Published in ILLUMINATION·Nov 12, 2020Member-onlyPutting Myself First Is Not SelfishI have decided to take care of myself first from now on. — I am always there for everyone else. I am the one people can depend on, ask for help, and vent their feelings to whenever needed. For too long, I have put other’s needs in front of my own, even subconsciously, and this hasn’t served me well. …Self Improvement7 min readSelf Improvement7 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Nov 11, 2020Member-onlyStill Aimless At 40 Years OldFiguring out how to find a purpose and follow happiness — I thought by age 40 I would have it all figured out. I would be working my dream job, have a great big house, have my finances in order, and be living my best life. …Life7 min readLife7 min read
Published in Invisible Illness·Oct 24, 2020Member-onlyI Use Writing to Improve My Mental HealthI don’t write for you. I write for me. — I am writing for myself as a way to manage my mental health. As a person that has struggled with depression and anxiety ever since childhood, I have found that writing serves as an incredible coping mechanism. Simply getting the thoughts, feelings, and emotions out of my brain and onto…Mental Health7 min readMental Health7 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Oct 17, 2020Member-only5 Reasons Why We Aren’t Chasing Our Dreams#3 It’s all a little too overwhelming — Chase your dreams, follow your passion, it’s all the rage lately. There are countless articles, blog posts, and memes that flood your social media feed every time you log onto one of them. …Life Lessons8 min readLife Lessons8 min read
Published in Invisible Illness·Sep 28, 2020Member-only8 Unique Anxiety Relief Tips for When the Feeling Strikes#3. Treat yourself to some candy — I have dealt with anxiety for the past 25+ years, it has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. In fact, I can’t remember a time that I didn’t have to deal with some sort of anxiety. …Mental Health9 min readMental Health9 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Sep 26, 2020Member-onlyInspiration From Jim Carrey That Will Help You Live a Better Life6 inspiring quotes from the Hollywood renaissance man — I just finished reading Jim Carrey’s recent book “Memoirs and Misinformation” and highly recommend it. It is a truly tremendous read that gives you an insight into Carrey’s psyche and how he approaches life. …Life6 min readLife6 min read
Published in Invisible Illness·Sep 19, 2020Member-onlySelf-Sabotage and Mental IllnessHow to break free and help yourself — I was, and still am at times a self-saboteur. If there was any way to cut myself off at the knees, I would do it. I have struggled with depression and anxiety for 25 years, and for the large portion of that time I refused to seek help. …Self Improvement8 min readSelf Improvement8 min read
Published in Invisible Illness·Aug 30, 2020Member-onlyHow Accepting My Mental Illness Helped Me Move on With LifeAcceptance is tough. Stop denial and get back to living. — It took me over 25 years to officially receive a professional diagnosis for my mental illness. And it was a huge struggle for me to accept my diagnosis once I got it. It was all my own stubborn fault. I always knew that there was something off with my mental…Mental Health10 min readMental Health10 min read
Published in Invisible Illness·Aug 16, 2020Member-onlyMental Illness No Longer Defines My IdentityMental illness is just one aspect of me, it doesn’t need to consume me anymore — Depression and anxiety have been a part of my life since I was a child. I can remember having panic attacks as early as kindergarten. If I wasn’t able to sit next to one of my favorite, “security blanket” people all hell would break loose. …Mental Health11 min readMental Health11 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Aug 13, 2020Member-onlyDeath Both Terrifies And Inspires MePondering mortality has helped me to live a more positive life. — Like many of us lately, I have been thinking about death a lot more. My mortality always seems to rest on the forefront of my mind. Existentialist questions continuously run on a loop through my head. Of course it also doesn’t help that the world we live in is quite…Life Lessons7 min readLife Lessons7 min read
