Contents

• Who are you?
• What is your struggle?
• How did you feel at your worst moment
• When did you turn it around?
• What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?
• Who did you share your struggle with?
• Your best piece of advice?
• Books and resources

Hello! Who are you?

Hello! My name is Natalia Nieves. I live in my hometown Palm Bay, FL, I grew up in Cocoa, FL. I graduated from high school in May 2023. Graduating from high school was my greatest achievement.

Right now I am doing a gap year, taking a break from education until I know exactly where I want to be. I am single, I wanna work on myself before I get into a relationship. My passions are writing, marine life, mental health, and self-care. 

Throughout the years, I have been discovering new things about myself through my mental health journey. I have always been the kind of child with a good heart. I grew up with my mom, who is my number one role model, and two younger siblings.

My childhood without my father was a struggle for me, I was four years old when I left my father. I didn’t understand the horrible things that he did and how he was emotionally and medically neglectful and what he did wasn’t okay. 

I have never been this happy in a long time. 2023 has shown me how “time heals everything”- Luke Combs. Every day I learn more about myself, my past experiences made me who I am today. 

This is something that took me a long time to realize that I am worthy. I am proud to see how things that we go through are lessons and guidance. Seeing how they are tests that challenge us to decide whether or not we choose to take the path towards something good.

By the way: Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control.

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

Find happiness with this 10-step mental health cheat sheet.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

What is your struggle and when did it start?

I experienced childhood sexual abuse in March 2019 (which was a one-time occurrence) when I was still in middle school and then in May 2021, I developed PTSD from that experience.

In May 2019, I started to suffer from depression that had nothing to do with the abuse. I remember the day when my depression was developing, I was sitting in my classroom and just didn’t care what was happening around me.

As my Sophomore year was coming to an end, I started to develop constant flashbacks, nightmares about the event, and severe anxiety causing shortness of breath, uncontrolled tremors, hypervigilance, and anxiety attacks from the traumatic event.

What was scary was my pulse would race and chest tightened when anxiety attacks would constantly come from post-traumatic stress. Along with PTSD, I suffered with trauma bond for two years.

In 2020, I started to suffer with social anxiety disorder after returning to school from the pandemic. Feeling isolated and losing confidence in myself made it really difficult for me to make new friends.

I was all alone wanting to hide by the wall. My closest friends didn’t return to school after covid-19, I was lonely and so anxious that I would cover my face with my hair. I was bullied in middle school which went on for a few years. 

In 2021, I also developed generalized anxiety disorder when my PTSD was beginning to show symptoms, and weeks later I decided to tell my story to a high school counselor, which felt like one of the most terrifying moments of my life

I then got help recently after speaking out about the sexual abuse from seeing a counselor on a weekly basis. I was vulnerable as I opened up about my experiences, being educated on why I was feeling ashamed, guilty, and betrayed by my perpetrator and learning how to not let it control me.

I found out from my most recent counselor that I have an anxious preoccupied attachment that I feel like I have been dealing with for as long as I can remember.

I get attached to others easily and fear rejection and abandonment, I am afraid of being hurt and betrayed by anyone new that comes into my life. I still struggle with trust issues from my past experiences, I fear that whoever I let in will let me down.

How did this struggle make you feel at your worst moments?

After the abuse happened, I didn’t realize or understand it was abuse. So instead, I felt like I bonded with my perpetrator and decided to get in contact.

We would text each other through Facebook Messenger and I craved the attention that my abuser gave me, there were highs and lows at times as most messages involved emotional abuse, but there were also conversations that were comforting. 

When we lost touch, I showed signs of depression. When I developed depression, it was like my heart was shattered into pieces. I lost the kind of relationship that I thought I had and felt like I did something wrong. 

When I realized that I experienced sexual abuse as a teenager, I didn’t know what to do. I started having vivid flashbacks from the event that made me feel afraid to tell anyone.

I feared telling the truth to someone, but I had to get it out when I didn’t know what else to do. I craved the cycle of abuse from the trauma bond I was psychologically trapped in and feared what would happen to my abuser if I told the whole story to someone.

When I shared my trauma from the beginning to the end of everything I remember, the school counselor I trusted believed me and got me the help I needed to heal. 

It felt like my blood ran cold when the truth came out and then my mom found out about it from someone else and I confessed the truth to her.

This experience caused me to feel guilty, ashamed, hypervigilant, and blame myself. I thought to myself, “I have feelings for this person.” “Why would this person do this?” “What did I do to deserve it?” 

These thoughts stuck with me for two years until I now realize that my experience can’t define me and I deserve better.

In 2020, when quarantine began, I felt so isolated and disconnected from the world. Months later, when the school opened again, I developed social anxiety disorder (SAD). 

I started to feel a lack of confidence in my appearance and I couldn’t look people in the eyes or have a conversation without anxiety creeping in. It was my sophomore year, and my mental state impacted my education. I was afraid and embarrassed to ask for extra help with my school work, work in small class groups, communicate, and connect with others in class.

When my post-traumatic stress (PTS) started to develop, I felt something that I’d never felt before in my life. I started having vivid nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and flashbacks that were constantly bringing back the trauma.

I wanted to say something to someone, but I was afraid of what would happen to my abuser. I decided that I would try to receive closure from my abuser before I took a big step toward healing. 

Then on the week of my abuser’s birthday in August 2021, it got to the point where I had to get the truth out to someone. During the summer of 2021, I started to talk about my experience with a good friend and still didn’t want anyone to know who abused me.

When my mom first suspected something and asked me if someone had touched me, I denied it. She could tell that I lied and tried to cover up the story.

My trauma bond made me feel like I had no control over my feelings towards my perpetrator and I did anything to not cause trouble and do anything for that person. 

My mom would do anything to protect me and my siblings and that was the part that terrified me. The addiction I had to post-traumatic stress was like there was no escape, I was emotionally trapped with my heart constantly being punched.

Then, my mom found out the truth from someone else by receiving a phone call and I had a feeling in my gut that she received horrific news. This was on the same day when I told my entire trauma experience to my high school counselor, which was a frightening occurrence that I carried.

My mom was on the phone being secretive of who was on the phone and I knew who it was. I was just as terrified as opening up to the officer who got involved. She talked to me in my room alone with furious behavior.

I was then getting help to work towards my healing journey. I was vulnerable and open to work on recovering from my mental illnesses, I wanted to not feel what I was feeling anymore.

I learned trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy to guide me by learning about the experience. I learned to let go and move forward with time. It was a lot of hell that I kept pushing through and I am proud to be where I am today.

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Was there a moment when you started to turn things around?

In June 2022, I decided to get on medication for my anxiety and social anxiety disorder. I have always been big on self-care when my mental health hits rock bottom. 

Being on medication after a few weeks showed a difference in my thinking with social situations. I started to see that I shouldn’t care what people think, I am a loyal and caring person, and I can find people who accept me after two years of insecurity.

This doesn’t mean that I am considering that others should get on medication to overcome a mental disorder, I never depended on it for my PTSD. We all have our own ways of healing.

As my post-traumatic stress showed unexpectedly, I never turned to substances as a coping mechanism. Instead, I needed to get it out by writing about the experience or telling someone about it. 

In October 2021, I remember myself thinking how I didn’t wanna keep living in pain and fear, I then was in counseling for the first time after I opened up about my sexual abuse.

I received a great education and healthy coping mechanisms to help me get through the dark times.

As months and then two years have gone, I kept educating myself to find answers. Today, I have healed from this tragedy by giving it my best to prioritize my healing journey with time.

With the support I got and educating myself, I feel relief that I am seeing change in my personal journey. 

When I was depressed for a year, I didn’t think I would realize that I needed to let go and realize that it was an experience that was temporary. 

This was something I never felt. I then learned that change is what challenges us. I know that I wouldn’t change my experiences that have led me to a positive change.

I am still learning how to live a better life by rebuilding relationships and learning to make new ones. I want to improve my self-awareness and rebuild my self-confidence.

With me knowing that I struggle with anxious attachment, I can dig deep into navigating how to heal and become a better version of myself.

I feel so proud of who I’ve become, I’m so grateful for my support system, even my mom. She has always been by my side and did whatever she could to support me.

What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?

I started researching my symptoms of depression, wondering why I was filled with emptiness inside, and why I had dreams about someone that I thought cared for me.

I would listen to YouTube videos and go into therapy to help me understand why I was taken advantage of and how I can overcome this battle.

Journaling has been my best friend, I get my thoughts out by writing what I’m feeling. 

I found that digging into my trauma by writing down questions to ask myself about the experience. This helped me get a better understanding of my emotions.

What really helped me with my anxiety and depression was talking to my school counselors and my amazing friend who supported me. 

I talked to people I trust to get my thoughts out when they hit rock bottom. I learned to make myself a priority by doing simple tasks at home like chores to not dwell on my depression.

I can’t recall a lot of when I was depressed, I just remember the time it started and when there were darker times.

If I would go back to talk to my younger self, I would tell her not to blame herself. These feelings are temporary and you are growing every day.

For my severe generalized anxiety, I would make myself a priority. I stick to self-care routines that have helped me. 

For my routine, journal when thoughts get to me, I have an exercise routine, and I eat healthy. I feel like this routine has made a positive impact on my well-being along with counseling.

My social anxiety was improved by medication for the most part. I used to feel so insecure I couldn’t talk to people without choking.

It also started to make me feel in a low mood, almost like I was depressed but without wanting to cry.

Have you shared any of this with people around you in real life?

When I was back in school in 2020, I was at home sitting in the living room, and one of my best friends, who is like a big brother to me, had me open up to him about my depression I remember him saying how he can relate to what I was feeling.

I was relieved to express what I was holding in for a while. We were in high school together for a few years and our friendship is still a close bond.

I trust him when I need support in any situation. He is empathetic and compassionate.

For my post-traumatic stress, I decided to talk about my symptoms with the same friend.

I was afraid of mentioning my abuser because if my mom found out, she would go into full protective mode. During this time, I had feelings towards my perpetrator like I cared deeply for the abuser, feeling stuck in a trauma bond.

My friend has been supportive and trustworthy to me. I told him that two years ago, I started to realize that I was touched inappropriately by someone and I get vivid nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and flashbacks.

I also talked to my uncle about the situation in the same way as I talked to my friend by not giving too much detail. I then told my junior history teacher that I was abused and that year was very emotionally hard for me. 

My history teacher supported me when I needed to vent. It was so terrifying to talk about the fact that I was molested. I went for weeks without telling my friend or uncle who my perpetrator was. I just wanted the nightmares and flashbacks to end.

I was not comfortable talking to my mom about my mental health journey when it took a toll, she would come at me with tough love, like I’m not supposed to feel this way.

She once said that I can’t keep thinking this way with a hard tone because she doesn’t want to see me hurting inside. I would talk to my aunt, who is like my second mom. 

She listens and knows what advice to give when I am struggling. I am overall grateful that I got the support and help I deserved to help me grow. I am vulnerable and I have been since I was a kid.

I was raised to be open and honest about my health and emotional state. My mom would always be asking how I was feeling due to my medical history.

I was angry and would lash out when I had to leave my father so young. I was at the age where I didn’t understand the reasons. My mom would always be by my side trying to be strong for me when my medical complications were bad.

If you could give a single piece of advice to someone else that struggles, what would that be?

I want others to know that this won’t last forever. You have to fight and give it your all, don’t give up. Time is everything.

Today, I can look back on my journey and that it was worth it. It made me who I am today. I am stronger and aware that the world isn’t perfect. 

What we go through is a challenge for us to decide whether to give it all or nothing. If I were to talk to my younger self, I would say “You are not to blame and I am so proud of how far you’ve come. You can’t be so hard on yourself.” 

This mental health journey has made me discover good outcomes in my life. I can see 14-year-old Natalia wasn’t aware of her surroundings because she never should have faced tragedies that no kid deserves. 

She never saw this kind of behavior before and liked the attention that was given. I wish I could have realized I am not less than I am enough. Go easy on yourself and take it one day at a time.

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, YouTube channels, or other resources for you?

Ted Talks became inspiring to me. This was helpful to me because people came to talk about their own experiences and share advice for those who could relate

By the way: If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here.

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

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Hugo Huijer Author

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

The post Overcoming Trauma and Depression With Therapy, Journaling and Self-Care appeared first on Tracking Happiness.

Contents

• Who are you?
• What is your struggle?
• How did you feel at your worst moment
• When did you turn it around?
• What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?
• Who did you share your struggle with?
• Your best piece of advice?
• Books and resources
• Learn more

Hello! Who are you?

Hi there! My name is Kage Burton. I am a welder in Utah and I build conveyor systems for companies around the world. I have been welding for 7 years now and I’d like to say I am getting pretty good at it!

I am also a ski instructor during the winters. There is nothing I love more than watching people when they finally start to understand skiing. It’s like watching someone discover what fun is. It’s really a neat experience.

While I do live in Utah now, Wyoming will always be home as that is where I spent the first 20 years of my life. I have a lot of fond memories growing up in Wyoming.

Wyoming has the smallest population out of any state in the United States, so when you’re a kid growing up in Wyoming, you kinda have to make the fun.

This took many shapes whether it be building four-wheelers with my K’nex, planning your next fort to build with your friends, or even sweeping all of the hay up in the top of the barn so you can open up a restaurant. (Yes me and my cousins did this and no we never opened the restaurant, we were like 8.) 

I am very fortunate to have a loving family that I grew up around. My family is very religious yet, I am not. I realized this when I graduated high school and quit going to church.

Being very worried about how this would affect my relationship with my father and the rest of my family, I can now say that I am extremely grateful for them. They have all accepted my life choices and let me be who I want to be, judgment-free. I will forever love them.

I moved to Utah in 2019 at the end of the year to pursue my career in welding. As you all know, 2020 is when COVID-19 hit and many people’s lives were affected. I was extremely lucky in the way things played out.

When I showed up to Utah I had 6 grand in savings and I managed to blow that in 2 months! But, in March, the school I was going to was forced to move all their classes online.

The story is actually pretty funny. I remember my late 70’s welding instructor telling the class, “All these colleges are going to online classes and they expect us to, but you can’t teach welding online!”

And then about a week later we were told that our course had been moved online. But, this was fortunate for me. I ended up taking a leave of absence in order to find a job and rebuild my savings.

Up to this point, I had never been out on my own so going out and living on my own was a very daunting task and I was quite frankly frightened. My town didn’t even have stoplights. The closest one to where I lived was half an hour north so I never went through that thing.

