Welcome

Welcome to the Cherry and the Hoot blog! If you’ve reached this blog, you are officially a “Hooter!” My name is CC, and I’m just a simplistic and creative soul from Virginia’s Hampton Roads region. I admire sharing my opinions, various talents, hiking adventures, random art, and much more. I live with a “Live a Little” motto because- why not? Live life to the fullest and have fun doing so!

One of my greatest gifts is being a mental health advocate. Encountering Major Depression and Anxiety first-hand has enabled me to give support, resources, advice, and encouragement to others. Although I’m not a professional, I give information based on what I’ve personally endured. I’ve been able to assist countless family members, friends, associates, and strangers with understanding, recognizing, managing, and treating mental health. My coping methods may not work for all, but they work for many, and I’m beyond proud of that.

Throughout this blog, I try to be as transparent as possible. I’ll be honest and admit, sometimes I do fall off-track and slow down on content. Please forgive me in advance- I swear I’m working on it! Thank you so much for all of the support; it is greatly appreciated. Please feel free to comment on or share any posts that interest you or may help someone else.

The purpose of this blog is to assure others they are not alone when it comes to this thing called Life. No one should have to battle their mental health illnesses or issues in a dark cloud of loneliness. There are people out there just like you and myself, and together we can conquer these dark challenges.

My overall goal is to provide a Judgement-FREE platform for everyone in need. No one should be afraid or ashamed of their truths nor struggles. I will never tell anyone to “get over it,” as those who have absolutely no idea do so frequently. However, I will always encourage everyone to do whatever it takes to get back to their happy place. Whether that means to get back into your favorite hobby you once loved, a newfound hobby, creating short and long-term goals, visiting new places, etc.- we will get there!

As long as you are willing to get in a better and more positive headspace, together we will achieve these goals!

Blog

Another Year Older, Wiser, and Starting Over (Again)

Hellooo Hooters! Today happens to be the GREATEST day of all time- June 27th! Cheers to another year older, wiser, and starting over (again)! Finally, my New Year is here yet again- Happyyyy Birthdayyyy to meeee!  Goodness, I have managed to survive yet another year of this “Life thing” and I’m honestly not sure how…

Getting Back on Track: Rebuilding My Blog and Mind

Sup Hooters? It’s been a while since my last real blog post, and I’m beyond happy to be back! Like many others around the world, life has been lifing — and kicking my tail to the max. I’ve faced countless ups and downs, setback after setback, and now I’ve finally decided it’s time to start…

Summer Beach Calming Activities: Summer Mental Wellness

As summer approaches, mental health can be nurtured by beach activities. The beach offers a serene environment for self-care through walking, drawing in sand, meditative breathing, and mindful eating. Engaging in these calming practices helps reconnect and release stress, reminding us to appreciate moments of peace and tranquility.

Unveiling the Power of Sleep: Sleep Benefits and Tips for Health

Sleep Awareness Week takes place from March 10th to March 16th, aiming to highlight the importance of sleep for physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Adequate sleep offers numerous benefits, such as improved mental health, healthy weight management, enhanced brain function, better stress management, and improved relationships. Tips for better sleep include establishing a consistent sleep…

Connecting with Nature and the Present: National Day of Unplugging

When? March 1st In today’s world, most of us tend to be drowned by the content and entertainment of our electronic devices. Our environment is overly crammed with smartphones or watches, tablets, laptops, gaming consoles, and televisions- constantly checking for notifications, emails, and social media updates. We’ve become so preoccupied with these devices that we…

Quote of the Week: Happy Valentine’s Day

“The fact that someone else loves you does not rescue you from the project of LOVING SELF.” -Unknown Hooters, Although today is the day of love, always remember to love on yourself each and every single day. Use this week to love on self a bit more as we sometimes tend to get caught up…

Observing National Develop Alternative Vices Day

National Develop Alternative Vices Day is all about ridding yourself of your heavily bad and unhealthy habits. Those habits include but are not limited to excessively drinking coffee or alcohol, chain-smoking, consuming drugs, over-eating, gambling, and overindulging on television, phone, or social media use. Sure, there are plenty of other examples, but these tend to…

