The Power of Small

 Its #TimetoTalkDay for 2021 and given the year we’ve had and how much our mental health has taken a battering, it couldn’t be more important to be able to reach out and be heard. When I started this blog just over a year ago, I didn’t know just how much I would discover about myself as well as about mental health.  And just how useful and important it is to talk, to tell someone how you are feeling.

 

Sometimes I’m not very good at talking, and let my emotions get the better of me, or take out my frustrations on those closest to me instead of just being honest. And let’s be frank, it’s not easy to say, actually yes, I’m not okay. You feel that there should be a reason for feeling the way that you do, and sometimes its impossible to explain. And then I found solace in this blog, as a way of putting my thoughts, feelings and frustrations into words. It let me be truly honest and say some of the things I find difficult to say out loud. To reach out to others who can understand what I’m going through. And it has made me try and talk more to those around me, when I feel I can. And that’s not to say that I no longer bottle things up, because of course I do. I’m still working out my own mental health, let alone try and explain it to others. But I’ve tried to take that first step.  And a small conversation about mental health has the power to make a big difference.

 

I still have a long way to go, but I know I’m not alone. And that people care. Friends who may not have realised how I’ve been feeling have reached out to me after I’ve shared my blog. A message, a hug, or even a unexpected card or gift in the post have made a difference to me. And I hope that I in turn have been able to do the same for others. Sometimes its just knowing someone is there, that you can check in now and again and that’s enough.  I don’t  want to feel ashamed of who or how I am and at least if we are all talking to someone, the stigma around mental health is breaking down, not just for ourselves but for those who don’t understand.  We all have mental health that we need to be more aware of. It’s okay to talk about it. Thank you Time to Change for encouraging us to start these conversations. 

 

Listen. Talk. Offer support. #ThePowerOfSmall