“2020 has taught me some things I’m not sure I would have ever learned.”
2021—This Year I’m Making The Rules
‘You put the kids before me.’ I didn’t realize I’d failed him, too. I truly assumed love would be enough.’: Mom of 3 discovers husband’s infidelity, goes on ‘journey to redefine our family’
“There were warning signs, but I thought we just needed time to find our groove. While he was away on a ‘business trip,’ he left his Sprint account open. It blew up in my face. I felt like I was failing my daughters.”
‘It’s all in your head. Just get over it.’ I tried to end my own life and no one knew. I had lost everything, including myself.’: Woman overcomes mental illness, encourages others ‘never stop fighting’
“When I went off to college, I expected my life to get so much better. I had high hopes of finally feeling whole again. But I spent my time there battling severe suicidal ideations, and I stopped eating and sleeping almost completely. My whole family watched me throw away my dream.”
‘I drown in piles of laundry and dishes, the pressure to be a good wife. Most days, I feel like I didn’t do enough. The load we carry is heavy, from the moment our feet hit the floor.’: Special needs mom urges ‘ask for help’
“The load we carry is heavy, from the moment our feet hit the floor to the moment our head hits the pillow.”
‘Something feels off.’ I was deeply unhappy and didn’t understand why. I was sick of not feeling good in my skin.’: Woman shares mental health journey, ‘I’m choosing happiness’
“I’d never taken the time to learn about myself. I had the mindset of ‘I’ll be happy when…’ But I wasn’t. I felt like my soul was dying. Everything came crashing down around me.”
‘It must be something else.’ I didn’t lose my sense of taste or smell. Maybe it was all in my head.’: Woman shares ‘Long Covid’ journey, says ‘I’m celebrating the small wins’
“The news was full of stark warnings and symptoms to look out for. ‘Uh oh, here we go.’ 8 months later, I was still sick. I knew there was something very wrong with me.”
‘I took a self-care getaway without my kids. For the first time in 10 years, I had nothing to do. I anticipated a flood of guilt. It never came.’: Mom stresses self-care, ‘We are all one step away from crumbling’
“We overthink and overanalyze. We fear we aren’t good enough, our kids don’t feel loved enough. Nothing is ever our own. Dinner, television, radio are all taken over by tiny people. We’re always one step away from crumbling. I so desperately craved a slice of life that was simply my OWN.”
‘My face shriveled up. I looked like I aged 50 years in a matter of minutes. Nobody understood the pain I was in’: Man diagnosed with Lyme disease, ‘There’s nothing you can’t accomplish’
“Every winter, I would get a sinus infection and be put on antibiotics. I had no idea what I was putting into my body was fueling my sickness. The pain was so bad. All hope was gone.”
‘If my only option is AA, I guess I’ll drink forever.’ I was just doing what I saw other moms do. I was stuck in a vicious cycle.’: Mom celebrates 3 years sober, ‘You are not alone’
“Alcohol was everywhere in motherhood. The baby showers I attended had mimosa bars, the playdates had wine. I attended a mommy-and-me class with ‘juice boxes’ for the moms. I should have seen the signs.”
‘I put my Christmas tree up early this year. F─k it. Let’s face it, this year has been hard. Like, really hard.’: Woman urges ‘do what makes YOU feel good
“I want nothing more than the glow of Christmas lights, the sweet smell of pine, the peace of holiday instrumentals backed by a fiery Yule log, the burn of a too-hot hot chocolate. I deserve this.”
