A mental tune-up!

May is Mental Health Awareness month and it is so important to keep our mental health in tact no matter what......I have learned in my lifetime that our brains, and the thoughts we hold in our minds are so powerful.....you can go from living in freedom in your mind to a prison in a short time if you are not careful.....maintaining your mental space, and feeding it all the good is so important.....and I have written before about having a wicked panic and anxiety disorder in my 20s....one that was a force to be reckoned with.....and I overcame it, and part of the overcoming was finding a wonderful therapist that did cognitive behavioral therapy, and helped me reframe my thoughts and use the power of my mind for good:) And I used his strategies endlessly and they worked.....and I have never had anxiety like that again, even with all the stuff I faced over the years.....but I also learned the value and power in therapy....and how it moves you through the things you need to, and helps nurture your mental health......I went for awhile again after my sister passed.....which today it is the anniversary of her passing....and it is hard to believe she has been gone so long.....and after she passed I was terrified that my anxiety would come back....she passed in my late 20s.....but I was able to balance that with therapy, and it didn't.....and then I revisited therapy before my ex left.....by way of individual, and couples counseling, and continued it after he was gone....and I did it for about 2 -3 years after, very regularly.....and I was discharged but with the understanding that I was welcome to come whenever I wanted to.....and so yesterday I scheduled an appointment to unpack some of the stuff going on as of late....it has been a long time since I have had an appointment.........and it was lovely to see him, and it was much needed to sort through some stuff aloud.....and therapy is absolutely something that I feel all humans should do......life is tough....and complicated....and wonderful, and work, and all of the in between......and I felt the power of it even more deeply after my ex left....and watched myself regain my life through my appointments, and having space held for all that heavy stuff......and it was amazing.....he is also an amazing therapist.....I have referred him many times....and so the tune-up helped, and I am on my way.....but I suppose sharing this......... is expressing the space to say that therapy is more than OK to do......it doesn't mean there is something wrong with you, or that you should feel ashamed for needing it.....the healthiest people I know do it, and some folks really should be.....and it should not be something you should hide.....it is for everybody,....I truly believe that......and if you are feeling stuck in something, that is a cue you may need it:) I am so grateful for the gift he has been to my life....I gave him a book yesterday with an inscription......I will never think of this time in my life without thinking of him.....and his belief and support of me.....Get help y'all, don't go it alone:) Happy Sunday:)