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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 mental health challenges. By now, if you’ve been with me from the beginning, then you know that there are moments when I go on my “ghosting phases.” A ghosting phase for me is when I am too discouraged to provide and develop new content due to my depression symptoms. Sometimes I feel like I’ll never be able to post again because the motivation isn’t there for me, and I never know when I’ll get it back. 

I fear that I will become too mentally ill and will one day wake up and decide to delete the entire blog. But, I also fear failing because I know I have been able to help so many individuals just as they have been able to help me. So deleting the blog would hurt me and all of my supporters. And, if I’m being truthful, I recently considered deleting the blog this past weekend amid extreme emotions. But, I’m happy to announce that I have since decided to continue because I thought about the overall purpose and what it means to me. I also know it will always be okay to step away and break for a few days, weeks, or even months as long as the content is still available for new and existing visitors. 

Recently, I realized I had been beating myself up, thinking I wasn’t producing enough content when in reality, it gives people time to catch up on what they’ve missed and gives me time to breathe. As the journey continues, I will always try my best to be there for my Hooters, as they have always been there for me. I’m beyond thankful for everyone, and please always remember that you are not alone. On this day, I decided to share and face one of my biggest fears with you all. I was able to overcome it by simply making a global post about it and pressing the “publish” button. I also remembered that there is a purpose and I will eventually achieve that purpose.

I challenge you to face one of your fears and write in a journal about how you were able to overcome it. You’ve got this, and never forget to Live a Little.

-Cherry and the Hoot

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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 encourage black people to get involved in their health. To overcome mental health disorders and incorrect diagnoses, it is critical to have skilled and compassionate mental health providers. The issues and traumas that disadvantaged, oppressed, and disenfranchised individuals encounter are unique, and they must be treated accordingly.

How To Observe Black Girl Day Off

  1. Assist black women in need

Encourage the black women around you who you to take the day off for themselves. You are welcome to send them helpful materials.

2. Introduce workplace group therapy

Sign up for a group therapy class at your workplace and make sure to include everyone in need, especially black women. This might give you and your employees a comfortable space to express yourself.

3. Make a donation or volunteer

Minority mental health centers are continuously in need of finances and volunteers. You may assist by donating money or volunteering your time.

5 Facts About Why Taking The Day Off Is Important

  1. Mental clarity

If you don’t rest your brain, the adverse effects will compound.

2. Affect your daily productivity life

When we are exhausted at work, even the simplest chore becomes difficult.

3. Improved balance

Taking time away from work allows you to rediscover your joy and recall what life was like before you were overly occupied.

4. Increased concentration

No matter how much you enjoy your job, doing the same thing every day may get old.

5. Improved relationships

If you’re continuously working long hours, the essential people in your life will begin to feel neglected — spend time on short trips with your loved ones.

Source: NationalToday

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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 comes to any darkness in life. I also share because I am not ashamed of any choices I’ve ever made that some may frown upon or don’t understand. Today I have decided to share that my latest suicide attempt occurred on August 7th, 2022. Yes, just last month. Since then, I have been and am currently being treated professionally; I am also on a healing journey to recovery. Although I will not intensely go into detail about what exactly led (the “icing on the cake”) to the attempt, I will briefly share why I felt it was necessary for me at that very moment. I also share in honor of September being Suicide Prevention Awareness month.

So there is no confusion or weird assumptions that some like to make- please know I didn’t do it for attention. It wasn’t for attention because, sadly, I wasn’t supposed to fail at it. I didn’t do it because I hated myself or anyone else. I didn’t do it because of what I was going through at that moment. I didn’t do it for the satisfaction of anyone else. I didn’t do it for sympathy. I didn’t do it as a “cry for help.” I didn’t do it because I didn’t want to face my troubles. I didn’t do it to hurt any of my loved ones. I didn’t do it to “take the easy way out.” I most certainly didn’t do it because I was selfish. 

I did it because I was simply tired. I was tired of everything. I was tired of my ever-lasting mental health battle. I was tired of feeling the way I was feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally. I was tired of not feeling like myself. I was tired of the hurt and all the pain I had ever endured. I was tired of all of the mixed emotions I had. I was tired of struggling with the things I could not repair, control, or understand. I was tired of the unnecessary treatment I didn’t deserve. I was tired of crying every day- at my workplace, in my car, on my way to sleep. I was tired of having no appetite. I was tired of sleeping my life away or not getting enough sleep from the endless negative thoughts scattering around in my brain. I was tired of feeling like I wasn’t living and was simply existing. I didn’t feel I could be helped, nor could I help myself. I no longer wanted to feel like a burden to anyone else in life. 

I felt like it was my last option: to feel free of all my troubles finally. It was my last option to no more prolonged pain. My last option to stop the sleepless nights and oversleeping days- to prevent my depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. It was my last option to refrain from losing my job for calling out multiple days in a row due to my mental health illnesses. It was my last option to no longer be lost- to find my way. Finally, it was my last option to be free and at peace forever. I felt like I was losing my battle with the one thing I had worked so hard to maintain over the years- my struggle with depression. I lost every drip of strength I had left in me. I was drained and done, and I was okay with that.

The decision was merely what I thought was best for me at that moment. As I continue to work on improving myself and my mental health, I hope for strength for anyone who feels as though they are completely drained of life. I hope you overcome your battles and weaknesses. I hope you achieve your full potential while seeing and knowing your worth. I hope you know that you are stronger than you think, and you, my friend, will make it through this darkness!

If you or someone you know are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. 

You matter—your life matters. 

#YouAreNotAlone

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6 Ways To Improve Your Mental Health

  1. Set healthy boundaries and ask for help when you need it
  2. Create habits that make your daily life easier/less stressful
  3. Try fun exercises such as biking, dancing, or skating
  4. Socialize with friends and keep in touch
  5. Keep things as neat and organized as possible
  6. Get enough sleep and make time to unwind during the day

Source: @selftime

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How to Boost Your Self-Confidence

  • Focus on what you can change/improve
  • Do more of what makes you happy
  • Practice self-talk
  • Accept your weaknesses and work on them
  • Surround yourself with supportive/positive people
  • Celebrate your small wins
  • Instead of comparing yourself to others, practice self-compassion
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6 Ways To Love Yourself A Little More

  1. Stop comparing yourself to others

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

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Seeking Peace: My First Poem

For this peace I seek,
And hopes for my pains decrease
My 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 darkness near,
My mind I need cleared-

I seek peace deeply
Silent weeps so discreetly,
The light is near me.

My story I tell,
Even stuck deep down a well,
They’ll be no farewell.

#YouAreNotAlone

-Cherry and the Hoot

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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 fit in.

You deserve to be proud of yourself for letting go of someone who made you feel lonely and unappreciated.

You deserve to be proud of yourself for pushing through a cycle of anxiety and coming out even stronger.

You deserve to be proud of yourself for holding onto a standard when it’s easier to lower the bar.

You deserve to be proud of yourself for not limiting your potential based on a previous life chapter.

Source: @selfcareisajourney

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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:

  1. Raise Awareness

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 awareness so that more people can reach out for help.

2. Educate Yourself

The best thing we can do is to learn more about it. We need to educate ourselves and facilitate proactive prevention in our communities so that we can shatter the silence around our mental health.

3. Look out for others

Most people suffering from poor mental health do not reach out for help for fear of being judged or misunderstood. So we need to look out for others and check for warning signs. We need to help people feel heard and understood.

Source: National Today