This weekend I have been going through my manuscript… Hope Calling – making the necessary changes after receiving it back from the editor. It has been a mind-blowing project to work on. Going through my journey from when I was a young girl, up until this very day, has made me reflect on just how far I have come. Through not only one mental health challenge, but many… lasting upwards of thirteen years of my life. It really has been an incredible path that I have been on… not only during those years, but also in the aftermath of my mental illness, where I have created many miracles and really turned my life around 360 degrees.
I have been reflecting on how incredibly difficult it was back then, to just get through any given day… I certainly was not thriving, I was only just surviving, by the skin of my teeth. Now I do not just ‘get through’ my days. Instead I am constantly filled with gratitude and joy, and I am also full of excitement for what is around the corner, in the next chapters of my life. I believe now that not only mental health recovery is possible, but that a truly magical, life worth living, is possible for me… and I am filled with hope for what is possible for other people out there who might be struggling, including the people that I work with. All that is required is a glimmer of hope and a willingness to never, ever give up. Then moving forward, it is about developing a sense of resilience, courage and self-love and acceptance. I hope that my story, and my book, will give these people not only that glimmer of hope, but tools to guide them in the right direction.
I think that my story demonstrates the strength of the human spirit. I did give up my fight, twice during the thirteen years of struggle, but I am so very glad that I made it through that…had I not gotten through those times, I never would have been able to witness how miraculous, amazing and joyous life can be. We are incredibly resilient beings, and I’m so blessed that I have, over the years, refined my own sense of resilience, to the point where I can now, get through any obstacle or challenge, with relative ease and grace.
I am reminded of the wonderful people – family and friends – that I have had the privilege of knowing, throughout my life journey so far. Without whom, I would probably not be here today. Some of these people were only in my life for a chapter or maybe two… but others have been with me through absolutely everything… and I am so blessed for this. Thank you so very much to those people, I am sure you know who you are.
I am reminded of how torturous and painful mental illness can be. We should have nothing but empathy and compassion for those people who are still in the throws of it. But I am also reminded how miraculous life can be, in that many people do turn their lives around, despite their challenges – that are rife with roadblocks and detours. We must focus on the hopeful stories of others who have conquered their demons, like me, and we must hold onto this hope to help others who are suffering.
If I could say one thing to the thirteen-year-old version of myself, the version who had so much struggle ahead… I would say… believe in miracles, but ultimately, believe in yourself. You are going to be tried and tested again and again in the coming years, but everything will work out in the end. Hold on to your courage and your strength and resilience, and you will be ok. You will survive… and once you have learned how to survive, you will learn to thrive, beyond your wildest imagination.
I do not think for one second that the path I went down was the wrong path for me. It was the right path, and I remind myself of this, again and again. My struggles and my trauma led me to where I am today. I do not see that there was any other way. I am blessed to have experienced what I have experienced, because it taught me so many incredible and important lessons in life, without which I would not be who I am today. I am in awe of myself for getting through all that, and I am in awe of life. And most importantly I have come to be at a place in my life where I not only love myself unconditionally, but where I am at peace. That dear reader, is truly a miracle.
Love Kate xx
Kate's Niche 