Bravely She Blogs

Embarking on a journey of creativity, I’ve joined @ryrob in the #f29 Creative Challenge! Day 1 is a wrap, and I’ve poured my heart into a piece that’s close to my soul. It’s a story of fragments, a non-linear narrative that mirrors the mosaic of life as seen through my eyes. For me, this isn’t just a challenge; it’s a pilgrimage back to the heart of my own narrative, to the six-year-old whose world was once fractured by a storm of emotions too powerful for words. I have always been a writer, using words to unravel my experiences with childhood emotional neglect (CEN), narcissistic abuse, and trauma. It hasn’t been until recent times that I began to wonder if being diagnosed with major depressive disorder might be an indication of life lived on the spectrum, rich with colours that not everyone can see. Stay tuned as I share my art, one day at a time, in this collective voyage of expression and discovery. #CreativityUnleashed #Day1 #beyourownkindofbrave #writersofinstagram

Oh I’m so excited to share a page of my journey with you all – my words have found a cozy home in Bella Grace, The Cosy Edition 2023. 📖💫 Thank you @bellagracemagazine and @stampington. This gorgeous magazine is more than a publication—it's a celebration of the cozy corners we all cherish and the shared stories that connect us. . Thank you @successencourager for tagging me, it was a heartwarming surprise to learn my words are alongside yours, for I too share your love of the soothing sound of an old typewriter (sigh). . In the stillness of the colder months, self-care becomes our quiet rebellion. So too, for those of us facing mental health concerns. No matter where you are, it's a nourishing time to turn inward, to pen down our thoughts, and harness our innate resilience. . A huge shout-out to the brilliant souls featured alongside me #successencourager and @candypaull. Your insights are like shining stars in the night sky. Let's embrace this season of introspection and gentle care, creating a quilt of comfort with our words and experiences. . #BellaGraceMagazine #BeYourOwnKindOfBrave #SlowLiving #WinterSelfCare #Neurodiversity #MentalHealthMatters #WritingCommunity #PublishedWriter #bellagracecozy #cozyissue #cozyvibes #cozy #cozymood

Hello Beautiful Souls, today as we breathe into the gentleness, I’d like to share a heartfelt realisation. Last week, we delved into the theme of 🌿 Simplicity 🌿 through the One Page a Day approach. Today, I'd like to share a realization that emerged from my attempts to curate my life in this way: what I thought was a move towards simplicity was actually my tendency to self-regulate through future fantasy. As someone with ADHD and chronic health issues, I've found that my mind often escapes to future scenarios, imagining sweeping changes or "hard resets." And while this can offer temporary relief, it also pulls me away from the present moment, from the here and now where life is truly lived. As a former personal fitness trainer, I was trained to focus on 'mindset' and the transformative power of exercise. When I became severely ill with depression, I thought I could just 'exercise my way' to wellness. But my body had other plans; it needed rest, not exertion. This disconnect pushed my mind further into future fantasies as a way to cope. I'd imagine a version of myself who was already healed, bypassing the very real and necessary process of recovery. While this offered temporary relief, it also disconnected me from the present moment, where true healing and living occur. So today, I'm leaning into Simplicity as she whispers - “Cherish the small steps, the quiet moments, the gentle breaths. For it's here, in the present, that life unfolds and healing begins.” 📝 Journal Prompt of the Day 📝 What is one small, achievable action you can take today to anchor yourself in the present moment? For me, it's been as simple yet profound as washing my face. This act serves as a physical anchor, a reminder that I am here, and I am enough, just as I am. I invite you to join me in this exploration of Presence Over Fantasy. Let's take a collective deep breath together, grounding ourselves in the space of the heart. Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments. Your voice adds to the richness of our collective journey. Sending glimmers, Kimberlee

Hello Beautiful Souls, today as we reflect on our inner horizons, I'd love to share with you, what I like to call my One Page a Day approach. If I only had one page today to record my actions what would make it to the page, and what wouldn't. Today, as I thought about how incredibly taxing it's been, trying to show up for myself while battling depression and chronic sinus issues. The universe seemed to be nudging me towards a theme 🌿 Simplicity . In a world that often demands more, more, more, let's focus on what we already have. Simplicity helps us come home to ourselves, and that's what we'll explore today. 📝 Journal Prompt of the Day 📝' What is one area of your life where you can embrace simplicity today? Let's take a collective deep breath together and let the mind settle into the space of the heart. This prompt is a huge invitation to delve into simplicity, and for me, it begins with the mind. As someone with ADHD, my mind has a tendency to complicate everything, to jump from one idea to the next without pausing for a moment of calm. So, today, simplicity means creating a mental space where I can gently guide my thoughts back to what truly matters, here and now. This might involve returning to the sound of my breath, or grounding myself by acknowledging the richness of my five senses. Savouring the taste of a warm cup of coffee, or noticing the feel of a gentle breeze on my skin. Today, I'm taking the small but meaningful step of practicing this kind of mindfulness, even if it's just for a few minutes. It's my way of inviting a sense of ease and clarity into my day. My hope is to stop filling my mind and space with distraction, to cease the impulse to emulate and create based on what I think I should be doing. Instead, I want to give myself the freedom to simply create, to let the heart guide my journey. How about you, my brave friend? What does simplicity mean to you today? I invite you to share your thoughts in the comments, so we can make this a space for our collective reflections Beaming you a virtual hug, Kimberlee

