Fear you will never be welcome here!

Fear and Anxiety can have the power to control our lives, it has definitely taken its fair share of my time! Some days are good and some are bad, it's an ongoing battle for most people. We can find freedom from Fear and Anxiety!! One of my tools that I use is; You can't control your first thought but you can control your second and third. Changing our thought process doesn't have to be hard (it's not easy either). I wrote myself "ABC's for Mental Health', positive thoughts and activities on index cards starting with the letter "A". I use these to change my thinking and my mood if I am in a dark place. 26 cards that I never get bored of, they're fun to make and easy to use! Of course this doesn't work all the time, if you're like me then you know the "committee" comes in and takes over. You know the committee, those voices that come in and demand that you stay afraid and keep you from thinking rationally. That one little thought turns into a downhill spiral of worst-case scenarios and suddenly your brain is out of control!! I've been there and I still get there and I hate that feeling of helplessness. Sometimes, for me, the best thing I can do is call a friend or a family member, someone I trust and feel comfortable being honest with, all they need to do is listen. Sometimes I just need to say things out loud in order for it make sense. We can take our power back from fear and anxiety by just recognizing that it is fear or anxiety, it's a start. Having healthy routines helps me and I know that if I'm off my routine for too long, it will effect me. For more ways to help conquer fear and anxiety check out this page from NHS, it's a great resource and has some helpful ways to fight anxiety.

Music has been a tremendous help for me in fighting fear and anxiety. I recently came across this song, The Breakup Song by Francesca Battistelli, this song quickly became a daily affirmation me. I love songs that speak to me and this one is shouting to me, "Fear you will never be welcome here"!! I love it and I hope you love it too. Find music or poetry that speaks encouragement to you.

As Mental Health Awareness Month has come to an end, it's never really over, there is always work to be done. Be the person that flashes a smile or gives a simple complement. That easy gesture just put a smile on someones face. If you have someone you care about that needs a little light, reach out to them and share your light with them.

You can purchase our "This Little Light"candle at the Share This Little Light website, all proceeds go to Mental Health Awareness. Let's help each other shine our lights. "One Candle Can Light A Room, Imagine What Millions Can Do". Be part of someones mental health journey. We are stronger together. For fundraising information and questions you can reach out to info@sharethislittlelight.org, we'd love to help your organization.

In Love & Light

Jolene Ryan