Mental Health With Megs

Hi hi! Look who’s back (it’s me)

I hope everyone had a good holiday and that the new year is starting in a positive way for you!

As you can see in these photos, my primary focus has been on being cozy and it’s changed the way I feel about winter. Instead of simply feeling dreary and cold and depressed, I’m trying to look at it as an opportunity to be the coziest little bear and hibernate into warmth, comfort, and calm.

I know this time of year can be so difficult for people because it’s just bland and cold and lonely. BUT, you have the chance to rethink your January! It doesn’t have to be hustle & bustle to keep yourself distracted and engaged… fall off the grid, steer into the cozy, look at naps and snuggling in bed as self care rather than low motivation. It’s all about mindset ❤️

If you’re thinking how could you possibly be happy in this season, here’s some things that I’ve been doing on my own that help me feel calm and comforted:
- reading easy books (Harry Potter/romcom novels)
- watching old movies from childhood (Disney, high school musical, cheaper by the dozen, home alone, Mamma Mia)
- rewatching a comfort show (new girl, friends, how I met your mother, one tree hill)
- painting fun prints on a canvas
- making friendship bracelets
- having a shower and hopping into bed with clean sheets & cozy pjs
- drinking tea at all hours of the day but especially before bed
- fairy lights (HUGE IMPACT)
- cozy ambience YouTube videos in the background while you read or do schoolwork
- singing early 2000’s romcom songs at the top of your lungs
- puzzles (either physical or virtual)

Find what works for you and give yourself grace for the lack of movement. Slow down and get comfy, it’ll be spring before you know it.

Hi friends! Coming on here to post a little October recap!

Last week was my birthday and while it was a great day overall, I experienced a not so nice panic attack at my birthday dinner which was super frustrating. It’s just a reminder that you can be having fun but still have struggles and that’s okay. Life doesn’t stop when you want it to, what matters is how you handle yourself and that you give yourself grace for the things you cannot control.

I hope this next month brings everyone peace, comfort, and cozy vibes. I know this time of year can be tricky. I’m with you, I support you, you’ve got it. ❤️

This person can also be → this person

If you didn’t know me, you wouldn’t think the girl in the first picture would also be the girl in the second.

When I’m not struggling, I am happy and vibrant and everyone knows it.

But that’s not always realistic.

Reality is, life can be hard and frustrating and exhausting. Mental illness is a silent struggle most of the time, which is why I find it so important to share the moments like the second picture.

I can be the happy girl in the first picture and still be valid in feeling like garbage after a big panic attack that ruins my day in the second.

Both can be true, both are real.

Hi friends! ☀️

Its my first week back to school so I’ve been focusing on that adjustment. I’m currently taking a class that covers a lot of mental health issues along with mental illness. I’m really excited about this semester because I got to choose classes I’m passionate about rather than taking the required courses that come the first 2 years.

I’ve found a lovely study spot with lots of sun that I hope will help with the seasonal depression I can feel creeping in.

Anyone else back in school right now? Are we happy? Are we stressed? Maybe both? Lol

Sometimes you need a reminder that having a day is okay. Tomorrow we can try again.

This is OCD Barbie. Her job is anxiety. She likes to spend her time obsessing about things she can’t control. This Barbie punches herself in the arm every single time she sees a yellow car because one time in the 7th grade she did that and now she cannot stop or something bad will happen 🙃

OCD Barbie is a lot, she’s exhausting actually. But she’s tough and resilient and so capable of becoming more than just her name. This Barbie is powerful and I love her 💖💞

I’ve been feeling a lot of feelings lately that go back and forth between positive ones and negative ones.

The negative feelings are intense and mean and they’re hurting me more than I want to let them. So, today I’m appreciating the positive. These pictures are moments of comfort, light, joy, warmth, and genuine happiness. That’s not to say these days were perfect & that the negative feelings simply washed away. Sometimes they overlap and that’s okay but in the end the good always outweighs the bad.

I’m choosing to focus on the happy and the sweet sweet feeling of love 💖

Life lately 💖💅🏼

I’m having surgery on my nose tomorrow to help me breathe better and ya girl is in fact anxious about it.

