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My late sister Judith raised her children in full French immersion and she did not know a lick of the language. She however met everything with "C'est la vie". I now use this as my connection to my sister, her struggles, my life struggles, resiliency, and acceptance for not being able to change the past but create a future. This saying has so much more meaning to me and continues to provide me with more meaning the more i experience, struggle, learn, and heal.

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I often visit my self-care plan to support my big feelings towards my trauma and mental health. It started off as an assignment and is now my goto outlet for self care.

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Art by @hayleydrewthis

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theofficialsadghostclub

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At the end of the day, are you your own worst enemy or a friend to yourself ? Are you talking yourself down, or are you comforting your hurt feelings ? Do you repeat the mean things people say to you or do you find nice words for yourself ? It matters. What you say, what you think about yourself, it matters, it shapes your reality, and this year, let's all make an effort to make that reality a little more supportive, a little more gentle.

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@peopleiveloved

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recovery can be difficult and can take a lot longer than you expected. don’t be hard on yourself for getting burnt out. have compassion even when it feels like your not recovering “fast enough” or “correctly.” everyone is on their own path.

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In every ending there is a beginning I am willing to chase. In every beginning there is the fear of it all coming to an end.

Give yourself the time to mourn what was and then allow yourself to feel the bliss of starting anew.

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She is me ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹

She’s so beautiful. She is me

She’s sweet and calm. She is me

She’s grateful for everything. She is me

She’s in full control of her life. She is me

She has positive energy. She is me

She knows what she wants. She is me

She’s confident in her body. She is me

She’s found her peace. She is me

She learns from mistakes. She is me

She never doubts herself. She is me

She’s pretty like a swan. She is me

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what “feeling better” can look like after using a coping technique:

beng able to get up and walk around safely

thinking/talking more clearly and lessening of brain fog

a willingness to re-engage with a situation/emotion (even with some reluctance)

ability to do a task you did not want to/could not do before

being able to plan and problem solve (even if you still don’t know what to do)

improved concentration/focus

more understanding of a situation

calmer and slower thoughts (rather than scattered thoughts/rumination)

slower heartbeat and breathing

faster heartbeat, if doing exercise, and momentum that gives you a chance to do a task before you sit down again

being able to sleep easier

an ability to look at the big picture and not get lost in the details

feeling that you can “manage”

ability to control outbursts/destructive behaviour or pause before acting

managing to stop crying

I think people tend to assume their mood is what will improve after trying coping techniques, however, your mood is not the full extent of your mental health, and it doesn’t totally define whether or not a technique has helped you. When disorders cause symptoms like chronic emptiness and low mood, it’s worthwhile to pay attention to your body and your abilities to look for signs of improvement, which can then have an affect on your mood in the long term.

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This is an image that speaks to me of how our medications keep us alive and out of pain, just as much as someone who struggles with alcohol addiction and relies on alcohol to make them feel better/okay.

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At 18, pregnancy provided me with resources and supports I did not have access to before becoming pregnant and just being referred to as a "drop out" a "druggie" or a "defiant delinquent" as a result of my lack of connections following trauma and abuse.

I feel thankful every day for my journey of perspective and the gift of becoming a mother, and will forever advocate for those who stand in the position I have been in and face adversity and lack of connections.