I don’t even think I had driven through a stoplight at this point. So moving to a town with stoplights at every intersection, that was a city to me, and I was terrified.

But now I’ve been living in Utah for three years. I have had so many wonderful and terrible experiences that have happened since. I’ve made friends and lost friends. Some of which have been with me from the start. I’ve learned to accept it though.

I live with my aunt and uncle right now where rent is so high. It’s a good place for me. It’s helped me to get out of my cocoon of sadness, cheered me up, and gave me the space to find the help that I need. So yeah, I am at one of the happiest points in my life.

By the way: Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control.

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

Find happiness with this 10-step mental health cheat sheet.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

What is your struggle and when did it start?

Well, I only really started taking my mental health seriously back in March. However, now looking back I can see that I have struggled with Anxiety and Depression my whole life.

As of one week ago, I can now add ADHD to the list of things I have always struggled with. Getting this ADHD diagnosis really adds depth to it all that I never could have seen. The lonely nights, the terrible performance, and the general lack of motivation.

As I said, I have been experiencing these things for as long as I can remember. When it comes to depression, I got very depressed when my first best friend replaced me with other more popular kids. This tore my poor little soul apart.

I remember crying many times, missing my dear friend and all the wonderful memories we had. Wanting so badly to be like the other kids so he would take me back. But he never did and I honestly can’t stand him anymore for what he did to me.

When I got into 5th grade, my teacher was not very nice to me due to me struggling with ADHD. This was extremely depressing and anxiety-inducing. I still don’t know how to longhand double digit divide because of this teacher. I genuinely did not understand the way she was teaching the concept.

But, after two or three attempts to ask for help, my teacher would yell at me and then send me into the hall crying. This destroyed my social reputation and self-esteem.

So the next year, in sixth grade, I was bullied relentlessly fueling the depression and anxiety I had already been experiencing. I wouldn’t participate with the class in games preferring to sit to the side and avoid all social interactions. Because I knew if I participated, I would just be subjecting myself to the put-downs of the popular girls.

Going into middle school, we see sadness arise from almost losing yet another best friend to the popular kids. This led me down the same road as before. Crying, fearing that my friend may move on and forget me and the relationship I had. So once again I tried to shift crowds with him.

This was almost my downfall. I started hanging out with a kid that happened to be a VERY BAD influence. Luckily this kid moved away after middle school and no longer played a part in my life after that. To give you an idea, this kid tried to rob a gun store after he moved. So yeah, glad I dodged that bullet.

Now I feel at this point, I should address ADHD and the effect it had upon me up to this point. In elementary school, my mother was always confused because I would read a book and then never test it. My reading grade was terrible because of this. She would take me in to take the test after school and I would score 100%. 

This eventually led to me losing my beloved dog in fifth grade. My dad says he told me if I didn’t get my reading grade up, he would get rid of Gage. I didn’t remember this probably due to ADHD and one day I came home after a long, depressing, anxiety-ridden day expecting to see my dog.

He was nowhere to be found. I asked my dad where he was and he just told me,” A snowmobiler from Montana came and picked him up.” I never got to say goodbye. Over the years we have had many dogs but Gage was my dog and I loved him.

I spent the rest of the night crying in my room missing my best friend. This wasn’t the only night that this had happened. In fact, I’ve been crying writing this because I still miss my friend.

ADHD continued to rule my life well into middle school and onwards. While teachers could keep my attention in class, the homework was about as boring as can be and it never got done. Thus, grades tanked and led to much disappointment.

A lot of teachers would see how smart I was when they were teaching something that I liked but they couldn’t figure out why I wouldn’t do the work. This is about the time when every teacher began feeding me the depressing mantra,” You would do so much better if you would just apply yourself.”

I heard this from almost every teacher from this point till the end of my schooling career. I didn’t even know what that meant and it hurt. Because when you don’t know you have ADHD, this becomes an attack on one’s personal character.

So this became me. Someone who didn’t apply themselves. Someone who was lazy. And not someone who couldn’t do the hard work but someone who just wouldn’t. As if I had a choice in all the procrastinating and forgetting. When you have ADHD you don’t choose these things. They just happen.

I didn’t want to be 32 assignments behind in math. I didn’t want to barely graduate with a 2.1 GPA. I didn’t want to be a disappointment to my parents and teachers. It all just happened and there was no way for me to control any of it. But after so long you believe it all was your fault.

Eventually, I did graduate, launching me into the many struggles of holding a steady job. My first job I actually thrived at. This was working at a little retail store in town. Every day presented something new to deal with. The ADHD mind loves this.

Always something new to keep the mind entertained. From making shopping cart trains with the electric cart, to watching people get arrested for shoplifting. Every day was an adventure and I loved it.

A year later that place closed down and I found a job at the local Radioshack. Yes, you read that right. 2019, in a small town, run by a nearly 80-year-old man, Radioshack. It was as boring as it sounds and the only entertainment I got at that job was the 70-year-old man who worked there with me.

Other than that, there was no motivation to get anything done. My boss was always disappointed with me whenever he came around. And I almost made the store close down because it was losing so much money. But now I realize, that’s not entirely my fault. It’s a Radioshack in Wyoming. It was destined to fail.

After that wonderful experience I started my welding career by heading off to school. This required a lot out of me and it promptly started off with a panic attack in my mother’s shower at 8 in the morning when I should’ve been packing my car. My grandparents were eventually able to help me calm down and I did get moved.

I started school and this is when I met my first real girlfriend. If you don’t think that ADHD affects relationships, well, it does. I was completely infatuated with this girl for the first little while. I loved her and everything about her.

However as time went on, we grew distant as I wouldn’t be as excited by her or her interests anymore, and from her perspective, it looked as though the relationship had become about me.

She’s not wrong in looking at it this way. I wanted to do what I wanted to do because what she wanted to do didn’t interest me. I wanted to play my video games and she wanted to ride her horses. And after living together for a year and a half, she ripped my heart to pieces and moved 13 hours away to New Mexico.

I only had a week with her after finding out that she was doing this and it hit me like a truck. The day she told me, I had to leave and process what she’d said.

So, I went out to a field, laid in some dirt, stared at the sky, and cried for the next hour. She broke up with me about a month later and you could see in her text message that I had made the relationship about me. And now I know why.

Since then I’ve had two more relationships that never went anywhere because I lost interest in them. I still miss my ex and I don’t know when I’ll have another relationship like I had with her. This is single-handedly the most depressing thing I deal with. It’s about once a month I go into a depressive episode missing her.

And here we are now! Working my welding job and loving life! ADHD is always at work forgetting where my tape measure is or where I set my gloves. I make silly mistakes sometimes because I’m not paying attention and so I measure the wrong length or forget to change settings on machines.

The other day I had to grab some wrenches about 10ft away and within that distance, I forgot what I was doing and began eating Cheese-Its. I’ll pull out my phone to check the time and forget to check the time, opting to check my notifications instead. Every day is a struggle but, at least I can now see it for what it is!

How did this struggle make you feel at your worst moments?

Having ADHD, depression, and anxiety is like having the dream team of “you’re gonna have a crappy day!” ADHD just makes the highs really high and the lows really low and the lows are just compounded by anxiety and depression.

When you’re in the highs it’s like hitting New Year’s all over again. You make all these wonderful resolutions/goals that you swear you are gonna follow through with.

Then a week to two weeks later, all that has gone to the wayside and you are right back to the habits you were so sure that you were going to conquer a few weeks before.

Once you slip back into those habits, the anxiety and depression hit like a truck. You’re anxious because you feel the need to stick to your goals but you can’t because your ADHD won’t let you. Then you get depressed because you feel like you will never be able to reach your goals.

The goals extend far and wide as well. It’s not as simple as I wanna lose 10 pounds. No, it’s more along the lines of I want to become a world-class bodybuilder.

As Peter Shankman says in his book Faster than Normal “When you have ADHD, there is no such thing as moderation.” So all the many hobbies that I have tried to start or thought would be fun. You find me thinking about what it would be like to be the best in the world.

Lately, my obsession has been singing. If you could look into my brain, you would not see someone starting a small YouTube channel to showcase new songs. Instead, I am thinking about who could be in my band and envision myself on big stages playing top songs.

A while back I really wanted to get into gem faceting (cutting gemstones). I have always had a fascination with rocks, so I thought it was right up my alley. Instantly I am thinking about cutting hundreds of thousand dollar stones and making beautiful works of art. However, this is an expensive hobby and the lack of funds eventually led to loss of interest.

Other hobbies I have dreamed about include Geology, Space Photography, Astrophysics, 3D Modeling, Mountain Biking, Freestyle Skiing, Park Skiing, War History, YouTube, Twitch, Video Game Development, Car Design, Vehicle Modding, Drawing, Music Production, Writing, Piano, Competitive Gaming, Videography, Social Media Marketing, Weight Lifting, Traveling, Self Help, Stoicism, Podcasting. I could list off so many more but I think you get the idea.

Eventually, you will try your hardest to stick to your newfound obsession but all the drive will be gone and it will actually feel sickening and depressing to even touch the hobby.

Then you start wondering, what’s wrong with you? Why can’t you follow through with anything? Can I even achieve my goals? And it all gets so very depressing.

You literally go from mentally planning your whole future out in your head to hating the very thing you were so excited about in a matter of two weeks.

Share your story: Help thousands of people around the world by sharing your own story. We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Was there a moment when you started to turn things around?

Anxiety and depression have both gone down drastically since I moved and switched jobs. From the people that I know who have experienced depression or anxiety, there is often something in one’s environment that is causing the problem.

In my case, it was the job I was at where my boss expected way too much out of me for way too little. I soon realized this when it became obvious that he was lying about how we were performing in hopes of making us work harder. Spoiler, it had the opposite effect.

The anxiety had actually gotten so bad that back in March I had the worst panic attack of my life. It was work-induced and I was scared because my body legitimately locked up and I couldn’t move. Spooky!

However, when I went to the ER they prescribed me medication. As crazy as this may sound, I had no idea that they had medication for that! This was an eye-opening realization to me that this thing that you have had your whole life… Yeah that’s not normal.

So after having this major panic attack, I decided something needed to change. I was super depressed and I had started taking anxiety meds almost every day at work to keep the panic attacks at bay. So I started therapy!

Oftentimes males are super hesitant to open up to strangers about their feelings and what they’ve got going on in their life. Yet, I took the approach of I need the help and this person is here to help me and this was one of the best things I could’ve done. It took me only about a month with my therapist’s help to connect the dots to my terrible job.

This got me daydreaming at work about quitting and moving closer to my friends and boy did that excite me. Eventually, my boss pushed me over the edge and I pulled the trigger. I wrote my boss a letter telling him I was going to search for a new job. Instantly I felt better.

No longer did I have the ever-present pressure to give another 100% after giving 110% I ended up finding a job and moving and WOW my life is so much better. I haven’t taken anxiety meds since I left and I honestly don’t even think about them anymore.

Now, throughout therapy, there were some other things, aside from work, that came up in our discussions that were depressing me. Lack of motivation, inability to complete tasks, lack of goals, jumping from hobby to hobby. And every time I brought one up, my therapist would say, “That could be a symptom of ADHD.”

Up to this point, ADHD wasn’t something that I thought about. No, ADHD up to this point had just been something that my mother mentioned getting me tested for when I was a kid. After which I proceeded to start crying.

After all, I thought that if I got diagnosed with ADHD that meant I was stupid and disabled (I do not think this anymore). Why wouldn’t a kid start crying if that’s what they thought their mother said. So she never got me tested.

So, when I finally quit my job and moved south I made it my goal to get tested for ADHD and finally get an answer to some of my life’s most pressing questions.

I moved in April and it took me some time to finally get around to it. The thing that finally pushed me over the edge was the weekend of September 30th of this year. That weekend I was going to my first ever concert!

‘Falling in Reverse’ was opening for Avenged Sevenfold and I couldn’t be more excited. Falling in Reverse is one of my FAVORITE bands. I worked that Friday and as it is coming home from work on a Friday, I was exhausted.

I came home and took a nap, no big deal. Well after I had my nap, my girlfriend was gonna come over and my room was trashed. Gotta clean!

The very first thing I did was some laundry. I had gotten into the habit of leaving my wallet and keys in my pants so I wouldn’t lose them. Well, I cleared out my pockets. BIG MISTAKE!

I took my wallet along with a stack of papers and I put it all in my dresser drawer. My girlfriend comes over, we go to get snacks. No wallet. I begin ripping my bedroom apart! All that work I had done making my bedroom look nice, doesn’t even matter anymore.

Eventually, my girlfriend just said she’d buy the snacks and I calmed down. Besides, I’ll find it when I get back right? Wrong. Honestly, I forgot to look until about an hour before I was supposed to leave for the concert. I didn’t find it.

At this point, the anxious side of me is going nuts. Not only am I going to have to ask my friend to buy everything for me at the concert tonight, but I’m also going to have to cancel all my cards, get new ones, get a new driver’s license, get a new insurance card, and a whole host of other things. It’s worse when you have ADHD too because you never really know when you’ll get any of this done.

So Monday rolls around, but still no wallet. At this point, I am going through my head mentally drawing up everything that needs to be done to fix this. I couldn’t take it anymore.

I knew my wallet couldn’t be lost unless it was stolen or I dropped it somewhere. I finally called a mental health clinic and scheduled a test. Between the excessive fidgeting and the excessive loss of items at work, I was fed up and ready to find help. And me losing my wallet finally did it in.

Mind you, at this point, I had not found my wallet which means no insurance card. No insurance card means no coverage and thus yet another thing for me to worry about. I couldn’t care less at this point.

So after I had gotten home from work, my anxiety was running strong. Just that constant feeling that you are on edge and something bad’s coming your way. So later in the evening, I turned to my release, journaling.

But I haven’t been able to find my journal since well, Friday. Hmmm, maybe if I find my journal I’ll find my wallet. At that point, I remembered the stack of papers that I had and I thought maybe I had stuffed them into a drawer. I opened the drawer and sure enough, there’s my journal, and under my journal, THE EVASIVE WALLET!

Since then, I have been tested. I do have ADHD. I actually learned that just a few days ago and I couldn’t be happier. When you go 23 years with ADHD not knowing, the moment you start researching ADHD and the effects it has on people, your life changes. It really does!

I have always thought that I was normal. No different than everyone else. But I never questioned why I struggled so much more on the easy tasks than everyone else.