I’m trying not to think about it too much and so far that’s working but I know that waking up tomorrow I’m going to feel much much worse than I do now which is pre-stressing me out 😂

Ever get anxious about getting anxious? Lol

Anyways, it’s not so much the actual surgery I’m scared for because I won’t be awake, it’s more the build up and the after that I’m uncomfy with.

If you guys could send good thoughts I would be so so grateful knowing I have people thinking of me 💖❤️

I’ve noticed that I share a lot more vulnerability on my stories than I do on my posts and want to change that.

My last few posts have been real pretty and bright and filtered, even if it was to talk about something not so pretty.

Today I’m posting a real time pic that I took on this app right now because I also want to show the side of me that is unfiltered and boring and not so pretty.

I’ve been getting into these funks where I feel like I cannot move and I’m so frustrated with myself because I know what I’m capable of and I know that I’m hurting myself by laying in bed all day… but I can’t stop it. I mean physically, yes I could get up. But mentally I feel so weighed down. It’s such a difficult thing to explain and it makes me so mad to feel it because I like doing things and being with people. It’s just the starting that I’m struggling with.

I’m choosing to share this today because I know I’m not the only one and that even though this sucks, it won’t last and it’s a normal feeling for a lot of people. Talking about real life is important. I don’t want to only post about big panic attacks or accomplishments, I want little moments that show how unexciting life can be sometimes.

I’m in my sharing it all era ✨😘

I absolutely love this trend 💖

I am feeling so overwhelmed right now.

Which is funny because my last post was all about how organized I am. 😂

Up until the last week I’ve felt confident and on top of all my school work but as finals are approaching there’s just too much to do and not enough time or mental energy to do it.

My biggest issue is that when my brain gets overwhelmed, it shuts down. I’m hyper aware of all I need to do and how little time I have to do it and yet my brain is trying to slow me down. It’s very frustrating because I can feel it happening but it’s almost like I’m paralyzed and can’t do anything about it.

I find myself trying to get in the groove of studying and getting my assignments done but my attention span is so much shorter than usual.

Part of me wants to push into it and prove to myself that I am capable but there’s also a part of me that just wants to surrender. I know to listen to the first part though because I’ve worked my butt off these last 10 weeks and it would be disservice to myself to give up now.

Is anyone else feeling this right now?
How do you deal with feeling overwhelmed or having too much to do in a short amount of time?
I’m trying to think of new ways to motivate myself but it’s tricky right now so I’ll take any help I can get.

Thank you all ❤️💖

Anyone else use their Sunday to regroup and organize the week ahead? I’ve really focused on doing this so far this year and it’s helped me feel more in control of my life, especially since I’m taking six courses this semester.

I make a to-do list for the week and finish up any school work from the week prior, update my calendar if there’s anything new, and also check off each day I take my meds so I can visualize how well I’m doing with that.

I’ve never been more organized honestly 🤪 I find that my brain gets really overwhelmed easily which leads to me ignoring all of my responsibilities, which obviously is not a productive way of handling my emotions. This way I feel like as long as I take it week by week and keep track of all the things I need to do, I’ll be okay.

I have a midterm & job interview tomorrow so instead of preparing like I know I should…. I’m gonna come on here for a minute and talk about my reading week!

My boyfriend and I went to Blue Mountain for a few days (I had never been) and it was very cold but cool to see. I don’t ski or snowboard so it wasn’t too eventful for me, but it was still nice to just get away with Carson.

The biggest challenge for me on this trip was the AirBnB experience. My OCD was THRIVING on the fact that I was sleeping and walking and sitting on things that other people have used. My bed is like my ultimate safe zone and is clean to standards that normal people would not even think of. Soooo, sleeping somewhere else in general is uncomfy, but THIS! This was a completely strange environment where I had no idea whose been here before me and I just had to trust that it was clean! (Keep in mind my ocd brain doesn’t trust anything lol) 🤪then to top it off, the counters had stuff stuck on them when we arrived which led me to thinking about what else they didn’t clean properly.

