'and as a result—and I know how stupid this sounds—I didn’t really believe I was good enough to have mental health issues. '. Not stupid to me at all 🤍
I grew up in one of those families where we solider on and power through no matter what. I also grew up being told that pursuing a career in the arts would doom me to a life of misery. Allowing myself to be an artist has gone hand in hand with learning a different way of caring for myself (and others). Both are an ongoing journey of commitment and discovery.
I realized recently that the goal is not to achieve some magical moment of transformation where all the demons are vanquished. It’s, as you said, to keep wrestling. Through the wrestling, strangely, comes more peace. And more art, I hope, too.
I’m 25 and I’ve been taking my much writing more seriously lately and have been struggling with feelings of being “behind” (whatever that means), I know my mental health has been a real block before so it was really helpful to read your thoughts and hear about your journey.
“Lost the will to post anything on the Internet“? Wait, are you saying I misread the symbolism of the Bright Sword—Arthur wasn’t allegorical to Trump, the once and future president?
Thank you for sharing this, Lev. It’s easy to forget that people who are successful (or are perceived to be successful) often struggle with the same sorts of issues like depression and anxiety as those of us who may not think we are successful (or not in the way we perceive success, such as never having published our writing), and that while not always apparent everyone has their own demons in one form or another, and that’s what makes us human.
It gives me hope that some day I will be a successfully published author (I am 36, married with a young child and have been writing on and off for over 20 years with nothing to show for it. Been struggling with anxiety and depression all my life so your post really hits home.)
Thank you for sharing your insight with the rest of us.
This is the best and most therapeutic thing I have read in a while. Thank you. I am sure I am not the only one this resonates with.
I shall return with renewed cheer to the delicate and necessary art of demon-wrestling; thank you
'and as a result—and I know how stupid this sounds—I didn’t really believe I was good enough to have mental health issues. '. Not stupid to me at all 🤍
Thank you for this post. It has stuck with me.
I grew up in one of those families where we solider on and power through no matter what. I also grew up being told that pursuing a career in the arts would doom me to a life of misery. Allowing myself to be an artist has gone hand in hand with learning a different way of caring for myself (and others). Both are an ongoing journey of commitment and discovery.
I realized recently that the goal is not to achieve some magical moment of transformation where all the demons are vanquished. It’s, as you said, to keep wrestling. Through the wrestling, strangely, comes more peace. And more art, I hope, too.
I’m 25 and I’ve been taking my much writing more seriously lately and have been struggling with feelings of being “behind” (whatever that means), I know my mental health has been a real block before so it was really helpful to read your thoughts and hear about your journey.
Thank you.
“Lost the will to post anything on the Internet“? Wait, are you saying I misread the symbolism of the Bright Sword—Arthur wasn’t allegorical to Trump, the once and future president?
"Do you really think you’re going to forget what it was like?" F**k that really got me.
Thank you for sharing this, Lev. It’s easy to forget that people who are successful (or are perceived to be successful) often struggle with the same sorts of issues like depression and anxiety as those of us who may not think we are successful (or not in the way we perceive success, such as never having published our writing), and that while not always apparent everyone has their own demons in one form or another, and that’s what makes us human.
It gives me hope that some day I will be a successfully published author (I am 36, married with a young child and have been writing on and off for over 20 years with nothing to show for it. Been struggling with anxiety and depression all my life so your post really hits home.)
Thank you for sharing your insight with the rest of us.
I was where you are now! And as it turned out, I didn't have much farther to go. But it didn't feel like it at the time.