Monique Mealey

On the last day of September, I keep coming back to the fact that something born from one of the hardest parts of my life has given me so much back.

Still Here began with the day I almost allowed my worst moment to become the end of my story, and with everything I would have missed if it had. This shirt was created as a reminder that none of us are only the hardest thing we have lived through. We can still be here, still healing, still changing, and still becoming versions of ourselves we have not even met yet.

What happened after we shared it was bigger than I knew to hope for. People trusted me with their own stories and answered “What are you still here for?” in ways that were heartbreaking, funny, ordinary, and deeply human. They showed up for our reveal, wore this message proudly, and helped us raise about $3,000 between shirt sales and our Instagram fundraiser in support of su***de prevention.

The fact that the shirts sold out still makes me emotional. Not because we sold something, but because every shirt meant someone believed in this message enough to carry it with them. Something that came from one of the most painful parts of my life became a reason for people to talk, connect, and hopefully feel a little less alone. I do not know if I will ever have the right words for what that means to me.

To everyone who donated, bought a shirt, shared a post, answered the question, showed up for us, or trusted me with a piece of your own story, thank you. You helped make this matter far beyond me.

September may be ending, but this conversation is not. Still Here shirts are still available through The Resilience Company website.

I am still here, still breathing, still becoming, and really fu***ng grateful I stayed long enough to see what this became 💜🩵

- Sincerely, a retired IFBB Figure Pro

say RAWR if you’re not over lost lands yet 🦖

But can we take a moment for my custom $A$$YPANT$ | Festival Fashion Brand fit because she absolutely deserves her own post. One of my favorite festival fits I have ever worn 💚💙

Today is Su***de Prevention Awareness Day.

A lot of the time, getting through a really hard moment does not look profound. It looks like buying yourself an hour. Telling one person the truth. Letting the plans go. Eating something. Crying. Asking someone to stay on the phone. Doing whatever safely gets you through the part that feels impossible.

There is so much pressure to have a huge reason to stay, but sometimes the reason only has to be enough for right now.

If you are in that place, please do not sit in it alone. Call or text 988. And if you are worried about someone you love, you can use it too.

You do not have to have the whole rest of your life figured out tonight. Just get through this moment first 💜🩵

***dePreventionDay ***dePreventionAwareness

I think we are way too quick to put people into categories and then treat that category like it explains everything about them.

Bipolar is part of how my brain works, but it is not who I am.

A lot of healing has been learning what is actually part of my diagnosis, what I need, what helps, and when I am just having a very human moment.

This is what it has actually looked like for me 💚

There is something really beautiful about realizing the life you almost missed is made up of so many ordinary moments you never knew you would care this much about.

I am very grateful I got to stay long enough to find that out. 🤍

What are you still here for?

***deprevention ***depreventionmonth