A Well-Needed Night Out

While experiencing the unpleasant symptoms of our mental health illnesses, some of us tend to lose ourselves. Sometimes we won’t get out of bed simply because we lack energy. Not even to get up to brush our teeth, wash our faces, or eat. We won’t leave our homes for days at a time- neglecting work…

A Special Thank You Note

What’s Up Hooters, I want to make this post short, simple, and sweet. I don’t feel like I thank you enough, so I would like to do so now. Thank you so much for your support throughout these last couple of years, months, weeks, and days. Thank you for taking precious time out of your…

7 Quick Signs You Are Emotionally Drained

-You are more easily irritated than usual -Even small tasks feel overwhelming -You feel restless and on edge a lot -Your appetite has changed -You’re tired all day but struggle to sleep at night -You are making easy mistakes you wouldn’t usually make -You feel like you could be stuck this way forever Source: @myeasytherapy

AFSP: Out of the Darkness Community Walk 2022

This past weekend I had the pleasure of participating in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Community Walk. The Out of the Darkness event is a journey of remembrance, hope, and support for all affected by suicide. Numerous families were there to walk for the loved ones they’ve lost, while others were there to walk…

Motivational Monday: Quote of the Week

“Mental health problems don’t define who you are. They are something you experience. You walk in the rain, and you feel the rain, but you are not the rain.” -Matt Haig

National Face Your Fears Day

In honor of National Face Your Fears Day, I have decided to share a genuine fear of my own. Ironically, it happens to be about this very blog. One of my biggest fears regarding the Cherry and the Hoot blog is failing. I fear that I am going to fail due to my own personal…

Black Girl Day Off

Black Girl Day Off is observed every October 11 annually in the United States. It is a day dedicated to encouraging black women to take a mental day off to focus on their emotional well-being. Black women assign a high risk of heart disease, breast cancer, and other chronic illnesses. This day was developed to…

A Post of Transparency: Why I Recently Tried To Commit Suicide

As Cherry and the Hoot is a creative mental health blog with an author who experiences severe major depression and anxiety, please be mindful that there will be moments I share some of my darkest moments of life. It is my decision to share these moments to assure others they are not alone when it…

6 Ways To Love Yourself A Little More

2. Don’t worry about other people’s opinion 3. Remember your value doesn’t lie in how your body looks 4. Don’t be afraid to let go of toxic people 5. Make time for the little things you enjoy 6. Allow yourself some downtime Source: @selftime

Motivational Monday: Quote of the Week

“You deserve to be proud of yourself for bouncing back and realizing your worth after someone else didn’t.” -Unknown

Seeking Peace: My First Poem

For this peace I seek,And hopes for my pains decreaseMy brain shall now speak- As high as treelength,I’m searching for my peace,I just need the strength. My thoughts are scattered,Tears flowing like I’m battered,My heart is shattered. Stuck in the darkness,I’ll make it out regardless-A soul so harmless. Yes, the peace is there,Hidden within the…

You Deserve To Be Proud of Yourself

You deserve to be proud of yourself for bouncing back and realizing your worth after someone else didn’t. You deserve to be proud of yourself for trusting your own timeline instead of borrowing someone else’s. You deserve to be proud of yourself for staying true to YOU in a world that pressures you just to…

Ways to Observe National Suicide Prevention Week

If you aren’t sure how to observe National Suicide Prevention Week (9/4-9/10), I have listed a few ways from the National Today site below: One of the most helpful and effective ways we can observe Suicide Prevention Week is by raising awareness of it. The goal is to reduce the stigma around it and raise…

Warning Signs of Suicide and How To Help

For those unaware, September is the month of many things, but Suicide Prevention Awareness is the main focus of the Cherry and the Hoot blog. As many find suicide to be a challenging topic of discussion, I believe more people should talk about it to help save the life of others potentially. In addition, bringing…

Motivational Monday: Quote of the Week

“Our successes and failures come and go- they neither define us nor do they determine our worthiness.” -Kristin Neff

What is Meant For You Will Be For You: Relationships & Careers

Sometimes in our lives, we tend to force or try to accept the things that are not nor were they ever meant for us. For example, we try to force or settle for unhappy or toxic relationships, friendships, and situationships with those who don’t deserve our energy, time, or presence. We force jobs or careers…