Strength to Share

⅕ of people in the United States are living with some form of mental illness. (National Alliance on Mental Health) That is a significant number. Millions of people. If you are not living with mental illness, you know and love someone who is.  Mental illness affects us all.  That being said, I think that one of the best movements gaining traction in recent years is the push to end the stigma against mental illness. People are speaking up about their mental health and trying to bring to light just how many people struggle with some kind of emotional condition. Thousands of people are doing their part to end the stigma, encouraging others to share their stories, seek help and be unashamed of their condition.  I have spoken about my experience with mental illness a little bit with friends and family but I have never really shared the whole story and gone into depth about it. It just seems too personal and honestly, I am kind of ashamed about that part of my ...

Everyone loves a good story. It’s just a fact of life!  And movies about heroes embarking on a great journey are timelessly and universally loved. There is just something so engaging and riveting about an unlikely hero setting out on an unknown path to a seemingly unattainable goal. They will have a dangerous foe to contend with, one that the hero cannot defeat without the support of their company, moments of hopelessness that must be overcome, but in the end the hero’s brave acts will save the day.  In this day and age it is no wonder that such stories resonate deep within us. Being constantly reminded of the evils and troubles of the world, we crave something that will uplift us and give us hope. These types of stories evoke feelings of triumph, hope that good will indeed overcome evil. They show us that there is strength in goodness and inspire us to be a little more heroic in our lives.  We are the unlikely hero in our own story, setting down an unknown path ...