Self Love February, Day 21:

Fear. This is a big one. And I am certain my fear is similar to many people out there.

The fear to ask for help and advocating for your health. This can be hard if you’ve had bad experiences in the past, but your health is worth fighting for.

I should have spoken up last year about my mental health. Yes, I went to the doctor, but there was a misunderstanding of what I was trying to convey. I eventually got what I was looking for, but things never got better. Not completely, and I struggled for the last year. I was hoping for medication at that time – but, surprisingly, it was never offered at that time.

But speaking up about mental health is hard. Speaking up about what you need is hard.

But it is also very freeing. To actually put voice to your needs. To be heard and seen.

There’s still a lot of stigma around mental health. There’s fear to be labeled as unreliable or broken. But for many of us who are silently suffering and highly functioning, this isn’t always the case. Yes, we’ll have a rough day or week, but then be “better” for months. We’ll still be hurting, but to the outside world, we look fine.

This is why it’s important to be kind; you don’t know what people are going through.

So what are you afraid to ask for? What do you need to speak up about?

• are you overworked and underappreciated and need to ask for a raise or less responsibility?
• Are you a single mom who is struggling with bills and food?
• Are you an empty nester who lost your partner struggling with loneliness?
• Are you a stay at home parent who feels you don’t have your partners support when they get home from work?
• Are you a student struggling with bills and keeping your grades up?
• Are you a new mother struggling with post partum depression?
• Are you trying to start a family and struggling with infertility and/or repeated miscarriages?

Whatever it is you’re needing to speak up about, you are worthy to get resolution. You’re worthy to get help.