When I was asked to write our annual mental health awareness blog, I was sort of at a loss.

Mental health has always been my battle cry, my platform, the reason I started Kush Queen. The inspiration behind our pursuit of cannabis wellness. But this year I have been at war with myself, with the future of Kush Queen, with our dark world, with loss, and honestly more days have been a struggle this year for me than a triumph. 

So what could I share about mental health awareness month that would be meaningful when my own mental health has been a rollercoaster?

The Art of Surrender 

It is a hard reality of being human that sometimes the hard times truly make us who we are and the lessons we learn reveal through experience. If this year has taught me anything it's that sometimes you just have to accept where you are and surrender to what is. While I have not yet perfected the art of surrender, it’s a practice I am working on.

Try it, as I’ve experienced acceptance is a vibe if you can just let go. We’re not in control of life sometimes, but we can be in control of our ability of how we react. 

Take a deep breath with me and gently say “ I surrender to what is." Feels good doesn’t it? Takes some of the pressure off.

Don't Forget, We're All Going Through It

I recently had a customer directly message me on social media to say thank you for our mother’s day email opt out. I had a brief exchange with them and ultimately, they were grateful we cared enough to not blindly bombard someone who lost their parents with marketing emails.

The gist of our conversation was simple, even though Kush Queen is a company and products, we’re also just people too. We’re people who have lost loved ones, people who have struggled, people who make mistakes, and people who are just trying to survive too. 

It's cliche, but it reminds me that we never ever know what people are going through. Each moment we connect with other humans is a practice of remembering that we are all on our own journey. Carrying that reminder that everyone is going through something is a way to be gentle with others as a practice. This is a space I am holding for you.

***** this is some literal space for you 😉******* 

It Really Is A Never Ending Journey

Well maybe I did have something to say and maybe I’ve learned a lot this year. Maybe we actually get the opportunity to learn the most when we’re out at sea battling the figurative storm.

Maybe mental health is like an onion, as we peel a layer another one appears... deeper and sometimes more juicy than the one we thought we peeled before.

Life is simply a fucking crazy experience and mental health in the time of war, economic crisis, and social media is just a lot. And maybe my wisdom this year is simply that surrendering to what is and reminding yourself that literally everyone has something going on is enough.

The journey never really ends and we’re all just works in progress. Mental Health Awareness Month is really just a reminder to return to the work and constantly self care.

Remember it’s not a hashtag, it’s an action that can be the first step in loving yourself.