Welcome to my World,

The year 2022 has been the year I decided to become a mental health advocate.

I am what depression looks like. I’ve already been transparent about my battles with a diagnosed anxiety disorder and the depression that comes along with that, yet l repeat: “I am not my dis-ease.” I am not defined by my mental or physical health. I also am not defined by my long list of achievements, titles, my followers, or my economic status, and you don’t have to be either. This article is for the high achievers who also, sometimes, get weary.

I love getting a thumbs up or likes 👍🏽 on social media as much as anyone else. But when l step away from each platform, I can feel like l might as well be dead to most people. Have you ever wondered how long it would take for someone to check on you if you didn’t pop up on their feed? I have. This is the devastating truth about this digital divide and the Information Age we live in. As humans we tend to only focus on what’s in front of us, now more than ever. We all have blind spots. Are you spending so much time in this high tech virtual world that you forgot that some people need high-touch experiences?

Some suggestions…

  • Give someone a hug for no reason.
  • Call someone you love today and sing them a song.
  • Ask a friend “How can I support you?”
  • Write a relative or mentor a letter about your fondest memory of them.
  • Text an old co-worker and say l miss you.

In other words, say or express your love because they may secretly be giving up on you, themself, or even life.

I recently sent out my quarterly email newsletter. (If you didn’t get it, subscribe here.) I forgot to mention a recent keynote I presented for the Missouri Mental Health Foundation at their Real Voices and Real Choices Conference. It’s one of my proudest moments of the year.

This keynote is available on YouTube, but feel free to share this blog post with anyone who needs it (see the sharing links below). And if you have been fighting a silent battle, remember… you’re not alone.

That’s why I always say, Keep looking up and keep looking out, because when you do you’ll have a lot less fear and a lot less doubt.

Wishing you and yours A Happy Day everyday,

Venus Love Jones