May is Mental Health Month, and this week is Mental Health Awareness Week with the Canadian Mental Health Association.
The theme for this year is #GetReal and it’s all about discussing how we are truly feeling and not just saying, “I’m fine” when we really aren’t.
“I’m fine” is something we all say when we can’t or don’t want to explain everything that’s going on in our minds. Maybe it’s because you don’t want to open up, you don’t think it’s the time to open up or you don’t understand what’s going on in your mind to even try to explain it.
It’s time we stop saying “I’m fine”, when we are asked how we are doing, it’s time to #GETREAL.
I have said “I’m fine” in the past, but when I was at my lowest I was sneaking out after practice before weights in college to cry by myself. I was saying I was fine, but I was counting the minutes until I could get home and lay in bed, only to stare at the ceiling all night long. Trapped with my own thoughts I said I was fine but I didn’t always want to be alive.
I AM NOT in that place anymore, and I am very thankful for that. If you ask me today how I’m doing, I’ll probably be quick to say I’m doing pretty great, because I am. I’m in the best place I’ve ever been mentally, but it’ hasn’t been without years of hard work and therapy. That’s doesn’t mean I don’t still have my struggles and sometimes try to handle them by myself. We might think that it’s easier to just tell people “I’m fine” and internalize, but opening up is freeing, and we don’t have to go through the tough stuff alone.
I may look like I have it all together,
That I have a super cool career being a basketball player.
That my life is always fun and exciting traveling to different places.
That I’m fit and healthy and always on track.
IF YOU ARE TUNING IN FROM INSTAGRAM THIS IS WHERE WE LEFT OFF ON MY CAPTION….
But the truth is I usually feel like my basketball career isn’t good enough and that I’ll never achieve my true goals in the sport. If I have a bad game, I almost always jump to thinking I suck and need to quit and that I’m not worthy of representing Winnipeg, Manitoba or Canada (I’m working on this!!)
I miss my family and friends a lot and can often feel forgotten when I’m overseas living away from everyone. I come home and feel like they no longer want to hang out and that all my friends are drifting away from me. I spend a lot of time just by myself in my room, trying to stay busy and making sure I don’t overthink situations and let my mind get the best of me. Sometimes it does, but I’m only human.
I work out a ton and try to eat healthy, but I also have days where I have ZERO motivation and I eat like crap and just want to watch Netflix in bed. I’m not the fastest or strongest person and I suck at pushups, but I try my best to be the best basketball player I can be. That voice in the back of my head telling me I could’ve and should’ve done more is often times still there though.
You guys mostly only see the exciting basketball action shots and amazing travel pictures I post, but that’s just the highlights. I’m very thankful for those!! But know that lows aren’t always as visible, but trust that they are still there.
So, no I don’t have it all figured out. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes for me, and I’m sure for everyone else there is too. We never know what is going on with someone unless we ASK. If we just look at everyone’s social media feed everything looks cheery and bright. Please keep checking in on your loved ones during this time and ALL the time. AND when someone asks you how you are, I hope you choose to #GETREAL and not just brush off whatever is going on in your life, whether it’s good or bad. Trust the people in your life to support you and understand you.
Feel free to use the photos above to share yourself and fill in the “I’m fine.. what I really mean is..” with whatever you are truly feeling. Take that leap, and share it on social media and tag me!!! (@empotter10 on twitter & instagram or tag me on Facebook). Those who care and are in your life will rally behind you. We are all in this together.
You can also check out the CMHA website for more information on this week’s Mental Health Week by clicking HERE (mentalhealthweek.ca)
Lots more exciting stuff to come this month so stay tuned. 🙂
Lots of Love,
Emily.
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