Let’s Talk Mental Health + What’s To Come (Part 1)

I’m really glad that I finally decided to talk about my mental health on the blog.

I know I keep linking back to it, but if you still haven’t ready my post about my anxiety disorder, you can read that here to get caught up. I also followed it up with this post on the diet that I follow for my anxiety that really makes a beneficial difference.

Ever since I finally started talking about it, many of you have reached out to me via email and social media to let me know that you really could relate with me or were really glad that I opened up.

So I’m opening up again. Or opening up more, I guess?

Anyway.

This semester has been so hard, emotionally. If you don’t know, I transferred schools and live alone now and while I love my school, my classes, my professors, and color coding my planner on my couch watching Gilmore Girls in my pj’s at 8 o’clock on a Sunday night, it’s been really difficult.

I’m often times very lonely and that’s always been something that brings me anxiety. It’s not that I was never the person to hang out at the library by themselves or go grab food on their own, because I actually have always loved to do that. It’s just that, those were my times to be alone. The rest of the time, I had roommates to talk to, a campus five minutes from me full of my friends and classmates that I often met up with, and a boyfriend who lived about 25 steps away. I didn’t mind the days when no one wanted to make a Walmart run with me because it was quality alone time.

But now, it’s an every day thing. And it’s become quite unwelcoming in my emotions. It’s hard to wake up each day wondering whether or not I’ll actually do something fun with a friend or whether I’ll just end up sitting inside working by myself all day.

(If my family is reading this, it be super cool if I could get a dog, thanks!! Haha. Just kidding. Kinda. Haha.)

Anyway.

School is stressful, too. My classes are hard and my schedule is packed. Last year, Cameron and I would take breaks to go on walks or moped rides. Our study break was smelling candles at Target or grabbing jalapeño chips at Loafin Joes. My friends would invite me to coffee and I’d always have that to look forward to in a week, but here it’s different.

I’m thankful for the friends I do have here. The issue with my college now is that most people commute, so the friends I have in school may still live 30-45 minutes from me and we can’t necessarily go grab sushi together whenever we feel like it.

Anyway, it’s just been tough, and I feel like it’s taken a toll on my blogging schedule.

I write about what’s going on in my life and tailor it to be helpful to an audience full of high school and college aged girls looking for knowledge to help them grow as students and women. That’s why you see healthy grocery lists, moving tips, study hacks, and even beauty tips.

However, what’s truly going on in my life is a lot of anxiety. A lot of tough days. A lack of sleep, a lack of confidence.

But I’ve truly dealt with this for most of my life, and while some years or semesters are harder than ever, one thing that rings true is always push myself to keep going. I accept the way I feel and focus on growing.

I want to continue to publish blog posts regularly.

I don’t feel discouraged creatively that I’m in a rough spot. I guess I’m somewhat of an artist who understands that sometimes I need to feel not so good to be able to create some beautiful things. I like to lose myself in my creative work when I feel down because it really gives me something positive to focus on.

I’ve asked you guys on social media before, but I’m asking here again.

I need your help.

I want to continue writing through this time. I want to be able to put out a blog post on my good days and my bad. I know that some people may be more inclined to take a break when things are looking down, but writing really helps me.

And I write about what I know.

So if you could take a couple minutes out of your day, to drop a question or comment into my “Question Box”, I’d be very appreciative. I want to know your questions about anxiety and mental health or topics you want covered. For once in my life, I’m an open book. I know that helping people brings me happiness and I cherish every laugh and smile I get in a day.

I will continue to have a variety of content, but so long as I feel this tugging in my heart to really focus on a bigger issue that isn’t talked a lot about over the blogisphere, I’d like to capitalize on that. So let me know what you’d like to see.

What do you struggle with? What do you need tips on? Is it anxiety in school? Social situations? Do you wish you knew how to exercise to help with your anxiety? Are you curious about podcasts? Books? Therapy styles? I want to help!

Put it in the question box, and thank you for making my day!

I love you all so much, and I really appreciate every snapchat, every Instagram comment, and every tweet. Sometimes you’re there just when I need you the most, and I know you might not know that, so I wanted to let you know.

BY THE WAY – This is part 1 of my “re-brand” I’m introducing. I don’t know that re-brand is the best term for it because I won’t be changing the site in any way. (My name, color scheme, blog theme, etc.) However, I am focusing on a specific kind of content and really working to make that more of a theme for Cristina Was Here. So stay tuned, Thursday I’ll go into all of that.

Thank you! I love ya’ll.

X,

Cristina