World Mental Health Day: A Call for Compassion

It’s World Mental Health Day and it’s a perfect reminder to embrace yourself—mind, body, and soul. Sometimes we often forget to take some time to appreciate our individual uniqueness and the hard battles we fight day in and day out. But let today (and every day for that matter) be a reminder to be an advocate, fight to break the stigma, and value yourself inside and out.

Most of my life, I didn’t fully understand my own mental health. I brushed off exhaustion as laziness, anxiety as overthinking, and sadness as something you just had to “push through.” I thought that being strong and put together was the only way to survive in society. But I realized that my differences surpass the norms and that I have many layers of mental health struggles underneath.

It wasn’t until I started acknowledging my mental health, and really seeing it, that I began to start the healing process. Getting diagnosed, was a complete game changer for me. I was finally able to understand myself—my actions, my gestures, and how my brain works. I learned that it’s certainly not an easy path to navigate, but it’s given me a sense of peace and belonging.

This year’s World Mental Health Day is a reminder that everyone is battling something you may not notice on the outside. There is a lot of depth to us and we’re all learning things at our own pace. Let’s remember to be there for one another and support others on their journey. I know first-hand the feeling of being a part of the community, and how it made me feel seen and noticed. A place where I finally felt that I belong.

So, let’s keep bringing awareness to those who don’t seem to understand us. Keep up the good fight, and never, and I mean never, stop being yourself. We’re all just trying our best at the end of the day.

Happy World Mental Health Day. Embrace yourself. Embrace the journey. Embrace the unseen.