Luckily, because I’m insane, I brought back up blankets and pillows and a lot of cleaning supplies and made myself as comfortable as I could. I definitely let OCD win in a lot of situations over those few days and I feel bad about that but I also recognize that I did my best with what I was given. I’m also extremely thankful that my guy is so patient and grounding when I’m being completely ridiculous.

I know that this isn’t something that everyone struggles with so it’s frustrating sometimes when I just want to experience trips or events without all the added insanity. I get so mad that I can’t just live my life and enjoy myself like most people would. In times like that I need to have compassion for myself and focus on the good.

All in all, I’m glad I pushed myself and got to see the beautiful village in all its glory💖

Forced myself to go for a walk in -10° weather just to catch a glimpse of the sun because I was feeling super disassociated and blue

It ended up in me feeling anxious but hey you win some you lose some. At least I tried to do something good for myself.

I didn’t post here at the time because I was not doing well at all but in late November my dog that I’ve had for 12 years passed away. I put her down by myself and as traumatic as that experience was I’m so grateful it was just her and me and that I got to comfort her and be with her till her end.

I got snicks when I was 13, I had just been released from a hospital stay in the children’s psychiatric unit a few weeks prior so to say I wasn’t doing well is an understatement. She quickly took on the roll of my comforter and guardian. She was technically the families dog but really, she was my dog. She’s been there for my hardest times and sat with me through some of the scariest moments of my life. She was always there, whether I was panicking on the floor, crying in a closet, laying in bed, or just enjoying some sunshine on a balcony.

I really, really miss her. It’s getting to me today and I just feel so sad and lost. I know that she’s a dog and that’s what happens but I was not prepared for what it my life would feel like without her. It’s so foreign to me because she’s been around for everything and we all know I’m horrible with change. My OCD brain is really trying to fixate on these emotions and thoughts so it’s been a not so fun night feeling overwhelmed and tired. Anyways, I just wanted to rant a little to get it all out and talk about my sweet sweet pup that I miss so much.

Happy hump day! Today I’m missing the fall colours and when the sun would actually shine. These gloomy winter days are not for me 🙄

Happy New Year! ✨🪩

This year I want to focus more on posting on this account because I want to, not because I feel the pressure of making my feed look nice. In the past I’ve done a pattern of a personal picture & then a text post but having to come up with content this way seems unauthentic and more like a chore rather than an opportunity to connect with this amazing community. It’s also resulted in me simply not posting due to expectations I’ve put on myself.

In 2023 I want to do things with intention and purpose. I want to make decisions that benefit me and say goodbye to old habits that no longer serve me.

With that said… some things will never change. My openness and honesty, my passion about mental health, and my love for being extra aren’t going anywhere. So enjoy these sparkly pics and I’ll see you soon. 💖🥰

Life update: I moved this past weekend and it was a lot for my brain to handle. I didn’t want to leave the place I was at because it was comforting to me and a safe space. I don’t do well with change or the unknown so the weeks leading up to this move were filled with anxiety and some brutal panic attacks.

However, I’m 4 days in and I’m doing okay! It doesn’t feel like home yet but I’m settling and creating a space for myself that feels comfortable and calm.

One step at a time I guess!

💗

I’m back baby! ✨💗

Sorry for the long break. I was having trouble feeling inspired and motivated to post so I slacked. BUT I know this community is good for my mental well-being and this girl could use some good vibes lately so here I am, ready to share and grow with you all.

I hope you’ve had a great summer and that the beautiful sun has treated you well 🥰☀️

Friendly reminder that whatever you’re going through does not have to defeat you.

You are stronger and more resilient than you think. You are more capable than you realize. You are brave for simply existing in face of the troubles and hardships that may bring you down.

You got this babes, I truly believe in you. ✨

Today is not a good day.

Today is a stay in bed because I can’t move day.

Today is lots of emotions and then none at all day.

Today sucks, but today is valid.

Days like today happen but they don’t last. Sometimes you just gotta embrace the s**t and give yourself a mental break.

Tomorrow I will do more and be better.

Today I will just be.

Anyone else feeling overwhelmed with school right now? For university/college students it’s the peak of finals and exam season is right around the corner.

I’ve been struggling the past few days finding the motivation and concentration to get my assignments done so I created this graphic with some easy tips that have helped me so far.