Through Middle School my grades were awful. Got called to the principal’s office so many times because of this. I was kicked off the middle school football team for poor grades. Never got to go on school ski trips which was really sad to me because my parents never took me skiing.

Going into High School. I was signed up for a jump start. I did fine in jump start. I actually quite enjoyed it but this was then followed by 4 years of disappointing my parents and teachers.

Failing in even the classes that I enjoyed, such as welding, robotics, engineering, and foods. I finished High School with a 2.1 GPA barely graduating.

My joke has always been,” I needed a D on that test in chemistry to graduate, and boy did I get that D!” But, now, I look back with sadness because, unlike most people who hated high school, I loved it!

Hanging out with friends all day, learning cool things about science, history, English, and participating in extracurricular activities. Why would I ever say I hated it or didn’t care? Because that’s just what I was told.

With ADHD there are always moments where it turns around for a while. My room was clean about a week ago. Now there is trash and clothes everywhere and it’s kinda just the way I am existing right now.

You’ll get these magical bursts of motivation that push you in the right direction but motivation is fleeting with ADHD and about a week or two later, it won’t matter how easy you’ve made it, you’ll stop doing whatever it was. This feeds into the depression.

However, I do feel like I am making progress as a diagnosis is a great step in the right direction. I am gathering the resources I need to help myself be more successful and it does feel good.

The diagnosis has most importantly helped me to realize what I am and what I am not. Because of this, the extreme self-degradation has gone down and I feel so much more free to embrace the silliness of it all.

What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?

ASK FOR HELP! I cannot stress this enough. I would not be where I am now if it weren’t for the support group I have around me. I used to be so scared of asking for help, especially because of ADHD.

This is because when I was a kid, asking for help or asking questions was often met with degrading or hurtful comments. Couldn’t find something, Mother comes in finds it, and says “It would help if you open your eyes!”.

Didn’t understand what the teacher was teaching, “It’s super simple and you are just not paying attention!” Brain didn’t react to Dad’s question so I responded with,” What?” Dad responds,” Did I st st stutter?!”

All these things really add up and so you start to build a shell around you and think no one wants to help you. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized there are a lot of people out there whose only job is TO HELP YOU! 

I cannot tell you how excited I am that I can unabashedly ask for help. I am just plotting out all the help I can get all the time and it feels so awesome.

I’ve already got my therapist and I just recently added a psychiatrist to the roster. Imagine all the others I’ll add. ADHD Coaches… Career Consultants… All these wonderful people who are there to make my life more enjoyable are no longer behind this wall that I had put up.

I would also say, anyone who thinks they could be struggling with a mental illness, do some research. ADHD up until about a month ago was only a possibility in my head and I thought if I had it, it was probably only affecting me a little bit.

But as I listened to podcasts and browsed the ADHD subreddit, I slowly began to learn what it means to actually have ADHD. Eventually, I had the experience that most people with undiagnosed ADHD go through. The experience of understanding your whole life.

Mind you, this happened within a matter of two days, and from these two days, I actually came out scared that I wouldn’t get the diagnosis. So as you can see this shifted my entire worldview. I honestly think everyone should at least research mental disorders a little bit to at least understand what neurodivergent people go through.

Medication is also a big thing for me as well. By no means am I a professional but, data does suggest that medication is really beneficial to those with mental health disorders. The negative stipulation is something that has personally affected my family.

My sister actually has ADHD as well and we’ve known this from an early age. When she was diagnosed, she was put on Ritalin. This was around the time of the Columbine School Shooting where the assailant had been using a psychotropic drug leading up to the shooting.

Because of this, my mother had to listen to everyone questioning her for putting my sister on drugs. My mother had been trying to find the help she needed with my sister and up to this point doctors had told her that it was her just being a bad parent. Even going as far as to give her books on parenting.

She was eventually able to find a doctor who told her she wasn’t a bad parent and that her daughter had a 7-second attention span. After that, she was put on Ritalin and the doctor didn’t even believe it was the same child when she brought my sister back for a follow-up.

The medication was life-changing for my mother and from what I understand it’s the same with most people that struggle with ADHD.

Even when I got my anxiety medication I noticed a difference. Every time I knew it was going to be a rough day, I would take a pill, and everything would be ok.

Up to that point, my boss had to do any small thing to ruin my day and leave me anxious for the rest of the day. So the medication was a godsend.

Have you shared any of this with people around you in real life?

Yes I have actually! I haven’t quite decided if this is a good thing yet. My reasoning for sharing this information is that it takes a lot of the mistakes I make off of my character. These people can then understand why I do the things I do and they can either accept it or deny it.

It no longer becomes my problem and I can continue to try to implement the systems that will help with a sort of shield from all the scrutiny. If they question me for asking for help or doing things a different way then I can simply turn to them and say,” I am asking for help/doing it this way because it is easier for me.

If you’d prefer I do things your way then just understand it will take longer or may never get done. Are you ok with that?” At that point, I have laid it out for them and they choose where it goes from there.

However, this has proven tough in certain aspects because, as mentioned in previous sections, no one knows what ADHD actually is and what we actually struggle with.

So when I tell my supervisor that due to my ADHD, I can’t do the inspection phase of a build, he just responds with,” Oh this doesn’t mean you can start using that as an excuse.”

Or when it comes to not cashing checks, my mom says,” Well this is your finances so this needs to take a bit more priority.” Little do they know, I have always struggled with the inspection phase and I can’t simply choose to prioritize one section of my life. I am simply trying to make the inspection phase easier and I will never do it if I spend too much time on one thing.

I think I’ll stick to telling people that I have ADHD, anxiety, and depression. The biggest thing is just making sure to educate them as to why I’m doing what I do and making sure they understand.

At the end of the day, I am the one who is part of the 5% so, I can’t expect anyone to understand what it’s like to be me and it’s my job to make sure they understand.

If you could give a single piece of advice to someone else that struggles, what would that be?

You are not alone. It is easy to get used to living with a disorder for so long and you think everything is ok and normal. But when you find out you are not normal by neurotypical means, it can be a depressing feeling like no one understands.

I am here to tell you that is not the case. There are millions of people struggling with the same things that you are. As dumb as it may sound I know a lot of us have sat at our computers in our underwear when we should be getting dressed for the day.

This isn’t just my experience, I heard it in the book Faster than Normal. I was at work when I heard it and remember just saying out loud, “THATS ME! Wait… that’s scarily super close to me.” Why is it so accurate? Because we are all sharing the same experience! Yeah, that’s how closely our experiences are connected.

So when you’re struggling and feel like no one understands, know that I understand. I lose my keys on the bed. I forget what I’m doing walking into another room. My room is trashed. I buy stuff I don’t need. We all do!

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, YouTube channels, or other resources for you?

• Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain: Peter Shankman has really figured his ADHD out and he offers a lot of good advice in this book.
• Hacking your ADHD: William Curb finds so many great guests who share their struggles with ADHD and how they’ve managed it and used it to their advantage.
• How to ADHD: – This channel has a lot of great advice when it comes to focusing on specific problems that come with ADHD.

Where can we go to learn more about you?

All I really have is YouTube and Twitch but heh, my ADHD makes it hard to stay regular. Check them out if you’d like. They are mostly just gaming content.

By the way: If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here.

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

Want more interviews?

Continue reading our inspiring case studies and learn how to overcome mental health struggles in a positive way!

Want to help others with your story? We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Hugo Huijer Author

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

The post How an ADHD Diagnosis Helped Me Understand My Life and Turn It Around With Therapy appeared first on Tracking Happiness.

Contents

• Who are you?
• What is your struggle?
• How did you feel at your worst moment
• When did you turn it around?
• What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?
• Who did you share your struggle with?
• Your best piece of advice?
• Books and resources
• Learn more

Hello! Who are you?

Hi! I’m Tiffany McGee, spirituality and relationship expert, and founder of Nomadrs — a popular site focused on spirituality, relationships, mental wellness, and lifestyle.

I consider myself a digital nomad and my website is completely inspired by my nomadic experiences around the world. Currently, I’m enjoying the beautiful landscapes and rich culture of Georgia, where I’m based for a few weeks.

Professionally, I run Nomadrs, write and edit articles, and communicate daily with my team of writers from all corners of the globe. Besides, I constantly engage with a global community that shares my enthusiasm for travel, spirituality, and wellness.

On the personal front, I’m in a long-distance relationship with my partner who lives in Austria. The distance can be challenging, but it’s also a testament to the strength and depth of our connection.

Back in Vienna, I’m the proud owner of three adorable poodles. They’re my fluffy bundles of joy, and although I miss them while traveling, they’re in the best hands with my partner.

Speaking of happiness, yes, I do consider myself a happy person. This lifestyle, the people I meet, the places I see, and the work I do—all of it contributes to a sense of fulfillment and joy in my life.

By the way: Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control.

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

Find happiness with this 10-step mental health cheat sheet.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

What is your struggle and when did it start?

Two years ago, I received a diagnosis that reshaped my understanding of myself: major depression. Alongside depression, I also struggled with anxiety, burnout, and panic attacks, so it was sort of comorbid. 

The symptoms were diverse: feelings of sadness and hopelessness, physical exhaustion that didn’t improve with rest, and moments of intense, overwhelming anxiety that culminated in panic attacks. The problem was not only psychological – my hormones were out of balance as well.

Back then, I had a traditional 9-5 job. The stress from this job, coupled with a feeling that my life was just an endless cycle of work with no real fulfillment or balance, played a significant role in the onset of my depression. 

As time went on, these issues started to affect me more and more. Some days were slightly better and initially, I tried to brush them off as just stress or a temporary bad phase.

But as the months passed, it became clear that my condition deeply impacted my daily life, my work performance, and my relationships.

How did this struggle make you feel at your worst moments?

At my worst, the struggle with depression made me feel like I was stuck in a deep, dark place. Happiness seemed far away, and I was always in a bad mood. I wasn’t even trying to hide it — I just didn’t fully understand how bad it was. 

My friends and partner could tell something was wrong, especially with my constant moodiness and my health issues, like irregular periods. It was a tough time where I felt disconnected from everything, not really aware of how much I was actually struggling.

Share your story: Help thousands of people around the world by sharing your own story. We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Was there a moment when you started to turn things around?

Now I realize that I had that moment. Back then, when I was dealing with depression, everything seemed so blurred, like I was looking at my life through a foggy window. 

But the moment of clarity came unexpectedly. It was during a particularly tough week when I hadn’t left my small apartment for days, and my living space was cluttered with unwashed dishes and unopened emails. 

I was sitting on the floor and aimlessly scrolling through podcasts that I hoped would lift my mood. It was one of those podcasts that made me realize my body was screaming for help.

If I remember correctly, it was one of the episodes from Christina The Channel on Spotify about amenorrhea (It’s a pity I stopped journaling and didn’t even make any kinds of notes. I felt at my worst so I couldn’t see how these reflections could affect me in the future). Anyway, it wasn’t as widely known, but something about an episode on dealing with stress and anxiety resonated deeply with me. 

I can’t say that listening to these podcasts actually improved my condition. But this process was indeed important to push me towards finally receiving professional help.

This podcast episode made me realize that my body and mind were more connected than I had ever thought. And it was a wake-up call to take my health more seriously.

What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?

I completely changed my daily routine and the way I understood the concepts of “health” and “well-being”. I’d like to discuss the main steps I took that may inspire others who deal with the same problem:

1) My first step was engaging in online therapy, as leaving home felt too overwhelming. My therapist played a crucial role in guiding me through this journey.

She encouraged me to undergo medical checkups, which led to getting my hormone levels checked and eventually starting on medication. This medical intervention, combined with therapy, laid the foundation for my healing process.

2) My therapist suggested me to join her mindfulness meditation practices. I joined her sessions, which were conducted in a small community setting.

This experience was more than just learning to meditate — it was about connecting with others who were on similar paths and finding hope in shared experiences. Being part of this group helped me to stay committed to the practice and provided a sense of belonging.

3) I tried to continue what was once my hobby — journaling. However, I found it to be rather challenging — focusing on writing was difficult. As a solution, I opted for video journaling.

I would record myself talking about my progress and feelings. Most of these videos are hard for me to watch now. They often involved tears and intense self-reflection. But these recordings were sort of like catharsis, they helped me process and release pent-up emotions.

4) I made a promise to myself to prioritize self-care. This meant resting when needed, indulging in simple pleasures like watching childhood movies, and easing up on previously strict rules around food and exercise.

I realized that being too restrictive wasn’t helping my recovery. Allowing myself these small liberties played a huge role in my overall well-being.

Have you shared any of this with people around you in real life?

I felt quite comfortable sharing my experiences with those close to me, particularly my partner and friends. They were aware of all the details of my struggle. I chose not to share anything about my mental health struggles with my parents, though.

They weren’t living in the same country as me, and I didn’t want to add to their worries or stress them out. At that time, it seemed like the right decision to keep them out of the loop to protect them. 

However, as time passed and I began to understand and manage my mental health better, I opened up to them. Now, they know everything about my experience. 

Today, I don’t have any reservations about sharing my experiences. In fact, I believe it’s important to be open about mental health struggles. Working in the wellness niche, I feel it’s part of my responsibility to set an example for my readers. 

If you could give a single piece of advice to someone else that struggles, what would that be?

If someone finds themselves in a situation similar to what I experienced, my advice would be to listen to your body, not just your mind. Often, our bodies give us the first signals that something isn’t right.

It can be symptoms like exhaustion, changes in appetite, or sleep disturbances. Just don’t ignore them — they are often the key to understanding and starting to address deeper issues.

There were times when I was hard on myself, thinking I should be able to ‘snap out of it.’ But mental health doesn’t work that way. It’s a journey that requires time, care, and often, professional support. That’s why you need to be gentle with yourself.

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, YouTube channels, or other resources for you?

• Masterclass “Developing Your Personal Power” from Ideapod’s co-founder Justin Brown — I took this masterclass in the middle of my headline process. The main idea of it is to understand the subconscious patterns that often hold us back.
  It helped me identify and break free from limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns that were deeply ingrained in my psyche. I think this resource might be one of the reasons why my perspective toward mental wellness changed for good.
• Rudá Iandê’s shamanic Breathwork exercise — In the beginning, I was pretty skeptical about relaxation techniques and exercises widely available on the internet. But somehow, this one did make a difference.
  The instructor of this course is a shaman, Rudá Iandê, whose methods are deeply rooted in ancient wisdom yet perfectly applicable to modern life challenges. The breathwork sessions were therapeutic to me. I have to admit that he has multiple other resources (I tried 3-4 of them) and they still inspire and guide me.
• Huberman Lab’s Podcast — I’m sure it’s a familiar podcast to anyone who’s into mental health podcasts on Spotify. Listening to this podcast helped me gain a scientific perspective on mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.
  The episodes provided me with insights into how our brains work, the impact of stress and hormones on our mental state, and practical, science-backed strategies for improving mental health. This knowledge still inspires my content and advice on Nomadrs.

