Michelle's mental health update

Whew! What a crazy five years it's been, right? I've been going through an awakening of sorts, one that focuses on mental health and finding calm and peace in my life. I was sharing my journey on social media and then stopped sharing; I think I overshared...you have to be careful. But I didn't stop learning. I think it's time to recap what I've learned over all so far. There's a lot.

If you want to start your own journey to a more peaceful existence, these are my suggestions: 

Start with your diet. I take supplements including lots of magnesium, calcium and zinc as well as a daily women's vitamin. I eat food rich in those things, too. For my high BP I take beet gummies. 

I am more than vegetarian, less than vegan (I still eat free range eggs and I like baked goods that might contain dairy ingredients), and I rarely eat fast food. Just cutting out meat resulted in my losing a lot of weight. Already I was healthier. And right there, I was feeling more positive, less anxious. 

Along with diet, start burning anxiety by exercising in some way. It can be pacing, like I did around my homestead for years. I still like to wander around a little each morning. I collect amazing good energy rocks as I pace, rocks that now cover my porch and house. I carry a pocket rock every day for good energy. 

Stretching is good, and I have an exercise bike I spin on through the day. 

I also started consulting my doctor about my anxiety and depression. She prescribed helpful medications, one of which I'm still on but tapering off from. The meds were life changing and helped shake me out of my gloom. 

At the same time, I discovered medical marijuana.  I got a card and began trying different strains that calmed and instilled positivity in me. I felt less need for the prescription meds. I discovered that using both hybrid and indica strains was effective. Who do we sue for keeping medical marijuana away from those who needed it all these years? Big pharma? The government? 

The space you inhabit can also affect your mood. I smudge every morning when I rise. I use the magical plants on my homestead. In the summer, I also use good morning energy to gather plantage for more smudge sticks. 

I open the curtains to let in healing light, and I chant as I smudge, asking Spirit for positive energy, love and light and for kindness among us all. 

Related to the chanting and the spiritual aspect of all this are two tools I learned to use when I'm more anxious than usual, like when I'm shopping in Walmart. 

The first is a tool called emotional freedom techniques, or EFT. It is more commonly called tapping. It ties in with the practices of acupuncture and acupressure by pulling our energies into balance, easing panic. There's a short version I do in the aisles of Walmart. Many good tutorials are Google-able. I hope you check them out. 

The second is an actual, physical tool. It's called the Calm Carry. 

This little guy fits in the palm of your hand and emits a pulse of various strengths that, like acupuncture, aligns energy, calming you down. I also use it at Walmart if tapping doesn't work. I carry it in my purse. 

My photography, a lifelong hobby, has been healing as well. I love the sky in the east mountains and I began taking snaps of it and the mountain views, sharing on social media. I honor our state, sharing snaps I take on road trips, etc. I'd love to be New Mexico's photographer laureate. 

My whole life, writing has always been healing. I've always kept a journal of sorts, which these days is basically this blog. Writing organizes my chaotic thoughts and feelings, helping me calm down and even figure out solutions to problems. 

Most importantly, I realized that I need purpose, something to work for, something that not only helps me but others, too. I'm trying to help young people through our education system... help them learn to deal with school and perhaps work toward changing how we do it, without stress, without anxiety. I want to do this with my blog and by setting up a Be Kind Network that helps learning occur in our communities, not in artificial environments. 

I want to work with educators who are in the trenches and make school a better place to be. This is my big purpose, I believe. Lots of stuff there. 

There's no single cure for depression and anxiety; it often takes a combination of many things. Part of the journey is figuring out what works for you. Pay attention to the glimmers, the positive spots in your day. Identify your favorite time of the day and honor it by doing things that bring you peace. Be aware of outside energies that affect you. 

Until next time...