When you have depression, it can be jarring - and distressingly triggering when there is a family crisis. —trigger warning, stroke, multiple sclerosis and depression. The phone rang and instantly I knew something was wrong. “It’s your Mother, she’s had a stroke”, he managed to tell me. My Mum has multiple sclerosis (MS) and I braced myself ...he continued, "she's stable, the paramedics were there within ten minutes". After I hung up from that call I booked the next available flight to Australia, from the UK. The weeks that followed were a tumultuous time. I can’t go into it but it was disturbing how things were handled from the medical perspective. I felt powerless against the medical system. Her treatment was at best adequate at worst, appalling. Mum was a stroke patient but they completely by-passed the fact she was also battling a chronic disability. Even though it had been six weeks, as soon as I got on the plane home, I immediately regretted leaving. At the same time I was excited to be on my way home to see my husband and fur-baby kitten. It was the right thing, because although I was heartbroken I was also exhausted and at breaking point with my mental health. And I’m reaching out today for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I want you to know I’m sad about not showing up here for ages. But more importantly I want you to know: Whatever you are going through right now, no matter how intense it feels, there is a hidden strength within you. When you breath is caught between the inhale and the exhale - and all you can do to still yourself is to rock and count your breath. Rock my darling and let life hold you close. Hugs sweet friend if you’re reading this today and if you can relate, please know you you matter in this world very much. Hugging you in my thoughts, Kimberlee x Posted with @plannthat #plannthat #depression #stroke #multiplesclerosis #beyourownkindofbrave

꧁ 𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 ꧂ Hey brave friends, Today, October25, is POTS Awareness Day. Until now, I’d not heard of POTS, a nervous system disorder which affects every body function. The symptoms are invisible and difficult to diagnose. I’d like to thank @lbhealthandlifestyle for bringing this to light so powerfully. ≋ read more ≋ Lucy, a fellow chronic illness blogger shares how it takes on average 7 years to be diagnosed, with 73% of patients seeing a doctor who hasn’t heard of POTS and 20% seeing 10+ doctors before being diagnosed. Even after diagnosis many people like me are just discharged, told there’s no cure and given no treatment. I was left to do my own research into diets, lifestyle changes and holistic strategies to help regain my health. Hopefully by raising awareness people suffering will be diagnosed quicker, receive more effective treatment and better support from loved ones. ≋ If you are battling invisible illness, please know you are not alone. Thank you for being here. I hope you are all doing okay. Stay brave sweet friend, hugs, Kimberlee …… #beyourownkindofbrave #mentalhealthmatters #depressionselfcare #depression #depressionandanxiety [#POTS](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/pots/) [#POTSUK](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/potsuk/) [#PotsWarrior](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/potswarrior/) [#PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/posturalorthostatictachycardiasyndrome/) [#PotsSyndrome](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/potssyndrome/) [#Potsie](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/potsie/) [#InvisibleIllnessAwareness](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/invisibleillnessawareness/) [#ChronicIllnessAwareness](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/chronicillnessawareness/) [#Spoonie](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/spoonie/) [#AutoimmuneAwareness](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/autoimmuneawareness/) [#Dysautonomia](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/dysautonomia/) [#DysautonomiaWarrior](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/dysautonomiawarrior/) [#DysautonomiaAwareness](https://www.i

꧁𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐘 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒌-𝒊𝒏꧂ Hey brave friends Recently, I tested positive for Covid-19. Thankfully, I’d been triple immunized but it was still a shock, especially as I was starting to do really well with my mental and physical health. ≋ read more ≋ The fear is real. Laid up in bed for ten days the illness hit me hard. While I could breathe okay, the headaches, fever and debilitating fatigue was relentless. At the same time, I felt deeply discouraged because I had just recovered the confidence to blog again - I even joined a blogging challenge to support me in posting and connecting with you all more regularly ≋ I took some comfort in knowing the symptoms that had me curled up in bed would soon pass. ≋ Sadly those of us with depression know only too well, this isn’t the case with depression. The debilitating and distressing symptoms associated with depression are unpredictable and though they can be managed, there’s no end-point (a factor that makes this illness so dangerous). ≋ Today, I’m starting to feel a little better and I just wanted to reach out and say thank you. Thank you for being here. I hope you are all doing okay. ≋ Thank you for your likes and comments. And to those beautiful brave friends and brands that have reached out to me, thank you - I will respond to you via email soon! Stay brave sweet friend, hugs, Kimberlee …… #beyourownkindofbrave #mentalhealthmatters #depressionselfcare #covidrecovery #covidblues