Where can we go to learn more about you?

You’re welcome to explore my website, Nomadrs, where you’ll find a range of blog posts focusing on mental wellness, spirituality, and the digital nomad lifestyle.

You can also connect with me on social media for more personal updates and daily inspirations. Here’s the Facebook page of Nomadrs.

Is there anything else you think we should have asked you?

I’d like to point out the importance of building a support network throughout my journey.

I believe that the role of a strong, understanding support system is invaluable, especially when you’re struggling with mental health issues. When you know that you have people who listen and provide encouragement, it can make a significant difference. 

My heartfelt advice to anyone feeling down or struggling is to reach out to someone. It could be a friend, a family member, a therapist, or even a support group.

Go ahead and simply share what you’re going through. Sometimes, just knowing that there is someone who listens and understands can bring immense relief and perspective.

By the way: If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here.

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

Want more interviews?

Continue reading our inspiring case studies and learn how to overcome mental health struggles in a positive way!

Want to help others with your story? We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Hugo Huijer Author

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

The post Therapy and Medication Helped Me Overcome Depression, Anxiety and Burnout From Work appeared first on Tracking Happiness.

Contents

• Who are you?
• What is your struggle?
• How did you feel at your worst moment
• When did you turn it around?
• What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?
• Who did you share your struggle with?
• Your best piece of advice?
• Books and resources
• Learn more

Hello! Who are you?

Hi, my name is Felicita Castillo Delcambre. It’s important that I include my “middle” name because it’s almost a funny story. My maiden name is Felicita Castillo Castillo. I know, it’s a little odd, but this is a constant reminder that I’m a one-of-a-kind type of person.

I’ve never met anyone in person with my name either, and I’m convinced I probably never will. My name is quite unique in my opinion. My parents named me after my great-grandmother, Felicita, and my first name actually means “happiness”.

Growing up, I despised my name. I go by Feli (rhymes with Kelly, belly, jelly. You get the idea when it comes to teasing kids.) for short, and I was teased a ton as a kid because of it. Christmas time was the worst when all my classmates would sing “Feliz Navidad” as “Felicita Navidad.” Not my happiest moment.

My entire life, I’ve always done my very best to live up to the meaning of my name, although naturally, some days are harder than others. Now that I’m older, I realize there’s so much to a name and I’m reminded to search for the small instances of happiness because I was chosen to be called this for a reason.

As for my double last name, it’s a longer story, but after I got married, it was very convenient that I could still keep my maiden name without extra hassle.

Currently, I live in Katy, Texas in the United States. This is a town that thrives on football and being the best in all sports and academics. They have upwards of eleven Katy alumni graduates who have made it to the NFL (National Football League) and the football team typically makes it to the playoffs every year.

They currently hold 9 State Championships, just at Katy High School alone, not including other Katy ISD high schools in the area. Katy Independent School District ranks number one among Public School Districts in the Houston Area, which is currently the fifth largest city in the USA and is currently ranked number twelve in the State.

I say all this because I currently have a freshman daughter in high school that I need to guide to live up to these high demanding standards as an athlete in their volleyball program and participate in all advanced core classes.

She is my world, and I always want the very best for her. I am also happily married, and we celebrated our 5th anniversary earlier this year. Although we’ve only been married for 5 years, we’ve been together for the last 10 years and I honestly couldn’t imagine life without him.

Both my husband and I work in the oil and gas industry. I work for a small engineering company in Katy, TX directly under the CEO. I wouldn’t say it’s a job I’m passionate about, but it is a job I do excel at.

My ultimate dream is to grow my two current businesses into full-time income so I can work full-time doing what I truly love and have a passion for.

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset and passion for success. Even as a small child, you would catch me playing pretend “bank teller” instead of pretending to be “house mom” with my friends.

I wasn’t the type to play with baby dolls because I saw myself as a boss at a very young age. I believe I’m a natural-born leader. I’m currently a business owner of two businesses in the health and wellness industry.

It is my mission to empower determined women in their 30s and beyond to reclaim their energy through creating a sustainable approach to nutrition and macro counting.

I want women to build this strong belief in their best selves, both physically and mentally, because I know what it’s like to be torn down and not have help.

I want women to believe they can achieve their goals in their health and wellness, and realize the truth that they are more than just a mom, taxi driver, chef, housecleaner, and whatever other stereotypical womanly duties we are usually tasked with.

Overall, I am content with life, as there are those far worse, and I am grateful that myself and my loved ones are healthy, we have a home and are ultimately happy.

By the way: Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control.

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

Find happiness with this 10-step mental health cheat sheet.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

What is your struggle and when did it start?

Although it seems I’m living the American dream now, this wasn’t always the case. I come from a very small town in South Texas with a population of less than 4,000 people. It is drug-ridden and low-income, and many people unfortunately never leave there.

It’s a depression trap for some, a motivation to leave for others like myself. I blame where I come from to be the beginning of my struggle with the anger of having a self-sabotage mindset, and learning how to overcome negative self-talk.

Ever since I was a small child I’ve faced many challenges from my family and peers. We lived in low-income housing, with my parents never being married and my father not in the family picture.

I’m the youngest of four. My two oldest siblings weren’t always the best role models with each of them having babies at a young age. We had big age gaps, so by the time they graduated high school, my other sister and I were still in elementary school.

When I was 12 years old, and my third oldest sibling was just 14 years old, my mother left us behind to move around the country with her boyfriend at the time.

Since her first two children were grown with their own babies and lives, my adolescent thought process led me to believe that she quit on us because we weren’t going to be enough for her to change her ways.

My sister and I bounced around family homes for about two years. One week with my grandparents, the next with cousins, the next with friends, then aunts, then my oldest sister, then back to my grandparents.

We were mostly separated the entire time my mother was gone, but eventually, my mother ended up getting us our own apartment to live in so she could calm the nagging family taking care of her children.

At the young age of 14, the same age as my daughter now, my 16-year-old sister and I lived on our own and had to face adulthood extremely quickly.

We cooked, cleaned, washed our own clothes, worked, figured out schedules and rides, and performed all the parental duties ourselves, and for one another, growing up.

My mother would only send money for bills that weren’t covered by government assistance, and we faced eviction a time or two. This was the beginning of my struggle with anger and self-sabotage.

There were constant thoughts that I wasn’t good enough. If my own parents could leave me, and I wasn’t enough for them to stay and want to be part of my life, despite all my great accomplishments, anyone can and will.

I was angry because I worked so hard. I was always on the honor roll with amazing grades. I was captain of every sports team I played on. I made the varsity cheerleading squad and softball team as a freshman. I had figured if I worked extra hard to do the best and be the best, it would encourage my mother to come back to us.

I thought maybe she would recognize how amazing we are, and want to be part of that, but she didn’t. On the outside to my teachers and peers, I was this amazing student and friend, on the inside I was hollow bitterness living with the constant voice telling me I wasn’t good enough no matter how hard I tried.

Over time I used my mother’s abandonment, for lack of a better word, as a motivator in life. Eventually, my sadness turned into anger, and this fire propelled me to achieve many goals I set for myself.

Once I graduated high school, I moved to San Antonio, Texas to carry out my dream of moving away from that place of sadness and building the home I never had.

Shortly after my move, I hit my first block of self-sabotage. I came out pregnant and found out a month before I was to go into the United States Air Force.

Looking back, I see this as God guiding my path, but at the time, I was devastated and disappointed in myself that I was so irresponsible in repeating the cycle I so desperately worked to escape.

I had worked so hard to finally leave a place of sadness, just to sabotage myself into now having another human depending on me. My daughter’s father wasn’t the best of people, and needless to say, we didn’t last. When my daughter turned a year old, I left him, and we were off and on until I met my now husband when she turned 4 years old.

I would say I still struggle with anger and self-sabotage to this day. There are times when I use my upbringing as a debilitating excuse in various aspects of my life. Sometimes it’s a hindrance, and sometimes it’s a motivator. There are times when I struggle in my marriage, as a mother, as a business owner.

On days when I’m dreaming up my future and how my businesses will one day be successful, and I’m putting in my notice to leave my job, there’s always this small voice I hear saying, “Look where you come from.

You don’t have a degree. You’re not good enough to be the leader of a successful business. You don’t belong in that crowd of success.” Then, I reflect on all the statistics I overcame at such a young age and remind myself that I already walked through hell and back, and if I can do that as a child, nothing can stop me now.

The passionate fire within me runs so deep in my soul that I truly believe I was made for great things. It’s the faith that my story thus far and the meaning of my name is meant for greatness and happiness, despite the sadness I endured. I wasn’t named “happiness” for no reason, and although I don’t know the reasons now, I’m content with never knowing.

The anger still lives in a small place inside me, and I still struggle with this daily. I’ve since forgiven both my parents and now understand many things and their reasoning that I didn’t understand as a child.

I realized that anger will only continue to self-sabotage my dreams, and having faith in my search for my happiness and success continues to be my new motivator.

How did this struggle make you feel at your worst moments?

At my worst moments, I wanted to die. Even as an elementary school-aged child, these thoughts came to mind. I thought about dying and what people would say and think.

I prayed my peers would regret being so mean to me when I was gone. I prayed they would suffer the pain of the sadness they inflicted on me once I was gone. I prayed they would ask for my forgiveness.

But then I would think of those who did love and care about me, and I couldn’t bear imagining the pain they’d feel also. It was my imagination of their sadness that overpowered the pain of imaginary hatred that kept me alive and I’ll forever be thankful for their love.

It was never clear to many people that I was suffering in any way. As far as everyone knew, I was the best at everything. I was strong. I was independent. I was capable. I was very smart. I was happy.

No one knew I was struggling unless I told them I was. Teachers had no idea. Only some very close friends knew. I couldn’t bear the look of pity. I hated to tell people my mother left me because people would give me this disgusting look of empathy as if they could possibly imagine what I was going through and I couldn’t stand it.

It made me feel even smaller than I already felt. It made me feel incapable and weak, and I didn’t have time for those feelings. I didn’t have room in my heart for weakness because if I wasn’t strong, I would fail. If I wasn’t capable, there would be no one else to help me.

I was alone and I only had me and I preferred it that way. I needed to be independent. I wore this mask of strength for so long, that sometimes I feel like I still wear it. In fact, sometimes I know I do. This is how I know I still struggle.

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Was there a moment when you started to turn things around?

It wasn’t until I learned I was going to be a mother myself, that I realized I needed to change. I didn’t know what kind of mother I was going to be, but I knew one thing. I was going to do everything opposite of my mother.

I knew I had to end the cycle and it needed to be me to do it. My daughter truly saved me from myself. I often feel if she hadn’t come into my life when she did, I probably would’ve spiraled into this chaotic tornado.

God knew I needed her and although she came at the most unexpected, inopportune time, she was meant to be. I knew the first step to making a change would be forgiveness and I started to heal my relationship with my mother once I became pregnant.

By then, she had made her way back to my hometown after finally leaving her boyfriend whom she left us for. She came back my senior year of high school thinking we’d dance back into her loving arms. That didn’t happen with me, but my sister moved back with her, while I refused and eventually moved away after graduation.

A couple of years later, after her repeated attempts to mend our relationship, I gave her the chance to be there for me throughout my pregnancy and the birth of my daughter, and she was. She was there for me in the exact motherly way I needed her to be, and slowly my heart started to heal.

It was a couple of years after my daughter was born that I came across network marketing, and the company I was with was huge on personal development.

I read so many books on overcoming negative emotions, communication, and wealth management. I practiced what I learned, and transformations happened. I started to actually become the person I always wanted to be.

I overcame emotional obstacles more easily. I was more understanding of things within my control. My career in network marketing never flourished to the lengths they said were possible, due to paralysis of fear in my opinion, but I’m grateful for everything I learned when it came to all the personal development teachings I practiced in the 3-4 years I was with my team.

I took a break and have recently begun a new journey with an entirely different company now. I don’t see network marketing in the same way I used to, and I now know the limitations of its success, but I do see the benefits of it being an actual business and how the product is still very impactful in a good way. 

I remember before moving away from my hometown, I used to dream of leaving so that no one knew me and I could be whoever I wanted to be and it would be true because they wouldn’t know me to cast judgment up front.

I could be anyone my heart desired. No one would know where I come from. No one would know anything about me and I could portray my best self. My true self and that would be who they knew. Then I would be the person I was made to be.

I would actually be the one who is the best at everything. I would be a strong, independent, capable woman and it would be true because I would no longer live in the shadows of despair in my hometown with the judgemental eyes and people waiting for me to fail. I would finally be happy.

Now, when I look in the mirror, I do see her. Deep down, I have forgiven my past and I know that my true self is the desires of my heart and future, which is why I can confidently be the person I am today and not feel like there’s a mask on.

Of course, I have my days of self-pity, and I make excuses, and the spurts of self-sabotage come out to be an unproductive day but ultimately in those instances, I give myself grace and remind myself that I’m human.

I’m not perfect and I never will be. I am capable but I deserve breaks. I am independent but I deserve a partner. I am strong, but people who love you help you carry the load.

Slowly, over time I’ve opened up and learned that it’s ok to let people in. Allowing people in your heart doesn’t mean you are weak, it means you’re loved.

What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?

I started with forgiveness. I recognized that anger was my fuel and my trigger and it was very unhealthy in many ways. It was my anger that led to my self-sabotage and the excuses I made to not be my best.

I knowingly put a wall up and did not allow people in. Take the time and identify the emotions you know are hurting you. Ask yourself what’s making you mad, if it’s anger. If it’s sadness, what’s causing the pain of sadness? If it’s selfishness, what’s causing you to feel like you’re going to lose something that you have to grasp everything so tightly and selfishly?

What do you feel like you’re lacking, or going without that you feel the need to take so much? It is so important to identify the emotion that is causing you pain and understand what is in your power to overcome that emotion and channel it into something positive for yourself and those around you.

For example, I identified that I was angry at my parents and needed to figure out how to forgive them for leaving me. I needed to prove to myself that I was enough for love. So the first place I turned to was the Bible.

God’s word explicitly explained exactly what love is and how no matter what I am and always will be loved. No one on earth could love me more than God himself, and for me, that was enough.

