tiny thoughts and tribulations

Putting myself first has always been hard for me to do. I would worry about others more than myself and would be afraid about coming off as selfish if I did put myself first. I knew that I was a people pleaser, and because of this, I didn’t really know who I was as a person. Obviously, I wasn’t very happy in myself because of this, in fact, I really didn’t like myself at all. Forever self-conscious. 2017 was the year I truly decided to focus on myself and I have never been happier. This year, I have achieved things I thought I never would’ve been able to before. I finally gave myself a proper chance to grow, instead of worrying about other people. Maybe this sounds selfish to some, but for me it was so needed, I needed to get to know myself again, find who I really was. Nearly nine months into the year now and I’m so proud about how much I’ve grown. I really love who I am. I really think focusing on myself was one of the best things I’ve done. It probably sounds so si

Asociality I’ve always struggled to explain what sort of personality I have. When I’m out in groups of friends or family I feel like an extrovert, I can be loud and chatty and funny (if I do say so myself), I feel comfortable in large groups and I do enjoy going out and having fun. However when I’m at home, or when people ask to meet up or make plans, it takes a lot of energy and motivation for me to get up and be involved. I love going out and I rarely regret it, it just takes a lot for me to get there. I used to think my behaviour was anti social, but I kept saying to myself, no, I want to be around people, I want to have fun, I just can’t get myself to get out of the house at times. The past few months have been really hard for me, I’ve become quite a busy person during the past couple of years, from involvement in different mental health organisations, working 4-5 days a week, and being a full time college student. Unfortunately for me, my social battery doesn't last

Survival Guide to Starting College Personally, I was terrified about leaving secondary school and starting college. I was scared of change. I liked my life the way it was and I was happy enough for it to stay the same. Looking back now, I wish I hadn't have been so scared about it all because I am so happy with myself and the way college has turned out.There are so many things I wish I had known at the beginning of my first year in college, which is why I am writing them out now to help anyone who is starting next September. So lets get started! 1-Everyone is in the Same Boat This is so so important to remember when starting college. No one really knows each other. Everyone is just as nervous as you are sitting in that lecture hall. Striking up a conversation can be quite scary for some people, and I really did find this hard to do but you just have to try break out of your comfort zone and say 'Hi!' to the person sitting beside you. At the beginning of my

Stigmatized Wow. It's taken me a long time to build the courage to write about this. And of course, I'm not quite sure where to start.  My name is Abigail McDonnell and I'm 19 years old. At this moment in my life I am content, I am strong and I am excited about life, about my future. There was a time in my life where I believed that I didn't deserve a future, that there was no point in me having a chance in life. I'm so glad to say that I no longer believe this, I deserve life, I deserve to live. It took me a long time to be this happy within myself but I'm ready to tell my story bit by bit in the hopes that I can help even one person out there. At age 17, in my fifth year of secondary school, I was diagnosed with anxiety and severe depression. During this time in my life I spent majority of my time alone crying. I had no hope, I saw no point in doing anything and I self harmed almost every day. Before this experience I would never have even thought