A couple days ago, my friend asked me why I decided to post about mental health and self-confidence? The answer to this: to be an example to people that it’s okay to open up about it.
On social media, good days are idolized. You see people’s best selves or a glimpse of their happiest moments. Then you start to think, why am I the only one that is having a tough time, what's wrong with me? But that’s not the case. Almost everyone has a bad day, it’s just never talked about.
When I was younger, there were tons of different things that I struggled with. However, I hated being vulnerable. I put up a wall to other people and tried to come off as perfect. I wanted to portray a persona of strength. However, mindset was toxic and caused me to become so down on myself.
A lot of this came because I was struggling with body image issues and from comparing myself to others thinking I wasn’t “perfect.” This mindset of trying to fit the “perfect image” not only revolved around looks, but also related to other aspects in my life including school and sports. I began to become anxious and began to think that I wasn’t good enough in all aspects of my life.
I used to think that being vulnerable and talking about your problems would scare other people away. Because of this I would bottle up my emotions and never talk about how I felt. However, this only made matters worse. I started to push people away and become hyper focused on judging myself. It wasn’t until those close to me opened up about things they were struggling with that made me feel safe enough to be vulnerable.
This is the reason I decided to open up to those who follow me to help inspire them to prioritize their mental health. Everyone has their own internal struggles, even if they seem happy. The best way to overcome them, is to focus on yourself and push yourself to open up and be vulnerable.
While there has been more awareness on the topic of mental health, it’s still often brushed over in a lot of cases. However, prioritizing yourself and focusing on your mental health will only make you a better version of yourself. You’ll start to feel a weight lifted off your shoulders and begin to feel your heart fill with happiness.
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