Before I start with my intended post for the day I want to share a little bit of what happened to me in my ‘happy place’. First day/night at the beach, I drive immediately after work (8am) to the beach to meet one of my besties Bridge. As soon as I arrived we threw our bikinis on and headed to the beach. Spent the day in ‘heaven’, jumping the waves, baking in the sun, laughing, and just enjoying the day. Evening arose and we head in to eat and nap. Well since I had not slept in 30+ hours I was knocked out, sleeping like a baby. Then I awoke in a panic, don’t ask me why because I do not know. My heart was racing, I was in my fight/flight response. Then the nausea came, my heart rate drops quickly and I feel as if I will faint. I quickly alert Bridge and she goes into her nurse mode on me. But see within 3-5 minutes I was completely fine, back to my normal self. That was anxiety. I shared this to show everyone how different everyone’s anxiety can be, how it comes out of no where, even in your ‘happy place’.
I’ve learned a lot about myself and consistency is what helps me. I had forgot to take my medicine that morning due to rushing to get to the beach, I had not wrote in my journal for two days, I had not said my daily prayers that day and I was soon reminded that no matter how busy I get my mental health matters. My mental health comes first. Happy Sunday Y’all!
Definition of consistency
pluralconsistencies
1 a: condition of adhering together
b: firmness of constitution or character
2: degree of firmness, density, viscosity, or resistance to movement or separation of constituent particles
3 agreement or harmony of parts or features to one another or a whole ; correspondence
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I have always liked to believe I am a consistent person; I follow my plans, I do things in certain orders and I have habits I do everyday. But truthfully, when it all boils down to it, I am not consistent when it comes to my health.
Physically, mentally, and emotionally I take care of it in spurts. Some weeks I’ve got my head on tight and I’m productive, but I’m usually not very physically active. I like to nap a lot by the way. The weeks that I am physically active I seem to not take care of my mental and emotional health as much.
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Three daily consistencies of my own ::
1. Write in my journal; even when I have nothing to say.
2. Pray every morning when my eyes open & every night before my eyes close; regardless how sleepy I am.
3. Always remove my makeup & take meds before bed even when I work night shift.
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One of the biggest learning curves of my mental health illness was that consistency could be the answer to my problems, my cure.
Following the protocols, taking my meds, and receiving therapy was the only thing that helped relieve the effects, but only when I was doing it consistently. Taking my meds at the same time every day helped my body realize it would not be starved from the serotonin transmitters the medication causes my brain to release. My brain did not have to go into fight or flight mode anymore because my body was prepared to receive what it needs.
Writing down my thoughts created positive habits and released all that negative thinking I was doing, consistently following through with this lead me to this blog. I became indefinitely proud of how far I had come and how I had not given up. It kept record of my progress and even my uphill battles.
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Learning to be consistent was so hard, I struggled to “stay on track”, I just wanted to sleep. Most days I had to physically force myself to get up, to take my meds, to clean my house, to shower, to go to my therapy appointments, to just wake up. You’re not alone; start small, start slow in the days and weeks to come you will see how consistent you’ve become!
I’m not saying it will be easy, but I am saying that staying consistent will change your life. Don’t give up, get to work!
Love, CharenLeigh 
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