I learned how Jesus forgave those who crucified him, and he was perfect. He did nothing to deserve his tortuous death. This showed me that if he could forgive them, I could also forgive my parents and anyone who hurt me.

I also actively participated in a small faith group where we’d meet once a month, pick a bible verse to discuss, and share the thoughts in our hearts. It was a safe space for me with people I knew I could trust, so I would recommend finding a community that you feel can be your safe space as well.

For those non-religious, I would still say to read, and reading books on personal development helped me tremendously. There are various books that explain how to identify different emotions and what you can do to overcome obstacles preventing you from being your best and true self.

Journaling is also a very beneficial method that helps to relieve emotions that are harming you internally. I have journals that date back to more than 20 years ago.

If you don’t feel like you’re ready to talk to a professional, journaling is a great way to speak your voice in an unconventional way, although I would also highly recommend speaking to a professional.

Depending on what you’re struggling with, getting professional help is one of the best ways to resolve some issues, if you feel like these are things you can’t quite handle on your own, or don’t know how to overcome. Trained professionals can help guide you to the healing you are seeking.

Reading was also another way I learned different techniques for identifying emotions. I read several books on personal development and learned different ways to channel my anger into something productive. I learned that I had control over my emotions, and could use this power over thoughts and actions to be a person I’m proud of.

I didn’t realize I was already doing this but in a negative, unhealthy way to a certain extent. Not letting people into my life did nothing but make me feel sad and lonely.

I learned that other’s actions didn’t dictate my feelings. It was my reactions to others that I needed to learn to control. Reading books that help you with things you can relate to helped me tremendously on my journey thus far. 

Have you shared any of this with people around you in real life?

As a child, I only shared bits and pieces of what I was going through with friends. Close friends knew my mom wasn’t there, but they didn’t know my mental health struggles.

I also didn’t share many of my emotions with family other than my sister who was experiencing the same emotions with me because she was left behind also.

I didn’t feel comfortable talking to anyone about it because I despised the feelings of pity, which was always the first reaction. I also knew that no one else could fully relate to what I was experiencing because they never went through anything like that.

It was difficult for me to speak to anyone I knew wouldn’t fully understand and I didn’t have time to waste trying to do so. It wasn’t until after I significantly started healing that I felt more comfortable sharing this struggle with others. 

I did share this experience with my husband, and he is one of the only people who truly knows everything. I also served on a church retreat team years ago, and shared my story of forgiveness with the retreatants, along with my small faith group members.

Otherwise, that time of my life has now come and gone and I don’t feel the need to share my journey as much anymore. After finding healing, I’ve come to be so much more at peace. 

If you could give a single piece of advice to someone else that struggles, what would that be?

Time is the enemy and the gift. We don’t know when our time is up, and instead of wasting your energy on all the negative things in your life, use it wisely. Anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person you’re angry at to die.

You’re only hurting yourself at the end of the day, and you’re losing precious time that you could use to be happy. There’s no good reason to suffer.

Don’t waste your time. Don’t waste your time on things that are hurting you and the people you love. Don’t focus your time and energy on things that aren’t helping you be a better person.

What you give to the universe you get back tenfold, so use your time to be your best self, and your best self will eventually appear. It’s a choice to live miserable, or happy. The choice is yours.

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, YouTube channels, or other resources for you?

• The Secret by Rhonda Byren helped me understand that you attract what you put into the universe. You are in control of your desires. 
• The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson helped me identify obstacles in my path toward the dreams I had in my heart and how to overcome them using the power of the mind.
• The Shark and the Goldfish by Jon Gordon helped me by showing me different ways of seeing things in a positive way, instead of a negative way. Nothing is out of reach and perspective makes a huge difference in the outcomes you desire.
• Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki helped me understand the fundamentals of a successful business. Changing your mind around how you see money to make it work for you, rather than you working for it will help build financial wealth.
• Slay Girl Slay Podcast with Ashley Leggs has helped me on days that I struggle to believe I am worthy. Whenever I’m discouraged, I’ll put on her show and she is the ultimate hype woman. I highly recommend listening to her show.
• The Good News with Ashley Leggs is also another show I listen to when I’m discouraged and beginning to self-sabotage. This reminds me that I’m not alone. The show features so many people who went through a similar childhood as me, or worse, and overcame their obstacles too. It helps me remember that I’m not the only one who’s suffered and overcame trauma of some sort.

Where can we go to learn more about you?

You can sign up for my email newsletter where you’ll learn ways to live a healthier lifestyle without giving up things you love. You can sign up using this link.

You can connect with me more on my recent health journey on Instagram at @TheVindiJourney. My personal profile is also linked in the bio section to connect with me there as well.

By the way: If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here.

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

Want more interviews?

Continue reading our inspiring case studies and learn how to overcome mental health struggles in a positive way!

Want to help others with your story? We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Hugo Huijer Author

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

The post My Struggle With Abandonment And Anger Through Resilience and Forgiveness appeared first on Tracking Happiness.

Contents

• Who are you?
• What is your struggle?
• How did you feel at your worst moment
• When did you turn it around?
• What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?
• Who did you share your struggle with?
• Your best piece of advice?
• Books and resources
• Learn more

Hello! Who are you?

Hi, I’m Victoria! It’s so nice to meet you. I’m a 2x boy mama, intuitive healer, and embodiment coach who demystifies ancient energetic practices like Kundalini Yoga and the Akashic Records. I live in Atlanta, GA with my husband, Will, and our two boys, Sebastian (4), and Rocky (17 months). 

I’m super passionate about helping women uncover who they really are vs who society has told them to be. A miscarriage in 2018 sent me on the path of self-discovery, and since then, I’ve healed disordered eating, anxiety, and body dysmorphia with the somatic and energetic practices I teach my clients. 

I was always a happy person, but since diving deeper into my internal world and well-being, I’ve become the fully expressed version of myself I was always meant to be.

By the way: Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control.

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

Find happiness with this 10-step mental health cheat sheet.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

What is your struggle and when did it start?

My anxiety started in college. I honestly wouldn’t have considered myself an overly anxious person, but often, before tests, I wouldn’t be able to sleep. My mind would continue to race with test questions, what-if scenarios, and if I was prepared enough.

Raised as an only child, it was around this time that I found out I was going to be a big sister – a 20-year-old big sister. 

This feeling of out-of-controlness started to spread beyond test time, and soon, I was binging and purging daily. Looking back, I think it was a mix of anxiety and OCD.

To me, what I ate (or didn’t eat) and put in my body was the only thing I could control. I was never formally diagnosed with either, but smoked weed daily to cope not realizing it would eventually make my anxiety worse.

On the outside, I was super high-functioning. I got good grades, and I had a lot of friends, but internally it was a roller coaster, and I felt really insecure.

How did this struggle make you feel at your worst moments?

At my worst moments, post-college, I think I truly hated myself. Again, to the outside eye, I was high-functioning, but I was making really poor decisions. I was cheating on my boyfriend at the time, partying for all hours, and doing anything I could to escape my reality.

I did workout regularly, and that definitely helped, but I was far away from family and everything I knew as a young adult in New York City. I was lonely, even if I wouldn’t admit that to myself. It’s a hard city to live in, and as an introverted extrovert, I didn’t really know how to take care of myself. 

I’d cycle from being out all hours of the night with tons of people to holing myself up in my room all day smoking weed and sleeping because I didn’t have the energy to do anything else. I grew really frustrated at my job when I was looked over (rightfully) for a promotion, and I felt unfulfilled. 

If you talked to me at the time you probably thought I was living the dream, but it was a really dark time for me.

Share your story: Help thousands of people around the world by sharing your own story. We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Was there a moment when you started to turn things around?

My boyfriend and I at the time got into a really bad fight – probably one of our worst – and afterward I had this lightbulb moment of “this isn’t who I am.” This hateful, angry person wasn’t who I was raised to be, or who I really was at my core.

I also knew that our relationship was really and truly over. We’d kind of talked around it for a few months, but I made the decision to move back to the South after finding a new job. My boyfriend didn’t come with me. 

The weekend I flew to Birmingham, Alabama to try and find a new apartment and car at the same time was tough. I cried the whole time. I knew it was what I needed to do, though. 

Because I didn’t really know anybody, I was able to start over. I went back to Bikram Yoga – a form of hot yoga – multiple times a week, and I started to see glimpses of the real me again. 

Even though my anxiety felt like it was in check, I still carried a lot of anger. Truthfully, I don’t think I’ll ever be fully “healed,” or that anyone really is, but I’ve made peace with so many parts of myself. Healing has been a beautiful journey of uncovering myself, and although it’s hard, I’ve found it’s so worth it. 

What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?

Moving my body was the start of it all. I’d been a dancer when I was younger – and even through college – but I’d stopped for a long time. Rediscovering my yoga practice allowed me to find peace within myself. Even if it was just for the duration of the class. 

Soon, I was taking yoga classes online daily. I really resonated with a fast-paced style of yoga called Buti because it incorporated dancing, but I encourage you to try many styles until you find the one you like.

I often put music on and just dance around the house. There’s no way you can do that and not feel good afterward. It’s an immediate endorphin high. I love doing it with my kids, too.

Now, I’m an avid Kundalini yogi. Kundalini is the yoga of awareness, and its mix of mudra (hand placements), mantra (sound current), and movement is really what changed it all for me.

I meet myself on the mat every single morning and it’s a place to study myself and my feelings. I often journal afterward to continue to uncover whatever is moving inside of me.

You have to feel your feelings. After spending years of numbing mine with weed and booze, I realized the only way out was through. You’re going to continue to walk around with all of these swirling, low-vibration emotions until you allow them a healthy release.

It doesn’t mean I’m perfect – far from it – but I’m able to give myself a lot more compassion and grace. I grew up being told I was too much or that I was overly emotional, but now I realize they’re my superpower. Tears are medicine.

When we’re feeling emotional, it just means that energy is in motion, which is a good thing. When things get stuck energetically and physically, that’s when it can manifest into anxiety, depression, etc.

Have you shared any of this with people around you in real life?

I didn’t really talk about this with anyone for a long time, but I started my own podcast last June, Flip the Script with Vic, and it’s really helped me find peace. It’s also allowed me to see how so many others are struggling with the same things.

Talking it out to a microphone has been very therapeutic and far outweighs any notions I’ve had of “what will they think of me?” I was actually most scared to tell my grandmother a lot of these stories, and she’s been so encouraging and is my number one podcast listener.

I also share a lot on Instagram (@victoriamargauxnielsen), and it’s been amazing to see how it resonates with other people when I’m authentically myself. To be witnessed in that way is incredible.

If you could give a single piece of advice to someone else that struggles, what would that be?

You are worthy exactly as you are. And what you’re going through doesn’t define you – you get to do that. You get to choose how you move forward. 

Also, forgiveness is huge. Mainly of yourself. You did the best you could at the time, even if it doesn’t feel like it. All you can do is keep trying. Forgiveness means giving forward – you’re giving forward to your future. When you’re stuck ruminating in the past, you aren’t giving the future your full energy or attention. 

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, YouTube channels, or other resources for you?

May Cause Miracles by Gaby Bernstein has been my most influential book!

Where can we go to learn more about you?

You can find out more about my work here or join my beautiful community on Instagram. The Flip the Script with Vic podcast, a weekly pep talk to expand and shift your perspective, shares new episodes every Tuesday.

By the way: If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here.

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

Want more interviews?

Continue reading our inspiring case studies and learn how to overcome mental health struggles in a positive way!

Want to help others with your story? We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Hugo Huijer Author

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

The post Yoga Helped Me Overcome Anxiety, Binge Eating and Body Dysmorphia appeared first on Tracking Happiness.

Contents

• Who are you?
• What is your struggle?
• How did you feel at your worst moment
• When did you turn it around?
• What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?
• Who did you share your struggle with?
• Your best piece of advice?
• Books and resources
• Learn more

Hello! Who are you?

Aloha! I’m Mona Kirstein, Ph.D, and I wear many hats in my life—serial entrepreneur, holistic coach & consultant, and advocate for conscious living. I live on the beautiful island of Oahu in Hawaii, where the natural surroundings serve as a constant source of inspiration for me. 

I share my life with my loving husband, and together we find peace and purpose in the simple joys of this journey called life. I’m passionate about nature, engaging in deep soulful conversations, traveling to new places, and the never-ending journey of learning. 

Currently, in my early forties, I find myself in a phase of life where I am genuinely happier than I’ve ever been. Years of self-work and embracing my true self have led me to a space where I feel not just comfortable but proud of the life I’ve created.

Empowered by my own transformative journey, I’ve dedicated my life to guiding ambitious women toward embracing and expressing their authentic selves—a gift I believe is the most precious offering we can make to ourselves and the world.

By the way: Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control.

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

Find happiness with this 10-step mental health cheat sheet.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

What is your struggle and when did it start?

Life hasn’t always been this fulfilling. For decades, I lived under the shadow of Narcissistic Parental Abuse, a struggle that profoundly affected my emotional well-being. The symptoms were subtle but deeply damaging: emotional manipulation, lack of genuine affection, and constant undermining of my self-worth. 

He would dismiss my emotions, like calling me “too dramatic” or “oversensitive” if I cried. 

When I made a wrong facial expression, he’d accuse me of disrespecting him and take away privileges. He constantly twisted reality and made up stories about things I’d supposedly done wrong, grounding me for infractions that never happened. 

He crafted fictitious stories about my behavior to justify punishing me for things I never did. If I objected, it confirmed to him I was lying and disrespectful. He wove complex false narratives that made me constantly defend myself against things I never did.

I started distrusting my own memory and perception.

Even later in life, I’d share successes and he’d react with envy and disdain. Imagine telling your dad you’ve been offered a spot in a Ph.D. program, and he says, “That’s just a sign you’re too lazy to get a real job.” Yeah, that happened. 

This struggle wasn’t confined to my childhood; it persisted well into my adult life, affecting my relationships, my career, and my sense of self. 

It wasn’t a phase or a temporary challenge; it was a relentless companion that cast a shadow over multiple aspects of my life.

How did this struggle make you feel at your worst moments?

At my lowest, the struggle with the internalized voice of narcissistic abuse felt like an insidious cloud that hung over every aspect of my life. I was carrying an invisible weight that made even the simplest tasks feel like climbing a mountain. 

Instead of specific moments standing out, it was more like a constant undercurrent of feeling rejected, worthless, and too flawed to be around others. 

