It’s April 2020 as I write this, and in case you have missed it, we are currently living through the biggest health crisis in peacetime – and in my lifetime. Coronavirus – aka COVID 19 – aka a worldwide pandemic. And it’s one that has brought mental health to the forefront of the conversation. We are all experiencing anxiety and stress in some form or another, to a greater or lesser extent, and as our usual daily lives for so many of us have been put on pause… it’s a rare opportunity to reset.
So why am I writing this now? I’ll explain. I first had the vision for BrightWhiteLife and this blog during a period of career uncertainty, around 2 years ago when I was out of work, and on my ‘Home‘ page (at the time of writing this post) one of the first questions I ask for anyone finding my website is:
Do you need to press reset and review your life goals?
And yet, for 2 years, I have tentatively approached this blog with the feelings of not being good enough, everyone else is already doing this, what do I really have to offer, will anyone listen to me…. all the typical imposter syndrome self-talk that holds many of us back, and personally has held me back from publishing my ideas and sharing my passion about mental health. I published the occasional blog post… but never shared my website with anyone or anywhere. I was hiding in plain sight. The perfectionist in me has procrastinated (something I appreciate is a coping mechanism for stress), and I’ve held myself back (due to anxiety about facing the fear of failure). And as a result, I’ve kept one of my own life goals on hold.
My ‘About‘, my vision for this website, explains my why – so if you haven’t read it already go take a look after reading this. In short, back in 2012, some personal events forced me to press reset…. and at the time of writing this post its a worldwide event that’s making me pause, reflect and reset again, as I find I am asking myself over and over if not now, then when?!
So now or never… I’m publishing this post. And publishing my social media pages. I’m letting go of that stress and anxiety that has had me procrastinate and not share my views, knowledge and experience. It doesn’t need to be perfect (it never will be!) and even if others are already doing it, I have my own take on things to share for anyone who wants to read. And I’ll feel the fear and do it anyway (another blog post that has a certain irony when you read it after this!). At some point, my vision is to be more than just a blog, but I have to start*
(*update – I’m now sharing my passion with more than just a blog – check out the SERVICES for what we have to offer from BrightWhiteLife and how I bring my own experiences to both my training and coaching)
“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can” – Arthur Ashe
My future blog posts talk about the mental impact of the pandemic we are living through. Personal, observational, sharing some ideas on how to cope in these very uncertain times and beyond. If you like what you read then please share, come back for more, and I hope it makes a difference to you or someone you care about.
