The Wellbeing 5 Project

Kate

Love My Anxious Brain

The Mental Wellbeing 5

5 Simple Questions to help with mental wellbeing with answers from Experts, Thought Leaders, Campaigners & Advocates

Kate

Kate is the creator and founder of website, “Love My Anxious Brain.” Love My Anxious Brain provides practical (and real life) advice, based on lived experience of overcoming mental health struggles and quitting toxic relationships. Kate built the site based on her own experiences with mental health (namely anxiety and depression) with her aim being to support people in the journey from surviving to thriving.

Kate and Love My Anxious brain have a wealth of knowledge & research covering the areas of mental health, relationships, social anxiety, body image and introvert blogger techniques.

Find out more Kate here

The Mental Wellbeing 5 with Kate

1. What is your favourite quote, anecdote, proverb or experience that helps with mental wellbeing?

Kate: “Shy souls… you are the quiet storm this world desperately needs.” It’s actually the title of a blog post from Strong Sensitive Souls. I love it because it’s a reminder that we don’t have to be loud and extroverted in order to be heard or to make a difference.

How does this help with mental wellbeing? It reminds all of us quiet, anxious, introverted types that we’re OK just as we are. That we matter, and so do our opinions and actions. Realising that my voice could make a difference was what prompted me to start my blog. All of us have something important to share, if we let ourselves speak.

2. What is your top piece of advice for mental wellbeing?

Kate: Learn about boundaries. It’s impossible to take good care of your mental health without setting limits for the things that you will or won’t do, and will or won’t accept from others.

I spent years trying to improve my mental wellbeing while also trying to please everyone and not rock any boats. As you might guess, that didn’t work! I had to make some tough decisions on which habits and people were not good for me – but it’s been more than worth it. I now feel like my needs are getting met.

3. What is the one change in the world that you would like to see? (in your area of wellbeing or in the world in general or both)

Kate: I would love to see more funding put into mental health resources. More community resources, subsidised therapy, quick and accurate diagnoses, and preventative support – instead of people being forced to wait until their symptoms become acute and desperate.

Over and over, I hear stories from people who plucked up the courage to visit their doctor, only to be told they’re “not sick enough” for support. They have an eating disorder, but they’re not ‘underweight enough’ for treatment. They’re anxious and depressed, but semi-functioning and able to work, so they don’t get proper support.

People are struggling and not getting the help they need. I’ve been there too! It’s the reason I started my blog (here) – to help others who are in the same situation that I was.

4. Which resources (books / websites / videos etc) for wellbeing would you recommend?

Kate: My blog lovemyanxiousbrain.com has advice on managing depression and anxiety, overcoming social anxiety, body image struggles and relationship issues. (If you have social anxiety, you can download my free Overcome Social Anxiety Journal which has a month of guided prompts!)

I also highly recommend the book ‘Setting Boundaries Will Set You Free’ by Nancy Levin. You’ll be shocked by the positive difference having healthy boundaries makes to your life!

5. What’s the one thing that always makes you smile?

Kate: Getting a really good hug from someone I love – the kind where you just sink into it and stay there for a good while. There aren’t many feelings better than that!

Bonus Question! Is there anything else pertinent you would like to add to the conversation?

Kate: If you’re struggling with your mental health right now, you’re not alone and things will get better. Stay hopeful and keep learning about mental health and trying out new ways to improve things.

You’re a resourceful person (you found this blog and this post!) so use that natural strength and curiosity to seek out mental health solutions. And take good care of yourself. Whatever you’re going through, you matter!