Posted on May 24, 2019
Note to Self: The reminders we need for our mental health
In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, we teamed up with inkbox customers and creators to talk about mental health. Together, we can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illnesses, and lift each other up through personal stories.
*Trigger Warning: Content related to suicidal thoughts, depression, and self-harm*
We all need a little reminder sometimes. Maybe it's to breathe when we're overwhelmed. That we're worthy when we're feeling insecure. That those dark moments will pass, and we'll come out stronger because of it. That's why we encouraged you to share your #inkboxNoteToSelf
In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, we teamed up with inkbox customers and creators to talk about mental health. Together, we can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illnesses, and lift each other up through personal stories. These tattoos were all created on our custom platform and helped to empower these individuals.
"Life is a giant anxiety-inducing journey. If you are anything like me you over-analyze every action and decision (this caption included) making sure it’s the most beneficial or morally correct one, or both, to the point that you get incapacitated by the dilemma. It could be a simple yes or no to a trivial question, but it feels like the fate of the universe depends on it. It’s ridiculous, I know! So ridiculous that the anxiety spirals out into an all-out crisis of meaning and purpose. My only saving grace is that I’m pretty good at arguing lol! So far, I’m able to argue myself out of suicidal thoughts and anxiety spirals. My favorite rebuttal for the intrinsic meaninglessness of life is from The Doctor: “We’re all stories in the end; just make it a good one.” - Kennen Navarro, @kensadork
"Broken crayons still color. Sometimes, in my darkest moments, I feel broken. I feel as if something is wrong with me..but I’ve realized that’s not true. I am the only person who can determine my limits and boundaries. I am a whole, functioning, thriving, amazing, beautiful person, who also happens to fight a battle in my head nearly every day. I am a suicide survivor, sexual assault survivor, and mental health warrior. What you have been through does not define you. You are not broken, just in progress. Broken crayons still color, broken hearts still love, scars can be turned into art, and shattered pieces can be put together. I promise that one day you will be able to put all your pieces back together. Now is not forever. Broken is beautiful." - Miriam Berman, @miriampatrickharris
"LOVE IS ALL I AM. We all know that life can be a bumpy road. And I’ve had pretty tough times, when I felt insecure, betrayed, lonely and bitter. But through all of that I found the truth...that I can’t look for love in others until I build it in myself to myself...and I realized that I am Love itself. Love is the strongest force and there’s nothing can beat LOVE." - Diana Bostan, @bostan_diana
"Mental health comes in all different forms & affects everyone differently. My mental health journey started as a child. As the oldest of 4, I felt constantly pressured to set a good example. I maintained a 4.0 throughout high school & performed well in sports. I helped around the house & took care of my horses. I felt like everything I did had to be PERFECT - like everyone was constantly watching me. It wasn’t until recently that I found myself. I realized that I’m not perfect. I realized that I didn’t need to be the best at everything. So I started embracing my flaws & laughing at my mistakes. I’ve learned so much about who I really am and what I really want in life. I want everyone to know that being imperfect is > O K A Y < and mistakes are apart of life. So my challenge to you is to laugh at your next mistake & embrace that flaw that you are so self-conscious about! You ARE beautiful. You ARE smart. You are YOU. & no one else can take that away from you. I am a warrior and you are too." - Paris Osborne, @parisozzie
"HEAD HEART HANDS. It's my own little reminder to think, feel and act from my truth; in my experience, imbalance between these areas leads to inner AND outer turmoil. The mind, body and soul aren't separate entities, and they can harness infinite energy when they function as one. Back when I went to school for/worked in fashion, I remember feeling constantly anxious and depressed without knowing why. I was also a toxic shit to those around me. Having been an artistic child raised around garment workers, I kind of just assumed becoming a fashion designer was my path. It wasn't until I delved deeper into the backend of the industry (my thesis paper was on sustainability) that I realized the place my family & ancestors held in a colonial/capitalist environment, despite their skills and craft. It's the same place I'd never be able to understand as a second gen immigrant, but felt deeply wrong to be a beneficiary of. Somewhere along the line I forgot I was blessed to be Filipino yet grow up Canadian; blessed to be given the tools to break a cycle I *almost* ended up perpetuating. In my heart I'm an island girl, but my mindset is Western--and I need to pursue a life that protects and fulfills them both. Whenever I feel imbalanced I ask myself: Do you say what you mean? Do you mean what you say? Is this thought or action pertinent to your spiritual journey? Who are you? Where do you come from? What are you contributing to your Self, others, the Earth, the future?" - Bianca Veneryan, @biancavenerayan
"As I’ve talked about before, this year I experienced an overwhelming deterioration in my mental health. It was incredibly difficult to navigate. For me, the simple word ‘uplift’ helped me begin to improve my state of mind. My personal mission statement is ‘Uplifting others through positive outlook, forward thinking and fun-loving attitude.’ Focusing on uplifting others helped me center myself and elevate myself out of the dark times." - Sarah Hammer, @skhammer
"Life will hit you hard sometimes, I understand, but at the end of the day what are you going to do about it? Perspective is EVERYTHING!!! Having a positive perspective on situations/circumstances will drastically change your mindset, habits, and outcome of any situation. I want to encourage you be intentional about what you think about, how you think, and what you expect. Remember... what you think, you will become." - Destiny Jenkins, @jollydes
“There are times when we struggle. there are times we feel defeated. there are times of crying for every reason and there are times of crying for no reason at all. life hurts. I know. I get it. I really do. the month of May is Mental Heath Awareness Month— I’m here to help reduce the stigma. I’m here to help be a voice for people struggling to find the words themselves. I’m here to let you know that it’s going to get better. we are going to be alright. we will be okay. mental illness is not a personal failure. you are important. you are strong and you matter so much. I love you and I want you to feel comfort in knowing that you are not alone. I’ll admit I used to feel ashamed to talk about my mental health but I’ve been trying my best to change that. my #inkboxnotetoself is to never forget how vital you are in the grand scheme of your glorious life. it’s yours and it’s happening and you have to be here for it. it’s going to be great. ❤️" - Jenna Allard, @jennallard