F*#! Low Days! and Other Sentiments
LOW DAYS SUCK.
While many of us look to inspiring women or professionals to help dig us out of our darkest holes, sometimes a good book can be a great friend in those low moments. Introducing: F*#! Low Days! and Other Sentiments, a coffee table book of poems, mantras, essays, and photography to aid women in surviving mental health issues.
You're not alone. There are so many women out there who know what a constant battle with mental health feels like. We asked our community how they would describe their victories over low days and how they would encourage readers to push onward. There is no set blueprint for escaping suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, or the myriad of other mental health issues women face on a daily basis, but this book is the perfect pick-me-up to give you the strength and inspiration to look at low days and boldly give them the finger.
So whenever a low day creeps up and you find yourself feeling far from high frequencies, pick up this book and flip to a random page. Read an entry. Stare at your favorite photo. Let the bright colors and faces arrest your melancholy, chokehold your fears into submission, and make room for a smile and a renewed sense of strength in community as we all join together to cheer "F*#! LOW DAYS!"
Journaling through a Panic Attack
I am proud of myself
for not being on the floor
in a heap
panicking after
a job rejection
I am proud I am writing
through tears
trying to beat
this fucking attack.
I am proud that I am
fighting // breathing // keep // going
because I am shaking,
but trying to keep
positive through this.
I am proud of the hard
fucking work I am doing
and have done
I am proud I asked for help
that I called NAMI,
this is using my tools.
I am proud I was able to talk
to someone, calm some
of my worry, focus
on the help I am getting.
I am proud I cried
but also used what I have learned
to “right my head”
I am proud the tears
have now stopped.
I am proud that I know
I am supported, loved,
and can use a notebook
to fight demons.
I am proud of me today.
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. There are many supports, services and treatment options that may help. www.NAMI.org
Keep yourself Alive
I did not die today, instead I made
my favorite sandwich
ate through my tears. Held tight
a sachet full of lavender
had plenty of tissues
a list of “to do’s”
but no energy to give.
The television played a movie
the first scene, Freddy Mercury singing
Keep Yourself Alive.
I nod and chuckle, need a better word for trigger
Something less stabbing
that doesn’t break my heart
or shatter me again.
I just need the word for today.
I know tomorrow
will be here soon enough.
This moment knows it will pass.
Just found two reasons to laugh
got a text, a small hi -- an old friend
that pulled me off the couch
out of the blanket
out of darkness
and I love how friendships
are soul quenching.
I ate the entire sandwich and feel
better; didn’t use every tissue
in the box.
I’ve seen this movie before…
I have a list of to-do’s.