Do Whatever Makes You Happy

A friend once told me,” At the end of the day, you only have you.” Do not rely on other people to make yourself happy. This is true… If you dropped everyone in your life, you would really only have yourself. And if you’re not okay with yourself, then you will be stuck with that pain by yourself.. It is time to make yourself a priority.

I have realized in the past few months, that after I hit rock bottom, I needed to make some changes in my life. I would always focus on other people’s happiness instead of my own. I have decided to make a promise to myself and start focusing on me.

I used to think focusing on myself was selfish… But whatever, be selfish. Do what YOU got to do to be happy. If someone tries telling you not to do something that you love, then that person obviously does not care about the things you love. You will find a lot of selfish people walk through your life, but do not let them take over. Take control of your own life.

If people do not want to be a part of your life, then that’s on them, not you. Sit back and start to make a list of the people who are always there for you no matter what. You should not have to be friends with people who only care when it is convenient for them… Drop those people from your life. It is easier said than done, it always is. But just trust me on this one.

I am telling you, from personal experience, that fixing these little things will make you feel like you just dropped 10 tons off of your shoulders. And THEN you can start focusing on yourself and doing what’s best for you.

P.S. Once you make your mental health and feelings a top priority, you have made the 1st step towards self love and happiness.

Understand Your Disorders and Take Control!

The one thing that has truly helped me feel better about having anxiety, depression, and AMPS, was actually getting to know my disorders and accepting them. The more you educate yourself on them, the more in control you will feel.

I am NOT saying to Web M.D. symptoms of a disorder and self diagnose yourself. Even though most people will… But, with disorders like depression and anxiety, you should really get diagnosed by a specialized doctor; maybe a psychologist or a psychiatrist. Any health issue should be properly diagnosed by a doctor.

After being diagnosed by a doctor, I would read books about how you can learn to take control of your anxiety, or read a scholarly article about depression. I have even taken classes in school that have covered topics about my disorders. I have met other people who have the same/similar disorders and shared our stories with one another.

Do not be afraid to share that you have a disorder. It makes you, YOU. It may not be the easiest thing to share, and you do not have to tell people about it if you do not want to. Just do not feel like less of a person, just because you have a disorder.

Little by little and day by day, I grow as a person and become happier.

🙂

Getting Rid of Toxicity in Your Life

This is not an easy thing to do. It can be people or activities… But you need to get rid of all of it.

As someone who suffers from depression and anxiety, A toxic person can trigger an anxiety attack quick. There are some people in your life who you may not want to fully cut out; like a family member, etc; but you can control your interactions with them to make you feel better overall.

There are also relationships in your life that may seem needed, but once you cut them out, you realize you were better off. You may think you are in love, but maybe you were holding onto something because you do not like change in your life. Some change is for the better.

I have cut out a lot of toxicity in my life and I am finally thriving. My life may not be perfect, but I am working towards it every single day.

My message to all of you: You are important, your feelings are important, and DO NOT settle for less. Take control of your life and do what makes YOU happy. You do not owe anything to anybody but yourself. It is okay to be selfish for a little while to help fix your problems.

How to be Supportive for Someone with A Mental Health Disorder

***BY ALL MEANS, I AM NOT TRYING TO BELITTLE ANYONE’S HAPPINESS… I am simply just stating a few things that I can personally connect to and that have helped me feel supported. I have learned what things make me feel better and how I can get extra support from my family, friends, and my S.O.***

Here are a few things you can do to be supportive for a friend or loved one who is suffering from anxiety or depression:

Give Them a Little Extra TLC on Their Bad Days- Personally, when I am having a really bad day, It is always nice to get a little extra love and attention from my boyfriend or my family.
Don’t Try and Force Them to Talk About Their Problems- Let them come to you if they want to talk about what’s wrong. It is okay, to offer a supportive listen but if they say they do not want to talk about it, then leave it at that.
Always Remind Them How Important They Are to You- It does not matter if the person suffering is your friend, family member, or S.O., just let them know you really appreciate them and enjoy having them in your life.
Don’t Overly Flaunt Your Happiness to Them when They’re Having a Bad Day- It is okay to be happy… Don’t let anybody change that. But, if your friend suffering is having a bad day, try not to go up to them and say,” I am so happy, I love life so much.” That person may assume you are just boasting and feel worse after.
Try Your Hardest to Try and Understand Them– Try to think of how they may be feeling.

Even if the person suffering is really stressing you out, because you do not know what to do to help them; just be there for them. That is the best thing you can do. You should try and get to know what things calm them down. Sometimes it is a simple hug, or just sitting next to them until they calm down. It is different for everybody.

The smallest gestures mean the most! The simplest support can save someone’s life. You also never know what people are going through. Not everyone wears their feelings on their sleeve, so you cannot always tell who is suffering from a mental health disorder. This is so basic and I learned this in preschool, but try to treat people the way you would like to be treated.

P.S. for those who suffer from anxiety, feel free to comment things that make you feel better when you are having a rough day, or that your loved ones do for you to make you feel supported!!

Triggers For My Anxiety

There are a few things that trigger my anxiety. They are listed below:

Conflicts– With loved ones, friends, or others. It hurts me the most when I get into an argument with someone I love.
- If someone I am close to is acting a little different than they usually are, sometimes I jump to conclusions and assume they are mad. I have been this way for a very long time.
- My anxiety is even sparked when I see an argument or fight happen. It brings me a lot of stress.
Social Events/Parties- If I am surrounded by a lot of people I do not know, then I do get a little anxious. I would rather be surrounded by people that I know so I can feel comfortable and safe.
Low Energy– When I get tired, I will get very anxious and emotional. Nothing has to happen, I just want to cry and I start to overthink life.
Negative Thinking– I tend to use a lot of negative words about myself and situations that make me feel uncomfortable. If I start out my day saying,” Here we go, another long, tiring day,” then my day will not end up being as good as it could if I decided to say,” Lets start this day out right, excited to see where it goes,” instead.
- Being positive makes a huge difference in your day to day life.
Financial Well-Being– I would get very anxious when I would struggle thinking about how I was going to pay my housing bill for college.
- I decided it would be best if I commuted for the rest of college, to save some money and erase at least one of my problems.

I am someone who does a lot of over thinking, due to my anxiety. I tend to be over cautious when it comes to new experiences. I could turn a normal situation and end up labeling it as dangerous , just because it is a new experience for me. I make problems out of situations when there was no need to start any problems. I physically make my life so much harder than it needs to be.

If I simply stopped overthinking and had a more positive outlook on things, then I would be a happier person overall. It is a work in progress though, and sooner or later I will get to the place I want to be. Anxiety and overthinking does not have to be a part of your existence and it sure will not be a part of mine.