Believe me. I get it.

Because I’ve been there, I am here.

I’ve felt the crushing weight of Major Depressive Disorder & Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I’ve been in the dark and spent time hiding from my family, my friends and myself simply because I didn’t feel like I measured up. I kept my own personal and never ending tally of my wrongs and my mistakes and the would-haves and should-haves. I numbed my emotions and my pain and pasted on my fabulous fake smile. And, while I wasted valuable years, months, weeks, days and hours of my one and only precious life, the world went on without me.

Here’s the hardest to swallow truth of the matter friends: This world isn’t going to stop while you get your shit together.

Ouch…right? I know, I know. But hear me out.

There’s no pause button. We don’t get a time out while we reset what matters in our hearts and our minds and our lives. This world is going to keep on spinning regardless of your fear, your addiction, your intimidation, your failures, or your almost. Your lack of participation in your life is causing countless people to miss the light that is YOU. Your purpose in this world, regardless of your background/faith/belief system is to fill the YOU SHAPED HOLE in the universe.

I’ve been blessed with “wisdom by the grace of first hand experience” and believe me when I tell you that I am a judgement free zone. Now and always.

I’ve been to the bottom and I’ve seen that bottom fall out — countless times. But wisdom and strength comes from the getting back up. The climbing back out. The moving forward no matter how slow you go kinda deal.

The person you were yesterday doesn’t have to be the person who you are today and now and at this moment moving forward. And I hope that gives you a bit of hope. Because I’m filling the “Danielle shaped hole in the universe”.

#keepshining

Always – xoxo