This is a Really Real Mental Health post.

I just looked up the definition of blessed.

Because, I feel blessed, but not in the religious sense.

Luckily, google agreed with me, blessed isn’t just a religious thing, it’s also “bringing pleasure or relief as a welcome contrast to what one has previously experienced.”

I’ve always had good friends, don’t get me wrong.

But the more I have lived as myself instead of hiding behind trauma and anxiety and everyone else’s expectations,

the more I found the people who appreciated me for what I had to bring to the table.

I am surrounded by amazing people.

The people who read what I write and appreciate my openness.

The people who reach out through comments and messages.

The people who are just,

there.

And everyone is there in their own ways.

In the past week I’ve had friends reach out with their experience to help me learn, I’ve had friends reach out to send me things that I never could have afforded myself, I’ve had friends reach out with encouragement, so much encouragement. I’ve had friends reach out with Starbucks. I’ve had friends reach out with financial help.

I

am

blessed.

I still have a traumatic life.

I mean, 6 months ago my world was once again rocked with something that most people don’t experience (thank goodness).

I seem to just be that person that shit hits.

“God only gives you what you can handle”

Fuck

that

shit.

I learned to handle it because I didn’t have a choice.

Often I didn’t handle it,

I just survived through it.

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

No, the shit that happened to me didn’t make me stronger.

The way I reacted to it made me stronger.

The work I put into healing from it made me stronger.

It wasn’t just magically,

“oh, look, this horrendous thing happened and now you’re a better person for it”

Yeah, that’s not how it works.

But anyway, I got off the topic that I planned to write about.

I am surrounded by amazing people.

I am surrounded by people that constantly mirror back my worth, showing me that my existence is appreciated.

I am surrounded by love.

By acceptance.

By kindness.

I am blessed.

I appreciate every one of you.

Thank you.