September 9th – 15th is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week this year friends! It is something that is SO close to my heart that I wanted to take some time each day this week to open up the conversation about mental health by sharing my own story with you – I’ll be sharing these posts on my Instagram account because that is where I do a majority of my sharing, however, I’m finding the character limitations to be a problem over there with this hearty subject! So here on the blog I’ll be a bit less edited down each day 🙂
It was almost 10 years ago, that I hit the darkest time of my life. And although I talk about it a lot in some ways, I don’t talk about the really dark things often, I don’t talk about the reality of how it felt to not be able to bear to live. I don’t talk about the time I almost overdosed on pain meds, or the times I told my husband I was just fine and then went immediately to a place where I could be alone and imagine a plan for ending my own life… It is not easy stuff friends…
Sometimes I tell myself, people want happy, they want light! No one wants to hear these things… But then what service am I doing for humankind, what role am I playing in spreading the light, if I’m not living in the light of the actual truth.
A huge huge piece of recovery, of fighting and making it through mental health darkness is SPEAKING THE TRUTH. And in that, I want to lead by example and share more of my own.
And I would love to hear from YOU. I want this to be an opportunity for all of us to tell our story, I want to know what it has been like for YOU, what it IS like for you right now. Because I have another truth for you friend, and it is this:
If you are HERE, reading this, breathing, living, surviving, fighting… If you are HERE even amid the struggles of being alive on this planet earth, well then. You are a survivor.
YOU ARE A SURVIVOR.
I AM A SURVIVOR.
Let’s come together and celebrate that by being brave with our truth. Let’s link arms, listen, and love each other deeply. Let’s live in the truth, friends. I would love it if you would share your story with me too.
Message me, email me, comment, share this post, whatever serves you, and your truth, do it! This is an official permission slip to put it out there, to reach out, because I’m right here paying attention, I’ve been there, I am here with you, and I deeply DEEPLY care.
*Please remember too, if you are in trouble, and thinking about suicide, don’t wait, reach out. Here call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or go to their website here.
Thank you for sharing, Shauna. I’m so glad that you’re on the other side of those dark days.
<3 <3 thank you.
“Let’s link arms, listen, and love each other deeply”
You and George have lived this with me. I’m forever grateful.
Thank YOU for the opportunity to walk through it with you! You are a beautiful example of sharing and not going through life’s struggles alone <3 SO so grateful for you!
7 years ago, in September, my oldest son had just left for college on the other side of the country. I was inconsolable.
I was driving to an art retreat, there was construction on the freeway, and all of a sudden the fast lane veered sharply to the right. I had one of those moments you hear about, where my life flashed before my eyes, and I contemplated driving straight in to the cement center divider. I even had time to be aware that people would just think it was a car accident.
But I have 2 sons, and I couldn’t imagine the younger one getting on without me.
For about 4 years, they were my only reason for living. Then I found a great therapist who helped me live for myself. I still struggle, it’s not easy, and sometimes I want to let myself slide in to the black. But I don’t.
Thank you for your beautiful story
Kathy ;