight [F]or Flight, I discussed what I was hoping to conquer and different techniques I was trying to use to calm myself down and to gain confidence. Keep in mind, this is a fear I've been trying to avoid for the longest time. Then, a few weeks later, I reported back with Fight [F]or Flight Pt. II, where I discussed how it felt to face my fear and what I had experienced on my trip. I'm still so happy I conquered something that big! My hope for those posts was for them to inspire you to do something that scares you. Because once you conquer it, which I know you can, you'll feel like you've come out on top. You'll have a new sense of confidence and it'll take so much stress and worry out of your life.

   To conclude this blog post, I want to encourage you to be open about your mental health. Because once you recognize your weaknesses, you can work to fight them and to come out on top. It's helped to make me an overall stronger person. And I know it can do the same for you.

   Since today is all about mental health awareness, I definitely want to invite all of you to spark conversation in the comment section under this post. What kinds of fears have you faced? What advice would you give to someone who needs that extra hint of motivation?
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Thank you all for reading. And, as always, keep on grinning.

​Lydia