A few months ago marked four years of My Brain’s Not Broken and I will be honest – I did a terrible job of marking this milestone. Like many other people, 2021 has felt like a whirlwind of a year, and it’s felt almost impossible to keep up with everything. Every day brings tasks to accomplish and challenges to overcome, and if you don’t stop and look at the bigger picture, you miss some things. So I thought it was about time I got back around to sharing an appreciation post – for the many wonderful people who read this blog, and the amazing things I’ve experienced from sharing my mental health journey for the last four-plus years.
When I step back and think about this blog, it’s astonishing how much writing these posts have contributed to my personal growth, not only for my own mental health but for advocating for people who experience mental health challenges.
I’ve grown more confident in sharing my experience – even when (especially when) that experience wasn’t positive. I’ve learned that sometimes, things just suck – and not only is that okay, but I’m not alone in feeling this way. I went from feeling extremely isolated in my struggle to seeing that there was an entire community of people who speak my same language and see the world in similar ways. I felt less alone.
This blog has also given me hope for my own mental health challenges. I’d say that I’m an optimist in almost every area of life except when it comes to my own mental health. It’s not fun to admit, but I don’t always practice what I preach on this blog.
A lot of the times, I face mental health setbacks. A lot of times, I feel like a failure. But being able to share this experience for so long has also shown me the peaks and valleys that exist in our mental health journeys, which has been incredibly helpful for my personal growth. Every day is a unique lesson in living with mental illness – and however I feel about it, it’s an attitude I certainly didn’t have when I started this blog.
I rarely take the time to appreciate all the good things this blog has brought. I’ve received support from all over the world from people who have shared kind words and appreciation for the thoughts I’ve been fortunate enough to share. I’ve had conversations from people who, like me, felt alone in their struggle and didn’t think anyone else felt the way they did. I’d like to think I’ve provided a brief light to someone when they needed it – like so many of my favorite bloggers and writers have done for me.
I also appreciate you – yes, YOU reading this post. I never thought that writing this blog would amount to anything other than getting some anxious and depressing thoughts off my chest. Honestly, if it never amounted to more than that, it was enough for me. But seeing this blog grow over the years, and seeing the overwhelming response from people who feel seen and heard from me writing my experience, has been one of the most encouraging things I’ve ever experienced.
I know I always say that you’re not alone, but there were – there are – so many times that I feel alone, and coming to this space to share those thoughts and feelings has lifted me up. I am just so appreciative of it all, and I’m so excited as I continue charting this journey forward. Thank you.
My Brain's Not Broken 