I need to get back to my time spent at Wesley Woods as in many ways it was very comical, but sometimes things come to mind I may forget and they take over.
Rise & Shine has had several manifestations over the years, but it had a a life changing one a few weeks back. First off I’m amazed by the various Rise & Shine gifts I have received over the years. Mugs, a pillow cover, a plate, pictures, a ring, bracelets, clay art, cards and a multitude of pictures on FaceBook. Back in Texas I was a ten year volunteer with my local children’s advocacy center. Towards the end of my time there I sometimes felt I was tattooed with the words “child sexual abuse”. If something regarding abuse was occurring within my circle of friends or community members I typically received a call asking questions, expressing concerns and oftentimes venting about something happening in the community. There were times it was draining, times where I harbored frustration as I felt limited as to what I could do. After many years this took a toll on me. I know people who have worked in the field for years and years. People who wake up in the morning knowing the day ahead hosts numerous interviews of children who have been abused to then be followed by writing reports. I wouldn’t be able to do this day in and day out.
I have found something I can wake up to and feel motivated without being drained, and with minimal feelings of being overwhelmed. My new tattoo I have been branded with is “mental health”. Not only is this personal, something I have to manage daily, but it now falls into my professional bucket. My focus in the last couple of years has been towards the youth, as in the past, but with a focus on mental health. Mental health from a prevention standpoint as well as mental health disease when it has taken hold.
When I draw a circle and write mental health in the middle I see offshoots going to addiction, suicide, bullying, physical/sexual abuse, educational issues, eating disorders, etc. If we can begin to tackle mental health issues from a proactive standpoint we may be able to affect the various offshoots. I say “can” as we need dedicated resources specifically directed towards mental health resources, quality resources. We need to do away with the stigma. We need to talk and share our experiences. The youth of today need to know there are adults walking around with diagnoses, who take medicine, who alter their lives, who seek therapy, who monitor themselves and their thinking, and have no issue raising their hand to ask for help.
When I see someone with cancer living their life and thriving I say so could I. When I see someone missing a limb and competing in sports I say so could I. When I see someone confined to a wheelchair I say so could I. When I see someone going through physical therapy I say so could I. Do I see someone walking with mental illness? I don’t unless they take the time to tell me. So how will our youth be able to say “so could I”?
I had a revelation as mentioned above. While sitting in class for my yoga certification discussing being grounded it hit me. We can’t Rise & Shine if we aren’t grounded or rooted. In order to rise we need to start from somewhere. We need to have a sense of foundation and solid ground. We do this by taking care of our mental health. We do this by advocating and backing mental health services. We do this by saying screw the stigma and shame, we shed these. We do this by talking and sharing when appropriate. We do this by asking for help. We do this by not feeling guilty for self-care. We do this by valuing the brain just as we do other organs in our body.
It took me years to get to this point. To know the potion I need to keep myself healthy and limit the impact to myself as well as others. I Rise & Shine taller and brighter and work my a$$ off to go further! I do this for myself, my kids, my family, my friends, my community and the youth of today. I can be a role model and so can you!
Rise & Shine
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