𝓑𝓻𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓡𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻 ♥ 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜... I keep telling myself when I’ve got myself together I’ll show up on Instagram. And it got me thinking…this is what depression overwhelm looks like for me. When depression makes me believe “I’m not okay”, I experience grief. The intensity of feeling is made worse by depressive thoughts, triggering unhelpful behaviours. Catastrophizing and rumination, push me into socially isolating and I forget — . Beyond depression there’s a human being waiting for me to notice her. She’s brave, oh so brave. But she feels lost in a coping cycle. She just wants to feel better. . If you are still reading this and you can relate, I want you to know the struggle is real. Please don’t let the symptoms of depression trick you into delaying your good until some nebulous day in the future when you might feel better. You and I are going to get through this, one brave breath at a time. . Would love to know your thoughts, experiences, whether you relate, and what navigating depression overwhelm looks like for you. . Beaming virtual hugs xx Stay Strong PS: Love this Photo by Photo by Valentina Ivanova on Unsplash . . . #depression, #depressionoverwhelm, #depressionhelp,#depressionawareness, #depressionsupport, #depressionhurts, #beyourownkindofbrave #loveyourself, #mentalhealthmatters, #selflove, #thursdayvibes, #strongerthandepression, #survivingdepression, #ptsdsurvivor,#bloggersofinstagram

BRAVE 💚 CHECK-IN ... Hey, Brave Loves, I'm sharing the woman in the mirror this morning. The mirrored glass is tarnished, and the woman staring back at me appears to have a splotched, blemished face. Depression is the mirror, and lately it's been playing havoc with my self-esteem. There have been times I've been so close to pulling down Bravely and letting this illness totally consume me. . I don't share this for pity or attention. My only desire is to share a story. A very real story. . Depressive thoughts can make you feel like you are tarnished. But it's actually the mirror, this illness, that bears the stains - of stigma, shame and misunderstanding. I wonder? Can you relate to this story? . The ache of depression can make us turn away from our own needs, goals and dreams, by revealing all the blemishes we think are ingrained in us. That's the insidious nature of mental illness, it makes you feel like you are flawed. . Let's be gentle with ourselves today. As the sun returns to our days, may she bring our dreams into the spotlight and help us recover our true value. Today I will be my own kind of brave and post this selfie, because I want to bring Bravely to life - and I want to focus on the little things that matter to me, like writing, staring at the sky and creating beautiful things. . Depression is hard, and it feels like self-worth gets pulled into darkness. Don't you agree? . Hugs, Kimberlee xx

Hey Brave Loves, Today I'm beaming hugs of gratitude for the lovely @adrienelouise for her "Move" Yoga Practice. It's been days since I've gathered up my yoga mat and ventured to my secret garden by the canal. Today as I continued where my practice had trailed off (with Day 10), Adrien's words beamed right into my heart - "𝘔𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯"⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ . . .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And the sound jolted my mind into a startling insight: 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙙𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣? 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ . . .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A sacred pause within my yoga practice had invited me to put judgement, self-criticism and various automatic negative thoughts (ANT's) to one side, and meet myself in the moment, sitting on my mat, wondering into the possibilities.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ . . .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝓑𝓻𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓝𝓸𝓽𝓮: 𝙻𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚍𝚐𝚎, 𝚒𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚜. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚍𝚎𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚙𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝚂𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ . . .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Everything in Nature moves to support you. Life whispers through the soft, rhythmic sound of your heartbeat. Depression will make you think you have to fight to feel a sense of connection and belonging. But you don’t - the only thing you need to do is practice staying present, and cultivate appreciation for the power of your brave. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ . . .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We may not feel able to stay present when depression turns up the dial on our emotions, but we can practice cultivating a deeper relationship with the power of our brave⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ . . . ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Hugs sweet friend, Kimberlee x⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Sent via @planoly #planoly