The biggest thing I can suggest is giving yourself a break, both mentally and physically. I know that this time can cause a lot of mental exhaustion and we often feel like nothing we’re doing is enough so I’m here to tell you that you are doing so freaking great and I am so proud of you! YOU GOT THIS!

Take that break, eat that snack, watch an episode (or 5) of your favourite show, and go into your studies with a clear and rested mind ❤️

I love you all!

Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in 4 years! I went by myself which I didn’t think I’d do. I only used one machine because the rest was intimidating alone but still, it felt good to be able to take that small step.

To be completely honest, the biggest hurdle for me was my contamination fears. I had to wipe down any part of the machine that I’d be touching and it felt kind of silly but I did what I had to do.

I want to feel healthier physically and mentally and I know this is something that I should do for myself. I also recognize that the weather getting better will help motivate me so now is the time to start.

Here’s to self care, more sunshine days, and feeling good ❤️

Found these super easy and helpful graphics to help those who don’t necessarily know what OCD really is or means. Full credit to 💞

Okay so here’s something I find pretty funny…

I bought this Costco sized soap container for my bathroom on December 6th and used it all this month… the container says it holds 1250+ pumps of soap so I did some math and averaged out how often I wash my hands…

Well it’s a whopping 29 times a day 😂😂 Hand washing is a compulsion of mine that I’ve always struggled with but having an actual number to refer to seems funny to me. I’m choosing to laugh about it because sometimes OCD is so ridiculous you just have to laugh at it.

I wash my hands at least 5 times when making a meal. Multiple times during my skincare and nighttime routine. Multiple times when I clean or take my dog for a walk. Obvious times like before I eat or after I go to the washroom. Not so obvious times like when I touch a door k**b or a cupboard handle. Point is, my hands are squeaky clean, all the time.

I know today is Bell let’s talk day but I’m not going to be using that hashtag today for the first time since it started. This is because while raising awareness is crucial, Bell uses this day to profit off of vulnerability. Mental health needs to be a conversation every day, not just one day a year because of a corporate hashtag.

So today, I share this. And I’ll continue to share. I’m not embarrassed about it. It’s part of my mental illness and that’s okay.

If you’d ever like to shake my hand or for me to make you food or hold your baby, you can be sure that my hands are nice and clean 😉

Made up a little weekend challenge!
Mental health bingo!! There are 9 easy but essential tasks to improve or maintain your well-being and mental health. It doesn’t have to be big gestures or scary tasks, just one little thing at a time. Plus who doesn’t love a good game?!

Share this to your story and mark off the things you’ve done/plan to do this weekend to help care for your mental health!

Tag me so I can see all the great things everyone’s doing 🥰

Happy New Year! (just a little late)

This is the first picture I’ve taken of myself in a while that I actually felt good in. It’s not a “good picture”, I don’t look the best I ever have, it’s bad quality in bad lighting, but it was an in the moment snap that I took because I felt like documenting how good I felt. Finally.

Self-confidence is something I’ve worked on over the years and usually I can maintain that confidence quite well. But the last few months I’ve been really struggling with the idea of beauty and how I feel about myself. I won’t get into why because I don’t think it matters, it’s my own issues with myself and I wouldn’t want me voicing my insecurities to turn into the motive for someone else’s.

I simply wanted to acknowledge that today I felt good and that should be celebrated. It was so refreshing to feel like my confident self again, I missed her.

Feeling unusually SAD?

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a very common form of depression that is heightened during the winter months. The lack of sunlight & vitamin D can make us feel sluggish, tired, irritated, and unmotivated.

I personally suffer from this each winter and it shows itself in many different ways. I find that I feel less like myself, often feeling “off” or weird in some way.

The excess of darkness that we’re experiencing right now is a recipe for mood shifts. Know that you’re not alone in feeling different right now.

I personally find it helpful when I can understand and recognize why I’m feeling a certain way. Understanding SAD is a good way for me to know that it’s not all in my head and that I’m not the only one struggling with it.

If this is something you think you may have or are concerned about your mental health; there are many websites that provide information on what this is and how to help. I’ll put some links in my bio! ☺️