happy one year of brave but soft!

10/03/22

can you believe that we've made it one year of brave but soft???

to me, it's been something that I've majorly enjoyed, so I cannot believe that it's already been a whole year!!

posting blogs each week (roughly) for the last 52 weeks has been so helpful, not only to myself, but I hope to a multitude of others.

brave but soft has caused me to focus on my own mental health, through helping others. within this last year, I have started going to therapy regularly again, I have started taking medication to help with my anxiety and depression, and I have come to terms with the fact of being a highly sensitive person!

there is absolutely no shame in going to therapy. therapy isn't just for those in severe situations. nothing has to be "wrong" with you. therapy is healthy!!! for anyone and everyone. as I have learned through my psychology classes, therapy is beneficial simply because your therapist is an outside person that has no connection to your life. they can offer unbiased points of view that you might not have even considered.

to me, therapy is a session of time where I can just spill whatever is on my mind. having that person to talk to that isn't necessarily emotionally invested in my life is beyond helpful. my therapist has opened my eyes to so many ways of coping and thinking that I probably wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

granted, therapy does cost money. I do understand that a lot of people are unable to afford the financial weight of therapy. unfortunately, prices of anything are serious barriers for most people. if you cannot afford to have a professional therapist, there are other ways to receive treatment.

1. keep good friends. have people you can talk to no matter the situation. be social! get connected with others going through the same thing.

2. find your person. we all usually have one person that is our best friend, which we tell everything. they can sort of be like a therapist. bounce ideas off of them, and they'll tell you when you're being dramatic or reasonable!

3. keep a routine. routine offers stability in our lives. not everyone is able to keep a steady one, but have a system that you keep to will really help stabilize your mental health!

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the same goes for medication...no one should be ashamed that they have to have help with being happy! we don't get to choose that our brains don't produce the right amount of serotonin in order to keep us on the up and up. some people can function without medication, and some need medication to function & that's okay!! that's why these medications are made, to help us with what we're going through.

finding what works for you is the hardest part. being honest with your doctors and telling them how you are really feeling is the most beneficial way to get the right dose! there's no shame in taking more that the "normal" amount of medication. and there's no shame in asking for help either.

being the best version of yourself is the goal. if you need meds to be that person, so be it! it doesn't mean it's not the "real you" or that you're "fake." think of it this way: I have to take medication called insulin because I am type one diabetic. which means, my pancreas no longer produces the insulin my body needs. so, I have to continually give myself insulin manually in order for my body to work. yes, my pancreas is defective, but it doesn't mean I'm any less human. I just have to add more medicine to my body because it doesn't produce it!

same goes with serotonin, dopamine, and the works. some of our bodies just don't make enough and we need that extra boost. thankfully, science is cool and has offered us a multitude of options and ways to treat the lack of happiness.

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and lastly, being sensitive isn't a bad thing!! we live in a world that revolves around being tough, and turning the other cheek, and telling us that crying is a weakness...THESE ARE MYTHS.

yes, there are circumstance where being tough is beneficial. but being gentle and soft isn't wrong. hence, brave BUT soft. we can still be brave, confident, and strong, while being soft, diligent, and kind.

being sensitive to our chaotic world is better! being sensitive means that we are aware of ourselves and our surroundings. the word 'sensitive' has such a bad connotation in our world today, but we should not fall for it!

if you think you might be sensitive to the world, please check out the blog post from a few weeks back about HSPs (highly sensitive people)! it's super insightful to understand that being sensitive isn't something to be ashamed of. sensitive is super!

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but on a real note, I cannot thank you guys enough for your support! creating a caring & kind community is my ultimate goal & I think we've definitely accomplished that! I am so thankful that I have such supportive and kind friends & family.

within just a year, we've already grown so much! blogs are my ultimate goal, but we've even created merch too! the t-shirts and crewnecks are my favorite!!!

with that being said, in celebration of one year of brave but soft, I HAVE CREATED MORE!!!!!

as of today, new shirts, stickers, and more will be available for you cherubs to order!!! go to the 'shop' section of the site and check them out!

again, tysm for your support it means the world to me <3

and remember, you deserve to be here

xx Loryn