Hey Brave Loves,⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I'm afraid I haven't posted in awhile, and I apologize if you've DM'd and I haven't responded. I have a little brave reminder for you, followed by a note about pet loss (in case this triggers you)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝓑𝓻𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓝𝓸𝓽𝓮: 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠. 𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ||ᴛʀɪɢɢᴇʀ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢ ᴀʜᴇᴀᴅ ||⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ On boxing day, I experienced a terrible loss and at times the grief has been almost too much to bear. I kissed my darling fur baby, my beautiful Ragdoll cat, Starrie, for the last time. She was a healthy cat through all her 17 years, until a sudden grave illness took her from us. My little girl was and always will be my angel puss.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This morning in the depths of grief, staring at the glints of sunlight reflected off a frosted, withered leaf, everything seemed to slow down. Tracing my breath inwards, I marvel at the tiny glimmers of light, the crispness of the birdsong and the beauty of the decaying leaf.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Everything in Nature expresses in a cyclic way, something I would like to get more familiar with. I love how the sunlight awakens the Earth and Snowdrops push through the darkness, blossoming into life. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When the voice of depression is cruelly undermining your true strength, use that moment to connect with your inner brave. You are connected to Nature and the world around you in a harmonious way.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And the beautiful truth is, Nature doesn't need anyone to "think" it into being, it spontaneously arises from and returns to - perfect wholeness. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We may not be able to cure this illness, but we can heal our relationship with it.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Hugs, brave friend XO⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Sent via @planoly #planoly

💚𝙷𝚎𝚢 𝙱𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚜, 𝙰𝚝 𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚎’𝚟𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚍𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚘𝚕𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚎 🦌 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚛.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝙸’𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚢, 𝙸’𝚖 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚑𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙? 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ W𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚞𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚢 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚞𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚍𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚍, 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚍𝚢 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚟𝚊𝚜 + 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚛𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚖𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚐𝚞𝚎, 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏: 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚜𝚘𝚘𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎'𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚕𝚜𝚎. 𝙼𝚢 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚐𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑, 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚘𝚔𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚕. 𝙸’𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚐𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚐𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚙𝚎𝚎𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚜. 𝙽𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗, 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚢.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🕯️𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐭, 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 (𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐢𝐨)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝙱𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚞𝚐𝚜, 𝒦𝒾𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇𝓁𝑒𝑒 𝓍𝑜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Sent via @planoly #wintersolstice

Hey Brave Loves 💚 I really love this quote, I cannot count the times a smile or a kind word has made all the difference. What do you think? Can you relate or is there anything else you would like to the conversion. . Let's embrace this quote as a potent brave reminder to always try to look for the beauty in ourselves and others. . Here’s the thing: depression pushes the mind into rumination, causing us to automatically assume the worst in a situation. I expand on this over on the blog in my post about how automatic negative thoughts (ANT’s) play havoc with our sense of worth. Basically these niggling thoughts cause the mind to fixate on those things we don't like in ourselves and others. . That’s why this quote is so powerful. The practice of noticing the beauty in yourself is a small but very powerful act of self-love. And when you express the beauty you see in another, you are demonstrating the power of self-love, while interrupting the the cycle of rumination. Essentially, you are bringing a little more kindness into this world. . Thank you, sweet beautiful friend, for choosing to be here with me. Your presence here is deeply appreciated. Stay Strong . Beaming Hugs #beyourownkindofbrave #loveyourself #mentalhealthmatters #selflove #thursdayvibes #strongerthandepression #survivingdepression #ptsdsurvivor #bloggersofinstagram #depressionawareness #depressionandanxiety

Hey Brave Loves 💚 Did you know that Seasonal Depressive Disorder isn't just a winter thing? Brighter days don't necessarily mean an improved mood. . The azure summer sky shimmers with tiny specks of glinting light, heralding a time of increased time outdoors. As the days grow longer (and hotter) I feel gripped by a sense of apprehension. Here in the UK, the easing of Covid-19 restrictions has all kinds of implications, all of which are triggering my anxiety. . My desire to be well, truly well is yet to be fully realized. And while my mood is gradually improving, my mental health continues to fluctuate - sometimes wildly. . Here's the thing: even mental outlook hasn't yet reached the optimum levels I thought summer would bring me, I am immensely grateful. I am grateful for the awareness that it is okay to feel low. . And there's something else. Even though I am feeling low, every precious breath is awakening the awareness of ever-present aliveness animating my whole body. This vital intelligence doesn't judge my worth according to my mental health status, it sings through my atoms unconditionally. . Whatever you are going through right now, please know you are not alone. Life supports you. My sweet friend, I wish for you to know you matter in this world. No matter what the voice of depression says, please know: Your worth isn't tied to anything you manage to do or achieve, it is an inherent part of who you are. . Breathe... and let your breath be like the soft, summer breeze, uniting you with your natural capacity to trust in Life, in you. Stay Strong. Beaming Hugs #seasonaldepression #mentalhealth #selflove #summer #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #beyourownkindofbrave #mentalillness #anxiety #inspiration #breathe #bipolar #survivingdepression #bloggersofinstagram #mentalhealthblog #mentalhealthrecovery