Happy New Year friends!
I’ve missed you. I’ve missed connecting on a regular basis with posts and comments and emails.
The holidays were rough. The whole month of December, actually.
The holidays were filled with SO MUCH good! And SO MUCH fun! But it was a lot.
From Thanksgiving up until Christmas Eve, it was go-go-go for me.
We went out of town for Thanksgiving to the mountains with Joe’s family…. {SO fun!}…
{The OG Coombs}
And then when we got back from that weekend I work, work, worked {my Etsy shop is crazy busy from October thru December!} and then I left for New York City with London four days later.
We had such a lovely time. We went with London’s dance group and did all the things and saw all the things and ate all the things {she even took a couple of classes from a Rockette!} and then when we returned….I work, work, worked again.
I came home to 60 new orders that needed to be completed.
Then, the kids were out of school, it was Grant’s birthday, Grant had a big birthday party at our home {he called it ‘rager’?}, we all got sick one by one {thankfully, no Covid!} we had family parties and by the time Christmas Eve rolled around…..I fell apart.
Like, had a full blown anxiety attack, fell apart. And everyone was at MY house for Christmas Eve dinner.
I had the tables set pretty, yummy food made, we played fun games and when dessert was being served….I excused myself upstairs and started bawling. And I cried pretty much through Christmas day.
My body was physically. mentally and emotionally exhausted.
Meanwhile, as I sat on the couch {crying}, scrolling through social media that night after everyone had left….I saw post after post from people who were so pleasantly happy. Like gushy happy. And I felt guilty that I wasn’t feeling that same way.
Anxiety and depression do that to you though. Here I was with my wonderful family surrounding me, all the good things in life going on ……. and I was a mess. I was exhausted from ALL the things! And I had powered through the week leading up to Christmas doing ALL the things, even though I was sick and not feeling well. And it all caught up to me.
I guess the reason I feel the need to tell all of this to you is so that collectively, as a whole….we can recognize that it’s ok to not feel ok. When everyone else is having a sugarplum time and we feel like we can’t go on for one more second….it’s ok.
The key is to recognize that we’re NOT ok and SLOW the freak down. Get the help that we need. {I got on some antibiotics and a steroid and started feeling phsyically better}. I sat on the couch for about 5 days after Christmas and did absolutely NOTHING. I’m seeing my psychiatrist later this week to adjust my emotional meds {Prozac} and get my serotonin levels back on track and I’ve never been more excited to do so.
I guess the other reason I feel the need to tell all of this to you is for transparency. The world needs more honest women. There’s so much fluff and comparison on social media – we need to be more honest with one another.
So while the holidays weren’t ideal in a sense…..I’m here. I’m back. I’m rested. And I’m ok!
I also realized that the holidays in general….are HARD on a lot of people. Like really, really hard. And I now feel for those people more empathetically. I’ll keep them in mind for the holidays in the future and try my hardest to reach out to them.
Anyhoooooo……….
Enough about me. LoL.
Tomorrow I’ll be posting some BRAND NEW Ministering tags {yahoo}! I think you’re gonna love them.
Forgive me for not getting new tags out last month. Hopefully, now you’ll understand why that didn’t happen, haha.
I totally get it! Thank you for sharing your heartfelt message. You are such a talented sweetie and doing so much for others. Thank you for sharing your talents with us. Lots of hugs and love.
Thank you for being vulnerable and transparent. I think so many can relate to this. I was stretched beyond my limits too and it all just felt like too much. I also have anxiety and depression at times. You are definitely not alone. PS Fun that you and London got to go to NY!
Thanks Ashley! NY was a blast!! Happy New Year! xoxo
This is a perfect post in all the ways. From how you can enjoy things yet not at the same time, work so hard to make everything perfect and then fall apart. And it’s ok. A few years ago I had been suffering from severe chronic pain for almost 8 years, and it finally literally took me down physically and emotionally, I felt broken. I took time off work, focused on finally getting better and a year later the same thing happened but I had the tools to know what to do, so I didn’t fall apart in the same way, I was frustrated but I didn’t feel broken. I am SO glad you shared that you’re on medication. We really need to normalize that. I am as well. I walk every year for the National Foundation for Suicide Prevention because mental health is one of deadliest diseases, we need to stop stigmatizing mental health. Realize no one has it “all together”. I feel like finding your “tribe” and leaning in for their support when you need it is one of the best things to help when you’re having a hard time, and they are the ones that will give you the reality check you need, like getting back on meds or having meds adjusted.
Things slowed down significantly this year when I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. I’m grateful for my previous experiences that were not as serious to give me the tools I need to know to work through this disease physically and emotionally. Not all days are rainbows and sunshine, but I’m grateful for medication that can keep me functioning mentally.
Yes, yes YES! To all of this! Thank you!! I do hope you are on the mend from your breast cancer….sending positive vibes your way! xoxo
Thank you for your honesty! You are amazing! Glad you are feeling better! It’s so hard sometimes, even on Christmas. ❤️
You are so welcome. Thanks so much for your kind comment! xoxo
Good for you Marci! Sometimes we women have to put ourselves first! Almost everyone I know, including me, is on an antidepressant! Thank goodness for meds that help us! We certainly don’t choose to fall apart, who would ? I’m proud of you! Your family still adores you and so do we.❤️❤️❤️
Thank you! You are so sweet! And yes, thank goodness for meds!!! xoxo
Glad you are back to getting better. Love you and the fact that you shared that we aren’t all perfect. Love seeing your posts and I can imagine why you fell apart with all that you have going on. Thanks for your honesty and for the great posst.
Thanks so much Claudine! Happy New Year!
Thank you for being real. We need more of that.
Sending all the hugs!
Welcome back 💕
Thank you! Hugs right back…xoxo
Atta girl mama!
Muah!