To Hope or Not to Hope? A guest blog about hope and mental health...

You know those friends that you meet, and you instantly fall in line with--- the ones you can tell immediately are in it with you for the long haul?? Ashley is one of those for me.....

I told Ashley about the new Compeer blog, and she immediately offered, "I'd love to write something to share..." Which I was excited about, since really--- no one wants to hear just from me.....over....and over.  I also knew that Ashley would hand over something awesome, because this chick has serious substance.
  Ashley's amazing spirit never fails to shine through her struggles, and her dedication to wellness can inspire us all. 
So, WELCOME, guest blogger Ashley-- lay it on us!

  To Hope or not to Hope? That is the question. 

    Everyone knows that this is a question that crosses our minds from time to time- and for persons with mental illnesses, even more so.
    Some of us struggle day after day (myself included) with the idea that our illness is here to stay. We struggle with knowing that we have to fight for normalcy in our own minds. At these times hope may slip from our grasp....or seem pointless.
    Well, I'll give you a quick and dirty answer to this question:  HOPE!
    Regardless of what anyone thinks, things do get better. The rough times? Well, those are there to make us stronger. The harder it gets, the more we learn and the stronger we become.
The times we can't get out of bed in the morning.
The times we let our anxieties get the better of us.....
Let me tell you a little secret-- every single one of us, (even you reading this) are more than capable of overcoming our fears. Though we cannot control the chemicals in our brains, we can fight them.
You might ask, "How do I do that?" or think, "That's impossible."

With HOPE, nothing is impossible. You can conquer the greatest foes with the simplest of thoughts.

   So, buckle up people! This thing called life will be a tough ride. But with hope that one day you will see the bright side of things again, you can make it.
Maybe as you read this, you feel lost and without hope. Well then, this list is for you:

• Keep your head up. 
• Push yourself.
• Go out of your comfort zones.
• Fight for your personal freedom.
• Don't let anyone or anything take away your happiness.
• And, NEVER, EVER give up hope.

- Ashley Lang


      I am such a believer in hope as a healer.....thanks Ashley. I have a sneaking suspicion, I may be blogging further on this topic.....