This struggle severely impacted my happiness, creating a barrier that prevented me from fully enjoying my successes and relationships. I got really good at putting on a brave face, but inside, I was a mess.

The hidden struggle of codependency

I struggled with codependency for years without realizing it. I had this deep inner belief that I was unlovable unless I pleased others and earned their approval. This led me to make poor choices—ignoring red flags, minimizing abuse, and clinging to harmful people.

I remember moments of feeling completely hopeless like I had no identity outside of my dysfunctional relationships. At my lowest, I numbed feelings with unhealthy habits. With support and inner work, I’ve realized my worth comes from within. Now I know approving of myself is what matters most.

Behind the mask of success

Externally, I was achieving milestones in my career and personal life, but internally, I was in turmoil. I became adept at hiding this struggle, wearing a mask of composure and success. To the outside world, it seemed like I had it all together, but inside, I was fighting a battle that very few knew about. This duality made the struggle even more isolating.

Truth silenced, reality distorted

One of the most insidious aspects of narcissistic abuse is the suppression of truth. Narcissists often create a distorted reality to maintain their sense of control and superiority. 

As a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), I have an innate ability to perceive and question things. This often put me at odds with my narcissistic father, who would go to great lengths to silence my truths because they threatened his constructed reality. This dynamic not only made me question my own perceptions but also instilled a deep-rooted fear of speaking my truth.

Share your story: Help thousands of people around the world by sharing your own story. We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Was there a moment when you started to turn things around?

After years of feeling weighed down by an invisible burden and struggling with codependency, the turning point in my journey came when I began to consciously challenge the internalized voice that had been undermining me for so long. 

I started working with professionals who helped me identify and reshape these negative thought patterns. The moment I remember feeling a change for the better was when I could look at my accomplishments and genuinely feel pride, rather than dismissing them as flukes or attributing them to external factors.

Conscious choices, lasting change

When it comes to the change in my life, it’s all on me—100%. I didn’t just luck into a supportive environment or find the right therapist by chance; I made those things happen for myself. Every healthy habit I started, every professional I worked with, every support network I built, and every moment I spent reflecting were all intentional choices. 

Journey to empowerment

This journey took years, maybe even decades, but each step I took was a conscious effort to heal and improve myself. And let me tell you, the sense of empowerment that comes from knowing you’ve turned your own life around? That’s incredibly rewarding and feels pretty amazing.

What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?

The final turning point for me was finally putting a name to what I had been experiencing: narcissistic abuse. Understanding this was like flipping a switch. I worked with a psychospiritual therapist who specialized in this area.

She helped me identify the internalized voices that were holding me back. For instance, we did exercises where I journaled conversations between my “inner critic” and my “inner advocate,” which was eye-opening.

Journaling as a mirror to the soul

One strategy that helped me immensely was journaling to identify my inner critic voices. I would write out conversations between my “inner critic” and my “inner wise mind”, paying attention to repetitive phrases like “you’re too sensitive” or “you don’t deserve success”. I then learned to cultivate my inner wise mind to reframe those criticisms.

For example, when the voice said “You’re too sensitive,” my wise mind would respond “I have the gift of perceptiveness.” Reframing these inner narratives was so empowering. I also found spiritual practices like mindfulness, meditation, and yoga invaluable. The combination of inner work and outer practices allowed me to get centered and tap into my inner wisdom.

Trusting your inner compass

Another huge step was embracing my intuition and inner wisdom. I explored various healing modalities and spiritual practices. These choices were guided by my inner voice, which I learned to trust more and more. This approach helped me understand my triggers and how my nervous system responds, giving me tools to cope better.

The healing power of acknowledgment

I think giving a voice to all the internalized voices, even the ones that seemed “bad,” was transformative. We can only heal what we bring to the surface. I started actively listening to these voices, understanding their origins, and working on reframing them. This was a big part of my therapy sessions and healing journey, and it’s something I’d highly recommend to anyone going through a similar struggle.

Breaking free from suppressed truths

Another transformative realization was understanding the power dynamics at play, especially the suppression of truth inherent in narcissistic abuse. I saw this pattern not just in my family but in other relationships and even in broader societal contexts. 

The tendency to attack the messenger instead of facing uncomfortable truths is something I’ve had to navigate carefully. Through my healing journey, I’ve learned to detach from the reactions of others and live in integrity with my own truth. This has been both liberating and empowering, allowing me to speak out without the crippling fear of rejection or ridicule.

Have you shared any of this with people around you in real life?

Sharing my struggles has been a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, I’ve always been open about what I’m going through, but the feedback hasn’t always been constructive. In unhealthy relationships, the advice I received was often misguided and even harmful. 

Phrases like “just have compassion for him,” or “love is the answer,” sound good on the surface, but they can be incredibly damaging when dealing with narcissistic abuse. I remember listening to a podcast “It’s Me, Dr. Z.”, where she shared a story that really resonated with me. People would say, “But it’s your father, and he’s old now,” and she’d reply, “But it was me, and I was 5!” That hit home for me and reinforced the idea that stepping away can sometimes be the most healing action to take.

Letting go for a healthier tomorrow

There were also people in my life who felt threatened by my growth. As I started to get stronger, it seemed to challenge the illusions they had built up for themselves. Realizing this was both painful and liberating. I had to make the difficult decision to let go of certain friendships, but doing so opened up space for healthier, more genuine connections.

Opening up about mental health struggles is never easy, especially when the people you expect to be your support system turn out to be part of the problem. But the journey, as tough as it has been, has also been empowering. It’s helped me sift through my relationships and keep only those that are truly beneficial for my well-being.

If you could give a single piece of advice to someone else that struggles, what would that be?

If I could offer a single piece of advice to someone else facing similar struggles, it would be this: Own your truth, even if it makes others uncomfortable. Your journey to healing is about you, not them. Don’t dim your light for anyone. Trust yourself and your intuition, and don’t hesitate to seek specialized help.

I wish I had known earlier the importance of putting a name to my struggle and seeking help from professionals who specialize in this area. Understanding the dynamics of narcissistic abuse and how it affected me was like turning on a light in a dark room. It gave me the clarity I needed to start the healing process.

Another thing I wish I had known is that it’s okay to step away from relationships that are harmful, even if society or well-meaning individuals tell you otherwise. Sometimes the most loving thing you can do for yourself is to create distance and establish boundaries.

It’s not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of self-respect and self-love. And remember, you’re not alone. There are communities and professionals out there who understand what you’re going through and can offer invaluable support.

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, YouTube channels, or other resources for you?

Over the years, I’ve dived into lots of books and talked with experts to better understand the connection between body, mind, and soul. This approach has been a big part of my healing journey.

While it’s hard to pick just one book that changed everything for me, some have really stood out. One of those is ‘The Body Keeps the Score’ by Bessel van der Kolk. This book led me to explore body-based therapies and underlined what I already knew: healing has to be viewed holistically.

In addition to that, I’ve been deeply influenced by exploring the concept of the Higher Self and our spiritual connection to the universe. These works have opened me up to trusting my intuition and inner wisdom, which has been a cornerstone in my healing journey.

One of the most impactful resources has been my work with Julie Clark, a psycho-spiritual coach. Her approach combines psychology and spirituality, and she specializes in narcissistic abuse.

Working with her has been like finding a guide who speaks my language, helping me navigate the complexities of my struggle, and offering invaluable insights and tools for healing.

Where can we go to learn more about you?

If you’re interested in diving deeper into my philosophy and approach to holistic well-being, I invite you to visit my website, The Wholehearted Path.

There you’ll find a range of resources, from personalized holistic coaching and consulting services to articles on conscious living, emotional well-being, and entrepreneurship.

I also offer expert guidance in various essential aspects of life, such as healthy lifestyle choices, relationships and communication, mindset development, and spiritual growth.

You can also find me on Facebook and Pinterest.

Is there anything else you think we should have asked you?

One question that could add depth to this interview is about the role of spirituality in mental health and well-being. I believe that our struggles are not just psychological but also spiritual in nature.

For me, embracing spirituality was a significant part of my healing journey. It helped me understand the interconnectedness of mind, body, and soul, and how each aspect contributes to our overall well-being.

I also want to point out the importance of finding the right kind of help. Not all therapists or coaches are equipped to deal with specific issues like narcissistic abuse. It’s crucial to find someone who specializes in your area of struggle, as this can make a significant difference in the speed and quality of your recovery.

By the way: If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here.

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

Want more interviews?

Continue reading our inspiring case studies and learn how to overcome mental health struggles in a positive way!

Want to help others with your story? We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Hugo Huijer Author

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

The post How I Realized That I Experienced Narcissistic Abuse and My Journey of Healing appeared first on Tracking Happiness.

Contents

• Who are you?
• What is your struggle?
• How did you feel at your worst moment
• When did you turn it around?
• What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?
• Who did you share your struggle with?
• Your best piece of advice?
• Books and resources
• Learn more

Hello! Who are you?

Hello there! My name is Isabel Faye, a relationship and lifestyle expert. I consider myself sort of a nomad, but currently I live in the beautiful city of San Diego — I’ve always been mesmerized by its stunning beaches and the warmth of its residents.

Professionally, I have a background in psychology and specialize in social and personality psychology. On a personal note, I’m in a committed relationship with a wonderful partner who’s been my rock, especially during my recent mental health journey. We share our home with a playful golden retriever named Leo, who never fails to light up our days. 

Besides my work, I’m passionate about yoga, mindfulness practices, traveling, journaling, and exploring local cafes. Each of these passions helps me maintain balance in my life and gives me moments of solace.

By the way: Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control.

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

Find happiness with this 10-step mental health cheat sheet.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

What is your struggle and when did it start?

My struggle was with a condition known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). At first glance, it may sound similar to the common PMS, but in reality, PMDD is much more intense. It wasn’t just about the physical discomfort.

The real challenge was the emotional and psychological symptoms. Think about really strong mood swings, being super irritable, and having moments of heavy anxiety almost every month.

I first noticed these symptoms about 3 years ago. At the beginning, I just thought they were regular menstrual changes, but over time, I saw a clear pattern. These intense feelings always hit right before my period, and to be honest, the stresses from work and life probably made them feel even stronger.

As time went on, these symptoms went from just being annoying to seriously affecting my daily life. There were days when PMDD would just take over, making it hard to be my usual self, both personally and professionally

How did this struggle make you feel at your worst moments?

At my lowest points, PMDD felt like an anchor weighing me down. It made even the smallest tasks feel mountainous. I’d often find myself trapped in this cycle of self-doubt, anxiety, and overwhelming sadness. My happiness? It felt like it had been siphoned off.

Moments that should’ve been joyful or just neutral became shaded by this heaviness. Simple activities, like catching up with friends or working on a project, suddenly felt so draining. It was as if a constant cloud hovered, casting shadows on my usual upbeat self.

To the outside world, I did my best to wear a mask. I pride myself on being a relationship and lifestyle expert, so showing vulnerability wasn’t easy. But, as with most masks, it had its cracks. 

Close friends and family could sense when the cloud descended. They’d notice the subtle changes – maybe a hesitation in my voice, or the lack of enthusiasm in activities I usually love. However, to most others, I kept my struggle tucked away, hoping to navigate it without drawing too much attention.

Share your story: Help thousands of people around the world by sharing your own story. We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Was there a moment when you started to turn things around?

Yes, there was. About a year and a half into my struggle with PMDD, during one particularly challenging cycle, I remember sitting in my San Diego living room, Leo by my side, journal in hand. I remember a moment of clarity — I realized I needed to actively seek change. Writing had always been therapeutic for me, but that evening it was more like a compass pointing me in a direction.

I’d say turning things around was about 80% my actions and 20% circumstantial. I sought professional help, adjusted my lifestyle, and leaned into the practices I advocate for at Twin Flamesly.

While the supportive environment of my partner and friends played a part, it was my proactive approach that truly steered the change. The therapy sessions, the self-awareness exercises, and even the dietary changes were all deliberate actions I took to regain control over my life.

Before this pivot, I grappled with PMDD’s intense symptoms for nearly 18 months. It’s incredible to reflect on how transformative that one evening of introspection was, guiding me toward the path of recovery.

What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?

The first step for me was recognizing and accepting that I needed help. It’s often the hardest step, but crucial. For me, reaching out to a therapist who specialized in hormonal mood disorders made all the difference. 

In one of our sessions, I remember sharing a particular instance where a minor disagreement with my partner spiraled into a massive anxiety episode. My therapist introduced me to the concept of ‘cognitive reframing‘.

Instead of getting entangled in the intensity of the emotion, she taught me to pause, step back, and reframe my perspective. It was transformative. The best part was that it enabled me to respond rather than react to emotional triggers.

Journaling was another game-changer. What really helped me was setting aside a dedicated time every evening to pen down my feelings. It’s not just about writing what you feel, but understanding why you feel it. 

For instance, during one week when my symptoms were flaring, I identified certain dietary triggers. This led me to research and eventually adjust my diet — I started reducing foods that seemed to exacerbate my PMDD symptoms.

Finally, mindfulness and meditation. While it might sound cliché, integrating mindfulness practices into my daily routine genuinely helped. I began with just 10 minutes of focused breathing exercises in the mornings. Nothing special — I just relied on Goop’s 10 Minute Morning Meditation for Clarity, Stability, and Presence on YouTube.

This video was my go-to guide and offered easy-to-follow techniques that really grounded me. Taking those 10 minutes each morning to center myself made a world of difference.

Over time, this not only helped manage my PMDD symptoms but also improved my overall mental well-being.

To anyone in a similar situation, I’d say: be proactive and take charge. Seek professional help, stay self-aware, and never underestimate the healing power of simple practices. I know you might think you’re all alone, but you need to convince yourself that no, you’re indeed not alone, and there are tools and resources out there that can help.

Have you shared any of this with people around you in real life?

Yes, I did share my struggles, but it took time to gather the courage. At first, I confided in my closest circle: my partner and a couple of dear friends. They’ve seen me at my best and worst, and with them, I felt a sense of safety because I just knew they’d listen without judgment.

On the other hand, sharing with colleagues and acquaintances was a big challenge. Given my profession as a relationship and lifestyle expert, I worried about how it might affect their perception of me.

Would they doubt my expertise if they knew of my personal battles? This fear made me hold back, choosing to keep a boundary between my professional life and my personal challenges.

Opening up about mental health is never easy. It’s a deeply personal journey, and while I advocate for open conversations, I also understand the hesitancy. It’s the vulnerability, the fear of being misunderstood, or judged.

