As I've written for this blog, I've learned some pretty significant lessons. And the most important one is that there is power in speaking up. Now, living with Maxine, I didn't get that impression. I watched as people ignored what was going on...or simply didn't know what to do...and I heard loud and clear that nothing could change. So, when I was facing my own misery from mental illness, I didn't really see a solution. Even though I had enough professional experience to teach me differently. You see, there is a mind-set that can lead us into the path to recovery. It is called hope. I had trouble seeing hope because my experience with Maxine felt pretty hopeless. Although she seemed better at the end of her life, she was critically damaged by her mental illness. And my experience with her shaped my point of view. Maxine was my biggest teacher regarding possibility in my own life. And the lessons she taught me weren't particularly helpful in that regard.
So, almost 400 blog posts ago, I started a process that has led to huge change for me. I sat down at a difficult time in my life and started writing for my daughter. Although we had discussed our family history of mental illness openly, I felt almost led to explain it in writing. And as I wrote, I realized what a gift that my history could be. I was a Virtual Assistant at the time. And as part of my business, I had been trained to see the power in blogging. So, I spent a few months pondering whether I was doing the right thing. Then I plunged right in. You have seen the results. And I have continued to trust my instincts in choosing what to write. The thought occurred to me that I could share my platform with others who had stories to share. I have to be honest, I got the idea from Glenn Close and her organization, BringChange2Mind. I've started to slowly find people interested in sharing their stories. And I'm grateful that my audience has embraced their stories as much as they have embraced mine.
Which leads me to the point again. When we talk, we are not only challenging stigma, we are letting in hope. What we cannot do alone, we can do together. Our stories have meaning. We share who we are. We share who we want to become. And amazingly, that can lead us to the path to becoming who we want to be. I am who I want to be. I am an advocate. That role has led to a whole lot of peace for me. If you feel led to share your story, I am honored to be your platform. Take a risk! Let others in. You won't know where it will lead you till you try. Let's talk!
So, almost 400 blog posts ago, I started a process that has led to huge change for me. I sat down at a difficult time in my life and started writing for my daughter. Although we had discussed our family history of mental illness openly, I felt almost led to explain it in writing. And as I wrote, I realized what a gift that my history could be. I was a Virtual Assistant at the time. And as part of my business, I had been trained to see the power in blogging. So, I spent a few months pondering whether I was doing the right thing. Then I plunged right in. You have seen the results. And I have continued to trust my instincts in choosing what to write. The thought occurred to me that I could share my platform with others who had stories to share. I have to be honest, I got the idea from Glenn Close and her organization, BringChange2Mind. I've started to slowly find people interested in sharing their stories. And I'm grateful that my audience has embraced their stories as much as they have embraced mine.
Which leads me to the point again. When we talk, we are not only challenging stigma, we are letting in hope. What we cannot do alone, we can do together. Our stories have meaning. We share who we are. We share who we want to become. And amazingly, that can lead us to the path to becoming who we want to be. I am who I want to be. I am an advocate. That role has led to a whole lot of peace for me. If you feel led to share your story, I am honored to be your platform. Take a risk! Let others in. You won't know where it will lead you till you try. Let's talk!
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