Thru-hiking is something that can either bring you to the precipice of enlightenment or take you to the dark empty pit of despair. It will test your will and break you. It will show you the strength that lies within you. Strap that pack to your back and take that first step into the unknown. There are few moments in our lives when we have the opportunity to take a step outside our comfort zone and find meaning in the…
Every life story that has been written is unique. The character’s journey along the path of life is their own. The struggles and suffering cut deep and leave scars that can be felt for decades. Then there is the flip side of that coin, all the beauty and courage experienced throughout life strengthens the soul. You can feel the wings on your back grow and expand. With sadness comes joy. With day comes night. With birth comes death. 37 years…
Keeping busy and sane is essential for your mental health during the COVID19 self-isolation period. All the extra stress and anxiety is overwhelming. The unknown can bring out feelings and emotions we are not accustomed to. It is important to have a quarantine mental escape plan to keep you busy and sane. The key to getting through this extremely hard time is to stay busy mentally and physically. Idle minds will find ways to take you to dark thoughts and…
Travel is a form of therapy for me. It truly does help rewire my brain and helps ease my symptoms from disorders like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Traveling helps save my sanity and gives me hope for a better tomorrow. Here is why taking a vacation from your symptoms helps your mental health. Every year around February I take a little vacation away from my home city of Chicago. This is absolutely necessary for me. I struggle with extremely…
When planning your next trip to Mexico City make sure you do your research and educate yourself before. By being prepared for the unexpected your travel experience will be a stressfree enjoyable one. After all, traveling is a soul building experience you will take with you for the rest of your life. I recently visited Mexico City. It is a cultural experience unlike anywhere else in the world. You will find some of the best food, historical locations, artwork, and…
There are thousands of travel apps and websites to choose from. How do you know which are worth your time and which are duds? It will be smooth sailing from here on out, once you read my list of the best travel apps ever! All of the following lists I have personally used and navigated trough. The lists are in random order. I will cover the best apps for flights, hotels, things to do, commuting, and others. Flight To find…
When I first moved to China in the autumn of 2013 I went to work as an English teacher. Adjusting to life in a sweltering, chaotic Guangdong province city whose name I’d never heard two months prior wasn’t easy. The following is a list of calamities I suffered early on in my Chinese adventure: I had a giant cockroach crawl through a sewer grate and up my leg, while a toothless street urchin in ripped cutoff jorts and mismatched shoes…
Depression is a debilitating disease. It consumes your body and mind. Depression for me feels like this. Everything is cloudy and I feel forgetful. It is like a gray film has covered my eyes. I can see through it but it is just muted and feels unreal. What was I just thinking of, how long have I been sitting here? I try to push myself to do things but feel confused and then too heavy inside and out to do…
Mexico City is filled with sights, smells, sounds, and influences that are unlike anywhere in the world. The sparking lights at night seem to transform the energy from the city into a celebration of life. When you walk through the parks and plazas, you see families and friends play and love. Visiting Mexico City is a wonderfully fulfilling experience. You will retain beautiful and meaningful memories to take with you throughout life. Visiting Mexico City can be extremely chaotic with…
The power of nature is magnificent and potent. The crunch of stones and fallen leaves. The fresh air blowing around your body, you can smell the moss and the morning dew. Birds are singing in the distance. Just a short walk surrounded by nature has been shown to improve all kinds of health conditions including mental health. Ecotherapy Ecotherapy (also known as green therapy, nature therapy, and earth-centered therapy) is the use of nature for therapeutic purposes. It has shown…
Being in a group gives us a feeling of belonging. It drives us as well as giving us a mood-lifting boost of confidence. Joining a fan club or group is a wonderful addition to a sound mental health regiment. There is nothing more satisfying than having a common interest with another person. They understand you, almost as if they can see inside your heart and mind. This world can feel very lonely and foreign at times. Trying to find another…
The sweat dripping down my brow, stinging my eyes. I can hear everything around me, the sounds echoing inside my head. The world around me is spinning out of control. I can’t handle this, I think I am going to faint, everything is getting hazy. I can smell what the guy across from me had for lunch, a tuna sandwich, and potato chips. Is he looking at me? I start to chew on my nails in anticipation for something bad…
Mans best friend is his pet. Pet owners spend to the extent of $72 Billion dollars a year on their pets. Yes, you heard that right I said B for Billion! But our pets aren’t just fluffy cute cats and dogs. People find love in all kinds of animal friends. Cuddles could be a 23 foot Burmese python that weighs 200 pounds. Fluffy could be a 100 pound Sulcata tortoise ready for a romp around the local park. So what…
If mental illness had a face and consciousness what would it be? Would it be a woman or a man? Would it be kind or evil? Would it be human? Every person who has seen through the eyes of mental illness has seen a different picture, each one unique. When I look through the eyes of mental illness, this is what I see. I see pain, fear, loss and struggle. I witness sadness, fatigue, hopelessness and anxiety. Mental illness is…
Is your bank account looking a little sad? Is traveling out of the question at the moment? You can’t take time off at work? You need not disembark on a flight around the world to experience the world. There is a big world right in your backyard. Here are some easy and fun things to enjoy right at home. Try a new restaurant or cuisine People like what they know and expect. But sometimes it’s healthy to go outside of…