But with time, I’ve come to see the power of sharing. It not only aids our healing but can also provide comfort and guidance to others walking a similar path.

If you could give a single piece of advice to someone else that struggles, what would that be?

If I could share one piece of heartfelt advice with someone going through a struggle, it would be this: Take one step at a time and reach out. We often believe we have to navigate our battles alone, but there’s immense strength in seeking support.

Whether it’s confiding in a friend, joining a support group, or even diving into a helpful YouTube tutorial – every small action you take is a victory.

Looking back, I wish I had acted sooner. I spent too much time underestimating the power of tiny, daily actions and the comfort of shared experiences.

You don’t have to have it all figured out today, but taking that first step, whatever it might be, can make a world of difference. You might think it won’t work for now, but trust me, your future self will thank you.

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, YouTube channels, or other resources for you?

• Book: “Hidden Secrets of Buddhism: How To Live With Maximum Impact and Minimum Ego” by Lachlan Brown

Lachlan Brown’s exploration into Buddhism not only deepened my understanding of its principles but also offered practical advice on living a life with purpose and mindfulness.

The chapters on minimizing ego provided invaluable tools for personal growth. Reading it was a turning point throughout my journey with PMDD, and I believe it contributed to improving my overall well-being.

• Book: “What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing” by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry

This compelling book by Oprah and Dr. Perry shifted my perspective from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”. Their conversations on trauma shed light on its deep-rooted impacts. This indeed offered me a compassionate approach to understanding and healing.

After reading the book, I also recommend watching their interviews on YouTube.

• Podcast: The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

In this podcast, Dr. Santos discusses scientific research on happiness. Through her stories and actionable tips, I gained tools to nurture a more contented life, especially during challenging times.

• YouTube Meditation: Goop’s 10 Minute Morning Meditation for Clarity, Stability, and Presence

This quick morning meditation from Gwyneth Paltrow quickly became a staple in my routine. The 10 minutes of focused guidance ushered in clarity and stability, setting a positive tone for my day, especially during PMDD flare-ups.

Where can we go to learn more about you?

I am the founder of Twin Flamesly, an informative website for dating and relationship advice. You can read more about me on my author page.

Is there anything else you think we should have asked you?

One aspect that I believe is immensely crucial, which wasn’t touched upon, is the role of daily routines in managing mental health challenges. For someone struggling with a condition like PMDD, consistency can be both a challenge and a savior. 

One practical thing that grounded me during my toughest days was a ‘wind-down ritual’ in the evenings. This wasn’t something grand but rather a simple, consistent routine: a warm cup of chamomile tea, a brief walk outside, followed by jotting down three things I was grateful for that day. It might sound basic, but this routine gave me an anchor, a small space of predictability in a sea of emotional chaos.

By the way: If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here.

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

Want more interviews?

Continue reading our inspiring case studies and learn how to overcome mental health struggles in a positive way!

Want to help others with your story? We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Hugo Huijer Author

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

The post My Self-Improvement Journey From Stress and PMDD to Happiness and Fulfillment appeared first on Tracking Happiness.

Contents

• Who are you?
• What is your struggle?
• How did you feel at your worst moment
• When did you turn it around?
• What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?
• Who did you share your struggle with?
• Your best piece of advice?
• Books and resources
• Learn more

Hello! Who are you?

Hi there, I’m Laurie, and I currently live in Canada. I’ve had jobs in different sectors from banking to legal assistant. Most recently, I was a fitness instructor for 7 years. That’s when I learned the value of mental, physical, and emotional health.

During the pandemic, I pivoted to another sector: entrepreneurship. It’s been a huge journey for personal growth and confronting my own limiting beliefs and negative self-talk. 

I’m just starting out with creating my own business. I feel self-doubt, fear, imposter syndrome, purpose, and excitement all at the same time and usually multiple times a day. 

Mental health is the cornerstone for how we live and do life. From my own personal experiences, I’m here to advocate and help support moms who have teens struggling with mental health challenges. 

I’m a mom to four kids, ages 11- 21. I have a Goldendoodle, Bella, that I adore. She gets me outside for walks every day, which has been such a blessing for my mental health. I’m fortunate to live near the mountains, so I spend time hiking, biking, or skiing on the weekends. 

My husband of 22 years is my best friend. He supports me and believes in me when I need it the most. We both make our marriage a priority and it pays off. I’ve been able to get through the challenging times in my life, knowing that I always have my husband’s support and love. 

Overall, I’m an optimistic, joyful, and happy person. With age, I’ve come to appreciate how short and precious life is. I know that I’m responsible for my own happiness and decisions in life.

At the same time, I’m getting much better at sitting in my own feelings of discomfort and negative emotions, acknowledging how I’m feeling, and being okay with it.

By the way: Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control.

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

Find happiness with this 10-step mental health cheat sheet.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

What is your struggle and when did it start?

My struggles started when I was 7, shortly after my Dad died. I remember feeling very upset and angry. I felt on edge all the time and so unhappy. I developed a speech impediment and was sent to a “special school,” for kids with problems for 1 year.

At one point, I received a diagnosis of having schizophrenia, from one medical professional, this was later rediagnosed by another medical professional, as a child who was “broken-hearted,” over the death of her father and how to handle it. 

That was over 40 years ago and there was no awareness of mental health, trauma, how it affects children, and the best therapies to use at the time. I know that my mom and loved ones did what they thought was best for me at the time. I have complete understanding and compassion for my mom with how my therapy was handled back then. 

Once I started regular classes in school again, this was grade 3, I felt out of place, awkward, self-conscious, and unsettled. At the same time, I had this need to prove to myself, unknowingly at the time, that I was smart and could do well in school. 

I now understand that doing well in school was something I felt that I could control. This was empowering at the time. 

I realize now how common it’s to be an overachiever in some areas of our lives to make up for feeling inadequate in others. I had these constant feelings that I was not good enough, smart enough, or pretty enough. As I entered junior high, those feelings skyrocketed!

How did this struggle make you feel at your worst moments?

Throughout junior high, I continued to have feelings of unworthiness and just felt crappy about myself all the time. What made it okay, was I had a few good friends and that was everything. Then, the bomb hit, my mom got a new job and we had to move to another city. I was now starting grade 11.

High school is one of the most brutal times for a move to a new city, school, and fresh start, especially for a shy, self-conscious, and awkward girl. Grades 11 and 12, I had only one good friend. It was a lonely time in my life. 

I recall one vivid moment in grade 12, I had a bag packed and I was going to leave for the mountains, with no tent, no way of camping, and no plans for what I would do once I got there. I felt so distraught at the time, I wasn’t thinking of anything but running and escaping from my life.

I understand now, I was suffering from depression. The weight of depression was overwhelming, consuming me, clouding my days in darkness, and making even the simplest tasks seem insurmountable. 

I was still doing well academically in school, so I don’t think anyone that loved me and knew me would have suspected the true darkness of my feelings at the time. 

It’s interesting how the universe works. That dark day when I was planning on leaving for the mountains, with no plan on returning, I received a phone call for a part-time job. The interview was scheduled for that day, so I went to the interview and got the job. 

Share your story: Help thousands of people around the world by sharing your own story. We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Was there a moment when you started to turn things around?

As a teenager and young adult suffering from depression, it was like a tidal wave of emotions for a long time. I did not have one of those big moments where I acknowledged, accepted, and got help. It took years of small steps moving forward and backward, not understanding why. 

When my fourth child was born, I got my fitness certification and started teaching fitness to older adults and people with chronic health conditions. By teaching and helping others, I felt purpose, valued, excited about my life and this started my true journey of personal growth. 

At the same time, I was on my journey of personal growth, I had a daughter struggling with mental health issues. This ended up as a mental health crisis for her and our family. I have never felt so helpless, stressed, scared, overwhelmed, and heartbroken in my life.

Up until this point, I had taken all the initiative and responsibility to do the work myself. I read books, listened to podcasts, and went to workshops. I thought I was doing a pretty good job enlightening myself! 

With my daughter’s mental health crisis, we were required to get family counseling and this changed everything for me. I had one family therapist that changed my life. Up until this point, I had been both arrogant and ignorant in thinking that I didn’t need professional help, I could do this by myself. I was WRONG! 

While I did about 75% of the work myself, that 25% from others, made a world of difference and really moved the needle for me in ALL aspects of my life. 

What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?

I finally accepted and acknowledged that I needed help. I couldn’t deal with all this by myself and I didn’t want to. I felt such a weight lifted off my shoulders to have help!

What really helped me was getting professional help from an amazing family therapist AND group support from other like-minded parents on a similar path.

I cannot stress the importance and value of getting help and support from others. Being part of a supportive community made me feel valued, heard, and understood by parents going through similar journeys and experiences. The power of community and connection with others changed my life. 

Working with my therapist, I learned to listen better, respond instead of react all the time, have more empathy and compassion for myself as a parent and for those struggling with mental health issues. I developed a new perspective on how I parent and acceptance of who I am and acknowledgment for how far I’ve come.

You need to have compassion for yourself to heal. My therapist taught me to have compassion for myself. She taught me the value of using self-care tools to help deal with daily challenges and stress. This started my healing journey. 

As part of my healing from a child, I started a self-care practice of daily journaling. Journaling became such a powerful and therapeutic tool for me. Being able to get my thoughts out of my head and onto paper, without fear of judgment was so healing for me. I found a safe space to explore my innermost feelings, hopes, and fears. It provided me with clarity, perspective, and a sense of release.

You need to have a way to get your negative thoughts, feelings, and rumination out of your head and journaling is an amazing tool for this. 

Journaling was the start of my self-care practice. You need a self-care practice. It can be 5 minutes, one hour, or whatever works at this stage for you in life right now. Journaling made such a difference in my mental health, I added movement, breathing exercises, and meditation to my self-care practice.

I now start my day, by taking control of how I want my day to flow. This allows me to handle the daily stress and challenges much better. 

Have you shared any of this with people around you in real life?

I am blessed to have a husband who I can share my struggles and challenges with. It’s such a relief to know at the end of the day, no matter what happened, I have someone to talk to.

As I have gotten older, the quality of my friendships is crucial for me. I have some amazing friends who I can share my struggles with. You have to find those people with whom you can be vulnerable, honest, open, genuine, and feel safe doing so. 

I have learned the importance of boundaries. There are some people that it’s not appropriate to share your struggles and challenges with. For me, certain extended family members, friends, and colleagues, I did not confide in.

There were numerous reasons for this choice: personal and professional boundaries, trust issues, privacy concerns, and relationships that were not valued. Not everyone in our lives needs to know or is deserving of what goes on in our life. 

I found my circle of friends, family members, and others going through a similar experience, where I could openly share, be vulnerable, and feel heard and understood in a safe place. This was probably the most crucial step in my healing. 

If you could give a single piece of advice to someone else that struggles, what would that be?

Find support. There are so many ways to get help now. Virtual, in-person, friends, family, therapist, and various support groups. Connecting with other people that understand what you’re going through is crucial. We all need connection, help, and support from each other. 

Have compassion for yourself. Once I accepted that my depression was not a character flaw, weakness, or something to be ashamed of, it was a genuine condition that deserved recognition and understanding. Embracing this truth, allowed me to shift my perspective and have understanding and compassion for others going through a similar experience.

If you struggle with any mental health issues, you’re not alone! There’s so much help out there and people wanting to support and connect with you. When we come together, we can help to heal one another. The power of community is unbelievable for support and healing. 

Reflecting on my journey reminds me of the progress I’ve made and the strength that I have now. It’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. 

You need to take the first step and reach out. Someone is there to help you!

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, YouTube channels, or other resources for you?

• The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins: This is a transformative guidebook about taking action, changing your behavior, and living life with less fear and more courage. 
• The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle: This book makes you self-aware of the power of “ego,” and how it keeps you from being happy and present.
• The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers’ Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success – Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy: You can turn any seemingly negative experience into a GAIN by reframing what happened to you. See the lesson in what happened.
• Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life – JIM KWIK: A book for anyone who’s ever felt too dumb, too slow, or too unskilled to succeed. Learn how to unlimit your brain and gain the power to achieve anything at all. 
• How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self – Dr. Nicole LePera: To heal our minds, we have to heal our bodies, and vice versa. Reparenting ourselves can reprogram our core beliefs. 
• Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo: The belief that “everything is figureoutable” is a powerful weapon against our self-limiting beliefs. At the bottom of most self-limiting beliefs are really just excuses.
• Believe IT: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable by Jamie Kern Lima: An inspiring book to follow your ideas and keep going. Turn down the volume of your inner critic.

Where can we go to learn more about you?

From my own experience and journey with mental health, I have learned how important acceptance, validation, and acknowledgment are. We can’t do life alone, we heal so much better with the support, help, and connection from each other.

I have started my own business to help support moms who have teens struggling with mental health challenges, using self-care tools and group support. 

You can read more about it on my website and find me on Instagram and Pinterest.

By the way: If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here.

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

Want more interviews?

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Hugo Huijer Author

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

The post My Journey From Grief and Depression to Happiness and Personal Growth appeared first on Tracking Happiness.

Contents

• Who are you?
• What is your struggle?
• How did you feel at your worst moment
• When did you turn it around?
• What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?
• Who did you share your struggle with?
• Your best piece of advice?
• Books and resources
• Learn more

Hello! Who are you?

My name is Angela Broida, while I professionally use my former last name, Phillips. I live in central California, in a beautiful wine country town called Paso Robles.

My partner and I relocated from the Bay Area where we met a few years ago to Vancouver, BC. I have a 10-year-old English bulldog named Stella that has been with me since she was a pup, and a 1 year old baby named Ruby.

I’m a licensed therapist, clinical researcher, and work in the behavioral health tech space. I’m very passionate about my career but also other hobbies that include music, fashion, hiking, traveling, and overall just experiencing new things as opportunities arise. I would definitely consider myself a positive person and although I wouldn’t use the term by choice, happiness is definitely a part of my daily life. 

By the way: Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control.

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

Find happiness with this 10-step mental health cheat sheet.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

What is your struggle and when did it start?

Prior to becoming a therapist myself, I struggled with how to seek out or name things that happened in my past, contributing toward challenges in the present. If I really look back, much of it started with the pros and cons of being raised with a very strict but wavering religiosity in my home.

Though much of my moral compass and strong values derived from this environment, the eruption of my social and generalized anxiety disorders really started in that religious context and I felt I couldn’t live an authentic life, and I thus felt like I had to hide a lot of who I was.

