In honor of Valentine’s Day, I wanted to update you on my journey of self-love. As you know I am a survivor of Post Partum Depression and Post Partum Anxiety. Last year I was diagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety.
It took me three years to talk to my family and friends about my diagnoses with PPD and found it extremely hard to update everyone on my current mental health. After my diagnoses, I was in a difficult spot mentally. It was hard to look at myself in the mirror because I didn’t want to see my reflection.
After a month of accepting my mental diagnoses, I decided to try to do things that only made me happy. This involved intense therapy with a psychiatrist and communication with my husband. I literally wrote everything down that made me happy and a list of things that did not. Each day I focused on sticking to a strict routine and wrote in my journal daily. If something triggered me to have an anxiety attack I wrote it down, I did the same for when I can feel a shift in my mood.
After a week I noticed a change in my spirit. I found joy in the things that made me happy and finding new ways to cope with things that didn’t. I planned our annual family trip to Disney, focused on alone time, and even bought myself flowers every day.
Self-love is a never-ending journey. It involves making yourself a priority every day. Being a busy mother is not always easy, and you need to be the best version of yourself in order to bring joy to your children. Mental illness is real, remember to always be kind and patient to everyone.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Real Life, Always.
XO
DISCLAIMER: I am not a Dr. or a licensed professional. All opinions are based on my personal experiences. This information should not be considered as medical or mental health advice.
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