Birthday Mental Health Fund

Birthday Mental Health Fund

From Isabella Bodnar

For my birthday this year, I'm hoping to raise funds toward my mental health and self-improvement needs. I've recently gone through a mental health crisis that has been extremely challenging to overcome... Namaste!

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"All it takes is a beautiful fake smile to hide an injured soul and they will never notice how broken you really are." — Robin Williams​

Most of you know me as an ambitious writer. A go-getter. A doer. A tenacious mofo. But this past year, my mental health has been slipping down a one-way slide into desperate darkness, culminating in a “breakdown” last month that took a toll on my body, not just my soul. The Grim Reaper's ominous shadow loomed over me, and as I clawed my way out of slow-moving quicksand to escape his scythe, I reminded myself of all the gratitude I have for family, friends, and how writing has always been my panacea, and I decided to take another stab at trying to live my best life… As you know, depression is not sadness. It’s being anti-social, it’s feeling hopeless, it’s talking in slow motion, or 10x the normal speed; it’s not being able to roll out of bed or exercise, or have the strength to seek employment, and being financially at rock bottom only exacerbates these symptoms... It’s also faulty wiring, but wiring that nonetheless CAN be reconfigured. My close call was a wake-up call, and I’m determined to bounce back to full Beast Mode. I’ve started looking for ways to create a new and improved life filled with beauty and badassery, but it’s a process. It’s not an overnight fix. If anyone can contribute to my Birthday Mental Health Fund so I can take the next step toward healing (thru various medical and holistic therapies, fitness programs, classes/group sessions, moving, etc), I would be beyond grateful. Or if you can’t, but know the secret sauce and can suggest ways that I can manifest great things in my life, I welcome your words of wisdom. Recommendations for books, podcasts, links to enhance mind, body and soul are also appreciated. Asking is one of the hardest things for me to do, but your support will be a gift I’ll forever cherish.

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