This started as a child until I felt I could move out of my parent’s home at 17 years old and try to get out from under the pressures and beliefs I didn’t align with that were physically making me ill.

The more I recognized unhealthy coping skills and the loss of those around me, the more I realized I needed to talk to someone and really do some work if I was going to survive and live a fulfilling and healthy life.

Enter the discovery and naming of prior traumatic events, PTSD, and ongoing anxiety disorder(s). Even at the beginning of my self-exploration and healing journey, I’d self-medicate mostly with alcohol to tolerate social situations while throwing myself into projects, work, or school to manage not focusing on relationships or my own problems.

While all of this distracted me enough to get through at the time, I wasn’t really comfortable, and nowhere near happy. I wasn’t truly connecting with others and I didn’t genuinely understand myself or what I wanted.

The death of my father in my early 20s triggered the idea that I’d accept that I may never want to be in a long-term relationship and justify break ups, and not deserving healthy relationships or really learning how to communicate.

Over the years I learned ways to process and cope in healthy ways, and never thought I’d find someone who was willing to walk through that with me but thankfully we met at the perfect time of growth and acceptance.

Fast forward to the birth of our first child and here’s where things start to resurface as they do for many new moms. Most simply, the “baby blues” differ from postpartum depression or anxiety by the length of time a new mom experiences the symptoms and the severity of those symptoms.

Those of us who already struggle with depression or anxiety are also at greater risk for postpartum severity which was a slight fear of mine going into the pregnancy but I felt confident that I’d be able to adjust like I had with so many things.

However, you never really know how your body is going to respond to so many changes. I had recently moved into a new home, in a new area with my partner, and didn’t realize the impact that my lack of a social network would have on me, as well.

Ultimately, I saw baby blues creep in along with more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety, with new symptoms I wasn’t familiar with. I had never felt hopeless or trapped, and although many moms I talk to today will admit, no one talks about these common experiences that can arise immediately after this amazing gift of life occurs.

I was in a fog, so confused, and felt all over the place. I had to ‘relearn’ a lot about myself, when to anticipate these new challenges arising, plan for prevention by doing more outreach for support, and become painfully open with my partner about all of the above. This is really difficult to do all while trying to figure out what changes are going on with your body and brain, AND learning how to care for a new human.

Over the months, I found myself getting more and more confident in motherhood and growing into my new role with increased comfort in my own skin. I made sure not to lose aspects of my identity and focus on hobbies that, although may not get as much attention as they had in the past, would continue to be a part of me.

One big aspect of this was my career and making sure I followed my gut when it came to decide whether or not I would want to be a stay at home parent. I was able to find an amazing job that allowed me to stay home and work remotely but keep my career and professional identity afloat.

I would revisit my tool kit for managing anxiety and these periodic, daily dips in mood, and learn different ways of approaching them. My personal opinion is that our mental health is an ongoing journey, and thus the focus is not to “get better,“ but to continue folding in the new life experiences that occur and learn how to balance out, in a way that brings peace, joy, love, and fulfillment, in whatever way that is for us.

“Happiness“ is subjective, but I’d say I’ve reached a new level of understanding when it comes to my definition. I no longer sit in the “what if“ of my life but I embrace the challenges that are ahead and welcome them as a way to continue to refine my skills and grow as a person. The community I have around me is responsible for so much more than I would’ve ever guessed it would be.

How did this struggle make you feel at your worst moments?

I have always taken a lot of pride in my independence, drive, and optimism. So, to go from being so blissfully in love and recently married to a partner I never thought I’d find, to someone struggling with feelings of hopelessness and panic, I was quite a mess.

Instead of crying, I’d try to bottle things up but quickly reset and embraced this honestly with my close family and friends. Although the support was extremely helpful, I did wonder if the feelings would ever dissipate. Having the skills to remind myself that this so commonly happens to new moms was a game changer but still didn’t soften the blow for months of this struggle.

My family was far away and my husband was back at work for days at a time, so it was less noticeable than it may be for others to see. I will say that once I opened up, they all realized the challenges but also saw me start to figure things out and become more of myself again.

Share your story: Help thousands of people around the world by sharing your own story. We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Was there a moment when you started to turn things around?

Although I still struggle with the idea that I’m no longer only living for myself and/or another independent adult, those returning symptoms that would come on each day are now less and less frequent and much less severe. They’re blips on a screen and remind me of how far I’ve come not only in my postpartum journey but in my entire life.

Around 3 months postpartum I felt about 25% improvement, 6 months around 50%, and 75% around 9 months. As I approach a year with my little one, I’ll never say 100% is realistic but I’m closer and happier than ever and looking forward to continuing this new journey.

What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?

What helped me the most was building my social network and finding people that have interests outside of parenthood. This is so key in my opinion because the biggest challenge one can experience when becoming a parent is losing themselves. I knew this from my own training and just needed to understand how to apply this to myself. 

As my experience is unique, being a therapist, I always recommend reaching out to an unbiased professional or friend if you don’t have one. I was able to take my training and apply it to myself effectively, but this was with the help and insight from others in my community. 

Finally, I cannot express how important it was for me to track how I was feeling along with what I was putting into my body. From medications to foods, it all matters and I found patterns that I was able to disrupt and catch before making me feel progressively worse. 

Have you shared any of this with people around you in real life?

I started sharing with my partner very early on, and eventually added family and friends, particularly the network of moms I had built and chatted with regularly. This “mom group” idea made me cringe, initially, but allowed me to share the taboo and unspoken thoughts many of us have in a way that many of us would never think to speak aloud.

Since then, I’ve become more vocal on social media and have reached out to support others who may need a space to do the same. It’s definitely still difficult and taboo but I continue to try and normalize it all, as I go.

If you could give a single piece of advice to someone else that struggles, what would that be?

My favorite quote of all time is the effect of, “learn what it is that you need and then learn how to ask for it.” This has remained true for me in most circumstances including this one. Communication is always key and we all need support when going through something so significant, regardless of how amazing the experience is.

As I grew into my new role as a mom, I had to pay really close, mindful attention to myself and make room for whatever thoughts and feelings were coming through. I tried to remain as unbiased as possible and treat myself with the kindness and compassion I would with any of my friends. 

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, YouTube channels, or other resources for you?

Honestly, something I talk about a lot in my professional work and practice a lot of in my personal life is limiting social media, and external factors when it comes to these ongoing challenges.

All that said, there are certainly resources that I found to be helpful during, and after my pregnancy, and throughout my journey with trauma, anxiety, and other challenging symptoms.

As a therapist and researcher, I’m always looking at new research, articles, authors, books, and other materials that fall in line with the work that I do. In that sense, I sort through hundreds and hundreds of pages every month.

Explicitly, during this most recent and challenging time, I stuck with friends, podcasts from supportive doulas and parenting experts, but overall what normalized the experience for me was an app called ‘What to Expect’ that gives you a play-by-play as to the milestones your child will experience, as well as the normalization of what a new mother is experiencing along the way.

Almost to a T the curated emails and milestones would pop up on my phone or in my email that would again reinforce what I was going through and give me hope as to what I could look forward to in the future, but also how to be present with where things were currently at, no matter how challenging they may be.

It took away a layer of stigma around baby blues and postpartum anxiety or depression and became the one constant that I didn’t have to talk to or didn’t have to listen to me, but that I just got to read on my own time. I then started sharing this as a daily update with my partner, and it became part of our routine when we were together first thing in the morning or at the end of every day.

Finally, I started journaling about my experience from both the highs and the lows, and everything in between. I had been on a hiatus from journaling for some time and knew the benefits so it only made sense to restart that process again. I go back-and-forth but I’ve always found it helps me in the moment and gets me back on track when I’m feeling overwhelmed.

Where can we go to learn more about you?

You can find me on Instagram at @humorist.therapist and LinkedIn.

By the way: If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here.

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

Want more interviews?

Continue reading our inspiring case studies and learn how to overcome mental health struggles in a positive way!

Want to help others with your story? We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Hugo Huijer Author

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

The post Navigating Baby Blues and Depression in My Postpartum Journey and Breaking the Stigma appeared first on Tracking Happiness.

Contents

• Who are you?
• What is your struggle?
• How did you feel at your worst moment
• When did you turn it around?
• What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?
• Who did you share your struggle with?
• Your best piece of advice?
• Books and resources
• Learn more

Hello! Who are you?

My name is Margaret Alvarez, I am an artist, art teacher, and creativity coach. I am from Houston, Texas. That is where I still live with my husband and 8-year-old son. 

I have been an artist ever since I could hold a pencil. I attended the High School for The Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. Graduated with a Bachelors’s in Studio Painting from the University of Houston and I received my Master’s in Teaching from National University. I am currently teaching kindergarten-8th grade art in a private school. I have been teaching K-8 art for 15 years. 

I am beyond passionate about art. It is who I am. I love being creative and sharing this with my students and my clients. During the pandemic, I started My Artsy Coach. Along with being a full-time art teacher, I am a creativity coach who teaches people to combine creativity and mindfulness.

I bring my experience as an artist and teacher, but I am also very interested in practicing mindfulness. I especially love teaching the benefits of both creativity and mindfulness combined. It brings me so much joy!

By the way: Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control.

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

Find happiness with this 10-step mental health cheat sheet.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

What is your struggle and when did it start?

I struggle with stress and anxiety. This started when I became an adult. I started to realize that “adulting” caused major anxiety. All of the responsibilities and uncertainty were hard to cope with at times. When I was young I used my art journal to cope. As I got older, I started doing a bit of research on happiness.

I got really into universal laws and self-help books. I would watch or read anything that I thought would help me. The one common denominator was “gratitude”. No matter what, gratitude was almost always mentioned. So about ten years ago, I started using my art journal as a gratitude journal combined with my art. 

I would set the intention on the first page of my art journal. It is specifically for my gratitude. When I feel anxious, worried, or frustrated, that is when I would go for my journal. I would draw, collage, or write. I started this ten years ago!

Anxiety happens to me often. I get lost in my thoughts and now that I have a family and even more responsibility this is what I do to cope. I work in my journal weekly, sometimes more if I have a lot going on. 

How did this struggle make you feel at your worst moments?

One example of my own personal struggle with anxiety is when my son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. He had a speech delay and was struggling with behavior in school. Before I knew it, we were getting him evaluated. He was diagnosed shortly before his third birthday.

Obviously, this wasn’t planned. He was attending the school where I was teaching. I was thrilled that we could ride to school together and that I could see him walking with his class in the hall. It hit me so hard that he was no longer going to be at the school with me.

Not to mention, we had no idea what to expect. This was a really tough time for me. I was constantly thinking of what “might” happen. I worried about what school he would attend or if he would be non-verbal forever. 

I used my journal a lot at this time. Being in gratitude would truly help me cope with the anxiety. At the time, everyone was reaching out to us. But it was really something I had to process myself and in my own way. I was also trying to hold it together for my son. I never wanted him to feel how stressed I was or that there was anything wrong. 

Share your story: Help thousands of people around the world by sharing your own story. We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Was there a moment when you started to turn things around?

When I embraced gratitude, my whole life changed. Gratitude is the one thing that always brings me back to the present moment. It helps me worry less and feel less anxious. I didn’t know how significant my gratitude art journal was till years later.

When the pandemic happened and my anxiety was high once again, I decided to share my ideas. This is when My Artsy Coach was born. I knew that everyone was on edge and I wanted to help. It felt like divine timing. I wanted to share this practice and become a creativity coach.

I think that prioritizing my happiness as a young adult was a good starting point for me. I did the research and tried to discover what it was that would make me a happier person.

I think in general, people forget about themselves a bit. I now make it my priority to teach people how to use gratitude and creativity. This is just another tool to achieve peace and happiness and channel stress and anxiety into a creative flow. This is self-care. 

What steps did you take to overcome your struggle?

First, I did the research. I needed to educate myself on happiness. Reading and experimenting with different methods was really helpful. Once I found a way I began to practice it regularly and all I can say is that gratitude came naturally to me. It was easy to be in gratitude. I felt the benefits immediately and that was really satisfying. I also started to see the benefits affect how my life was evolving. 

You can start off by simply listing. I try not to overwhelm people with the creative part right away. Sitting down once a day is a great start. Some people do this in the morning. Also, you have to take it easy on yourself. If you miss a day just move on. You can easily just take a moment and make a gratitude list in your head. 

Once you find the right kind of art journal, you can buy a few simple supplies. Colorful pens, crayons, and watercolors are a good start. Play around with making your lists colorful. Doodle or draw if you want. It’s really about being in the moment. No judgment, this journal is for you and you alone. 

Have you shared any of this with people around you in real life?

I am married. My husband is my best friend. We have been through a lot together and so I shared my journey with him. As my son got older, I started to reach out to anyone who was navigating life as a special needs parent. I would have loved to have advice in the first year, from someone who had been through it. 

My husband also encouraged me to share my story through My Artsy Coach. Which is why I started creating workshops and online classes. I find that most of my clients start out really nervous about the creative part and leave feeling proud. The mindfulness piece takes time, but I think that anyone can incorporate this into their lives. If they choose to, it can be life-changing.

If you could give a single piece of advice to someone else that struggles, what would that be?

Take care of yourself first. Prioritize your well-being. It is so important. Start slow and go easy on yourself. There is no judgment.

Art journaling for me is very private. I don’t share every single page I create. I know that for me, it was organic. I wanted to be more mindful and grateful and so I used my art journal and set that intention. I literally wrote out what I was doing so that the intention was set. I had to make that commitment and I am so glad I did because now I get to share how this practice has changed me. 

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, YouTube channels, or other resources for you?

Books:

• The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: The first book I read that really had me thinking about gratitude.
• Wake Up Grateful by Kristi Nelson: This book was amazing and really made me think about gratitude in a deeper way. 
• You are the Placebo and Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza: I love meditation! Dr. Joe is the best!!!
• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin: Great for those who just need a refreshing change.

Podcasts:

• Mel Robbins: I love her! So wise and understands universal laws and gratitude.
• Wake up with Gratitude
• Manifest it Now: I really love manifesting and use my art journal for this sometimes too!

Where can we go to learn more about you?

You can read more about me here, or on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Facebook.

By the way: If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here.

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

Download The Free Cheat Sheet

Want more interviews?

Continue reading our inspiring case studies and learn how to overcome mental health struggles in a positive way!

Want to help others with your story? We would love to publish your interview and have a positive impact on the world together. Learn more here.

Hugo Huijer Author

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

The post Navigating Stress and Anxiety With Mindfulness and Gratitude Journaling appeared first on Tracking Happiness.