Sharing our stories is a powerful force of awakening. By sharing our stories we share with others how we, too, have felt alone, have felt vulnerable and have felt low. And by sharing our stories, we make it okay for other people to share theirs, to open their own mouths and to talk about the hard stuff rather than the fake pleasantries. By sharing our stories we unite with one another, feeling stronger and connected, able to love and be loved even more effectively. By sharing our stories we open ourselves up to other people’s kind blessings, their gratitude and their inspiration. We create a cycle, a wavelength, of love. And that love is necessary, no, sufficient, for preventing yet another loss of life from suicide on this rock floating in space that we call Earth (or Midgard, for Thor fans ;)).
That’s the core for this new hashtag, #Go Fix. My dear and wonderfully loving and caring friend Imani, someone I’ve come to know within my short stay thus far on WordPress, has created this lovely hashtag for us to further expand the topic of mental health issues and suicide prevention awareness.
She wants us to start a revolution; a caring, loving revolution where we each, as human beings, look out for one another. Where we choose to be kinder, gentler, happier. Where we choose to spread love rather than hate, and that we reach out our hands to the strangers who feel their mouths are sewn shut from the horrors of depression and suicidal ideation. Let us, one by one, show each other that we are caring people, willing to open our souls and tell our stories of how we have survived, and are continuing to live, despite at one point in time being in that dark vortex. Or, for those who haven’t been suicidal, show too that you care, that you’re willing to have a conversation about suicide prevention, about mental health issues, and that you’re ready for society–all of our societies to change.
Let’s unite together and in one strong, unwavering voice, announce to break the silence. (Or fuck the silence, as I like to say). Let us spread the #Go Fix with our messages of strength, courage and hope.
Because life is worth living. And if you are feeling suicidal out there on this large, large rock of ours, I encourage you to reach out to someone and talk about how you are feeling. As Imani has suggested, I will too, that you can reach out to me if you need it. Send me an email from my contact page, I will be happy to chat with you and honored that you are showing your strength and courage.
Because suicide is a permanent action to a temporary crisis. Because everything in life changes. Because feelings are temporary. Because YOU are worthy of recovery and your life is worth living, and your story is worth sharing.
Take the day hour by hour, minute by minute. Practice your positive coping skills. Make a list of things you love and enjoy, make art, practice art therapy, build your #Recovery Home, attack the shit out of this #Go Fix by sharing your thoughts and using your voice. By being alive, you have a voice within you, stronger than you realize and more necessary than you are aware of for this discussion.
Spread awareness. Make a difference. We may not be able to stop the hate, the crime, the wars on this planet, yet if we each do our small part, we can make a powerful difference in just one person’s life. And the ripple effect from that? It could change the world.
With that prep out of the way, I’d like to share some artwork I did for this #Go Fix, as well as some quotes about suicide prevention I found via Google and my own Reasons to Live that I made up last year. (and hasn’t been updated since–not yet, at least).
My 64 Reasons to Live:
- Making art
- Having hope
- Reading fanfiction
- Watching movies (Marvel–i.e. Thor Ragnarok comes out in Nov. 2017, and I gotta stay alive to watch that motherfucker)
- Getting an education (Bachelor’s degree)
- Becoming a mental health therapist (Master’s LCSW)
- Being inspired and receiving hope from the stories of others who have struggled with mental illness and have come to manage their lives again
- I want to make it to the day where I am grateful that I am alive and that I am doing well. I want to live through this difficult time to make it to the day where I’m glad that I didn’t end the pain. Where I can say I’m here and better for it.
- Laughing with friends
- Going shopping
11. Hanging out with friends
12. Nature and all its beauty and glory
13. Coloring books
14. The sprinkles of rain
15. Morning dew on grass.
16. Drawing
17. Finding/Discovering more coping strategies
18. LIVING again
19. Getting better
20. Making progress.
(Apparently I have more reasons to live than I remembered! I wrote on the back of the cards too!!!!)
21. Helping others
22. Giving people compliments
23. Receiving compliments
24. Spontaneous conversations with strangers
25. Making new friends
26. Relating; CONNECTING with people
27. Watching birds
28. Seeing the stars at night
29. Laying out a blanket over grass on a sunny day and just being
30. Experiencing moments of calm, bliss and relation
31. Coloring
32. Feeling emotions
33. Scented markers, pens, etc.
34. Candles ❤
35. Subway chocolate chip cookies
36. Ice cream 🙂
37. Being creative
38. Inspiring other people
39. Having an impact on other people’s lives
40. Jamming to music (Shawn Mendes – Stitches)
41. Realizing how far you’ve come
42. Recognizing your value, importance and significance.
43. Who would wear the sparkly pants?
44. Being a positive glow for others who have yet to shine.
45. Organizing
46. Fuzzy/fluffy socks
47. Colors / color combinations
48. Cute purchases
49. Stickers
50. Candy: Skittles, M&M’s, Reese’s Fast Break
51. Beef stew
52. Potatoes. All of them (well, not all)
53. Spreading mental health and suicide prevention awareness.
54. Finding a cause to be passionate about and devote time towards.
55. Photography Club Exhibitions
56. Painted nails
57. Crafting bracelets
58. Beads. All of them
59. DeviantART community, friends, art
60. Joking with friends
61. Being Open to Learn; Willing to Listen
62. Early morning quiet before others have awoken
63. Video games
64. Childhood memories
My Thoughts:
It’s very, very interesting to have this opportunity to look back on the artwork I made, the notes I wrote, the reasons to live that I listed, and find so much of who I am today, of how I convey myself on this blog, there within the notes and art and papers.
I guess it just goes to show that the light within your true self, that may dim and get damaged as you go through difficult trials, can, under better circumstances, create a POWERFUL stream of light that extends beyond you and out into the galaxies.
I genuinely could not have imagined a year ago that I’d be sitting here in my room, at a lovely desk by the way, recording my long ago list of reasons to live and typing them up onto a place where I share so much of myself with the world around me.
I find it just fantastic and amazing that I’ve already begun to incorporate so many of my reasons to live into my life–maybe that’s what Recovery is truly all about. Again, it just goes to show how FAR we can travel from–from a darkness so toxic to a brightness so blindingly beautiful and hope hanging from the tree branches like apples. 🙂
Finally, my drawing for #Go Fix:
I knew I wanted to use a quote for this piece and do some colorful flowers and such in the background, leaving the majority of it blank white space. I got more into the swirls and dips than I thought I would, as it turns out, but I got myself to finish the floral atmosphere at the top and have the swirls surrounding all of the page.
The quote is something that I wrote on my DA account in a journal when I began to feel better, and chose that rather than self-harming or attempting suicide, I’d choose for that moment, to show myself kindness, compassion and self-love. Hence, the saying above!
I didn’t always like how this was turning out, but I like it more as a finished product. It is a beautiful piece with an even deeper meaning and memory behind it. And the #Go Fix is written all down below. 🙂
I hope you all have enjoyed this post!!!! ❤ Keep holding on. ❤ ❤ ❤
Lastly, the slideshow of this work in progress:
Stay safe, my friends! And spread the word about this mission wherever you go!!!! 🙂
RecoverytoWellness 