Mental Health Day

My 17 year old daughter called me on a recent Sunday evening from work completely exhausted and stated she needed a Mental Health Day and would it be okay if she stayed home from school on Monday.

With absolutely NO hesitation I said "Absolutely." 

My daughter like many others of all ages are living in SURVIVAL MODE and it's simply NOT okay. The amount of people who are just trying to get through the day only to repeat it day in and day out is the true pandemic that is destroying our world.

People are constantly anxious, worried, angry, exhausted and in pain emotionally, mentally and sometimes even physically because they do not have the necessary coping mechanisms to handle life. Add to that the rules created by society that do not make taking care of yourself a priority so you decide to do what's not necessarily in your best interest because it's easier to just push through than deal with the consequences.

Watch the Facebook Live for context.

As a holistic practitioner that works with people to create conscious awareness around a new way to live it is often a struggle for me to share them with my daughter. She watched and learned from me, a pro, that lived in pure survival mode most of her life. The best I can do is to continue to live by example and be there to support her in whatever way that looks like depending on the situation.

Today it was

• Calling her out of school with no apologies regardless of their "rules" for unexcused absences
• Letting her wake up on her own at whatever time it was to give her body and mind the rest it needed
• Having the conversation reiterating the importance of taking care of herself no matter what as survival mode is not living, it's merely existing
• Taking her out to lunch with a friend that always makes her laugh (thank you Hailey)
• Listening to whatever music she wanted to blast in the car/house that made her happy
• Randomly checking in with her as she was doing homework
• Did her laundry for her 
• Put my own needs of work on hold to be there for her (and yes I'm able to do that without consequence to my own well being
• Reminded her I am always here to listen, hold her or share what I've learned only if she's open to listening.

People commented on the live what a great mom I am and to that I say thank you but I must take full responsibility for being one of the conditioning factors of her beliefs with the inability to cope and live the way I now do. Today was another day I shared with her my heartfelt apology letting her know I did the best I could with what I knew then and if and when she is ever ready I will happily share with her what I have learned up until now.. For now, I will continue to be here for her, showing her that asking for what she needs and creating healthy boundaries is actually a strength not a weakness and we are all worthy of this practice.

As I know better, I do better and I will continue to share with all those open to learning the many ways in which I have learned to LIVE in this world without having to merely survive it.