World Mental Health Day edition.
Well, it’s a random edition, but it just so happens to be World Mental Health Day today, which is timely really. You see, I’ve been struggling a lot lately, and I have most people fooled (unintentionally) that I’m doing quite well when I’m actually not. Come to think of it, and I’m just realising this as I type, the reason I can be so convincing, is that I’m at my best when I’m around people; others energise me, so it’s easy to “be okay” when I’m with other people. It’s the nights that are lonely and thought-provoking that can sink me. And it’s happened to me before.
My dear friend and Mental Health Awareness advocate, Kat, has been with me every step of the way, and includes my story as part of her public speaking engagements. She’s a bloody legend and is very open with her story.
Anyway, welcome to another random 10 on the 10th. Sorry I missed last month. I’ve been hiding in a non-writing hole.
1. Happy Birthday Uncle Felix! And happy birthday Erica for Sunday! You and your lovely family are such a blessing in our lives and we had the most wonderful time with you in Orange. (Also, happy birthday to my neighbour Shey for Friday and my Mum for Saturday!!! :-))
2. Chance and Quinn and I, along with my nephew and his girlfriend, are heading to Melbourne today for PAX. (There were too many links to include!!) We will be there until next Tuesday, and Chance is just beside himself with excitement about all the video games! Quinn has, as usual, got her poker face on, but I’m sure we will find some fun stuff to do. Darby and Julius are staying with Mum and Dad while we are away (yes, I have the absolute best parents) and I think five nights is the longest I’ve been away so wish us all luck!!!
3. A few months ago now, I de-registered as a Marriage Celebrant. After the two most incredible weddings last year – one where I got to marry Frith’s best mate to his long time love, and the other where I got to marry my best friend Beth to her wonderful partner, I knew I was done. I was asked to do a couple more ceremonies but I just couldn’t bring myself to say yes, so I knew it was time. It was a fun run, but it’s time to find something new.
4. I had an allergy test done the other day, which required me to stop taking my antihistamines for five days beforehand. FIVE DAYS GUYS!! IN SPRINGTIME!!! It was so brutal. I was getting tested for a potential seafood allergy, as I had a reaction a few months ago to something that blew my face and sinuses up!
I had the skin prick test done and luckily it came back all clear!!! Still doesn’t explain what I reacted to but I don’t care – I can eat prawns and crab, so that’s the main thing!
5. I joined The Bay Health Club (fancy name for “the gym”) and it’s the first lot of classes I’ve been doing that is even close to my beloved Fit Mums. I’m not expecting miracles, and I’m certainly not putting pressure on myself, but if I can make it three times a week, I’m super stoked. Bring on the guns!!
6. My absolute favourite thing to listen to on Spotify is the Ultimate Covers album. Even the kids know all the songs now. Winning!
7. I messaged my friend Kate the other day, saying that no matter what I do or plan for the kids, there’s always one who isn’t happy and how it was so frustrating. She came back with a different way of looking at things: “75% are happy. That’s a B+.” I’m happy with a B+.
8. My photo wall is coming along nicely. I have a whole lot of frames and a whole lot more photos to print, but yes, it’s coming along nicely.
9. I had some intentional self-care on Tuesday morning with Darby and Julius at my local coffee shop. And as a bonus, one of my school mum friends was there with her little boy so we had a nice little coffee break. The fact that Julius threw an epic tantrum on the way home and it took us 20 minutes to walk 150m, well, it’s all part of the fun, isn’t it? Lucky he’s so damn cute.
10. I visited my GP today, due to the aforementioned struggling, and it dawned on me that I really thought being on medication would be a much more temporary thing, and that once we decided what I should take, that would be it, and the dosage would be just so. I have been up and down on it since mid last year, and I’m still having to tinker. That’s the thing about the beast that is depression – there’s no fix-all solution; there are no easy answers, and having a good GP can literally make or break you.
Something I’ve been speaking to a new friend of mine about lately, is how we are both better at giving advice than taking advice, and we are particularly bad at following the advice we give others, even if it’s exactly relevant to us. I love being a person that people want to confide in; it makes me feel useful; so if you need to talk and you don’t know who to start with, send me a message. Or reach out to someone you trust. There’s always someone who has an idea of what your going through, and not feeling alone in your struggle is a big step.
“Happy” World Mental Health Day xxx