I think every Monday deserves a cute baby. I had some Emile time last Friday so I took a few pictures.

I was just reading a really great post at Who Am We Now. Susan has the fantastic ability to put into words what a lot of us are feeling and thinking. This blog cracks me up on a daily basis. In honour of Mental Health Week she discusses her experiences with depression and anxiety.

I am yet another person who lives with Anxiety on a daily basis. It’s been part on my life since I was 18. My first anxiety attack I thought I was having a heart attack, dizzy, sweaty, heart racing. It was terrifying and it started happening all the time. I had no idea what was going on or that it was mental not physical. After doing a bit of research I realized I was having anxiety attacks. It was comforting to know that I wasn’t dying but it wasn’t comforting to know that it may be something that would always be there. Something that made me feel completely panicked, confused and at times embarrassed.

There have been times in my life that if I was careful with myself it would almost completely disappear. But you can’t live your life never taking risks so I’ve learnt to deal with it head on. Just feeling the anxiety, thinking about what exactly I’m feeling physically, thinking about what I’m feeling in general. Usually when I have an anxiety attack I’m feeling a lot of fear. So I think about what exactly it is that I’m scared of in that moment. Once I pick apart what is going on in my head the anxiety subsides and I have a better understanding of myself and what I need to do to feel happier, safer. For that reason I sometimes see my anxiety as a blessing. It makes me slow down and consider what I’m doing. I also find that talking about it helps. I’m always surprised by the amount of people I know that have anxiety disorders. People who have very different lives and backgrounds. The more people I meet who live with anxiety the more I think it’s just a normal part of life.

As I get older and I know myself better it’s easier. I know the feelings and I see it as just part of being me and most of the time I’m really happy.