Hello Beauties,
I want to start this by telling a little bit of my story.
During Covid, I went downhill...fast. When I got pregnant with my last baby, I had decided to stop taking my anti-depressants and anxiety medications. My doctor had told me it was totally safe to continue the meds, but I just felt like I had been and was in such a good place mentally and emotionally that I would be fine. Well, I wasn't right...one thing I have to say is, the reason I was feeling good and on top of my mental health was easy-I was taking my medication. Your body reacts to the medication and when you are on the right dosages and regime, you should be feeling like yourself again. The sad misconception that I was experiencing was that now that I am feeling good, I am cured and no longer need the medications.
Fast forward a few years and Covid hit. I know a lot of people started to feel lonely, sad, anxious, depressed, and all that comes with it. I was not wanting to wake up, and when I did, I was not being a great mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, etc. I constantly made excuses saying that it was because I was stuck at home trying to home-school 3 kids, not getting any alone time, and just feeling like it was groundhogs day. Sure, that was true to some extent, but I was in denial and just didn't want to recognize the reality or the severity of what I was dealing with. When questioned about it by my husband, I would bite off his head and turn it around on him and make it seem like he would be in the same position if he was in my shoes.
Over time, the more my husband would urge me to go get into to see my doctor, even just for a routine physical. The more he pushed the harder I would push back. Over time, he began to stop bringing up me seeking help, and in true form, that's when I decided maybe I should go in to talk to the doctor. I guess it just had to be on my own terms and time, and not when someone was telling me to do it.
When I finally did get into the doctor, it literally felt like I had a huge weight taken off of my shoulders. My husband joined me at my appointment and when the doctor would ask me questions, I would cry. When I would cry, my husband would try to help answer for me, while tearing up himself. I didn't realize how much my unhappiness and clear internal pain was actually just as painful for him to watch me go through.
My doctor started me on a new regime and with visits and some tweaks with my medications, I was beginning to feel like myself again. I was waking up at 6:00am, a huge difference from what I had been doing over the past couple of years. I had more energy. I was more present in my families lives. I was wanting to go places. I was wanting to get up in the morning with them, get them ready for school, and even drive them to school each morning and pick them up. Each night I would pray that when I woke up each day, that I would continue to feel this way. I was so scared that this would be just a temporary thing and in time, I would be back to where I was during Covid.
After about 4-5 months, my husband said to me "Well, I guess I need to get used to the new you, waking up at 6am and bouncing off of the walls and wanting to get the day going." He loved it. He loved seeing my new outlook on life, my blossoming relationships with my kids, and our marriage. I honestly think that had he not been so patient and willing to pick-up in all of the places that I was slacking, I don't know where I would be now. He never complained, he never made me feel bad, he just supported me and just wanted me to be happy and healthy. I thank him daily for all that he did, and he just replies, that's what marriage is. You don't ever need to thank me for something that I vowed to do the day we got married. He told me that I have picked him up when he had his lows and have always supported him, even when I didn't realize what I was doing.
Over the last few months, I have found myself getting back into the swings of creating things and researching what makes me happy. I found that making candles, soaps, and lotions has been so fun and therapeutic to me. It allows me to be creative, try new things, experiment what works and what doesn't, what brands and blends work well together, what products are well worth the money, and of course, the end product! I love being able to make personalized gifts, get feedback on what friends and family like and do not like, and just being able to see the smile someone gives me when they receive their product. I am excited to work with Amazon Associates to help link you to my favorite items and what I love about them and how I use them.
If anyone is ever struggling emotionally, mentally, physically or in any other way, it's okay. We don't have to be perfect, and most importantly, asking for help or talking about your mental health is not a flaw nor something that carries a stigma like so many of us think. If we do not take care of ourselves first, we cannot take care of others. You are the most important person and you deserve to be healthy and happy and enjoy life. It took me time to finally be able to realize that I wasn't at my best, but I deserve to be and so do you!
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