I’m still struggling to believe we’re already halfway through the year, and yet my mind and my body are definitely feeling it! Let’s be honest – we all experience that mid-year slump! We start each year with the best intentions and all these resolutions and goals, but it doesn’t take long before everything starts to unravel, and before you know it, it’s July!

This year for me has been overwhelming and nothing short of exhausting. I realised that I have been going non-stop since January, with work, with family, with my own personal stuff! There have been so many changes and additional responsibilities at work, all the therapy and assessments for our neurodivergent son, family visits (and some family drama!), trying to work regularly on my writing projects, and all this on top of trying to process my grief? I can’t deny anymore that I’m burnt out! To be honest, I’m surprised I haven’t had more mental breakdowns this year (I’ve already had 2 major ones, and a handful of tiny ones)!

Don’t get me wrong – I do practise what I preach and I’ve had regular me-time and self-care moments, but the thing is, when you’re constantly pushing your limits, those moments tend to wind up more like band-aids rather than cup-fillers! Now, as someone who advocates for mental health and self-care, am I a little embarrassed to be admitting all this? Yes! BUT…I promised to be honest and real with you, and I think it’s important to show that we all struggle and are prone to breakdowns and burnouts! We are all far from perfect despite having the best intentions, and that’s ok! The important thing is that we try, and when we realise we’ve fallen by the wayside, we get back up, dust ourselves off, and try again.

Life is what you make it. When life is giving you more downs that ups, you can choose to stay in the valleys or you can look towards the mountains and keep climbing. And if you’re thinking that it’s lot harder than it sounds, you’re absolutely right! But I’ve learnt that one of the secrets to keep climbing those mountains is gratitude.

I’ve met a lot of people and I’ve also worked in health for a long time. One thing that always amazes me is someone who seems to have all these medical conditions, ailments, things that aren’t going right, and yet always have a smile to offer and will say that they have nothing to complain about as there are people worse off than them. In contrast, I’ve also had to deal with a lot of grumpy, bitter, and sometimes resentful people who may have none of those troubles yet choose to still complain about everything and focus on even the little things that didn’t go the way they wanted.

I don’t know about you, but I know which type of person I’d rather be. And that’s why I start every morning with finding something to be grateful for. Gratitude doesn’t change your circumstances, but it changes your outlook, and that can make a huge difference in trying to maintain a positive attitude. “Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.” I’m not sure who originally coined that phrase, but it’s one that has stuck with me because it’s so true.

So maybe you’re like me, feeling burnt out from the first half of this year and guilty that you haven’t achieved as much as you had hoped to. Maybe this year so far has just been constant knock downs and setbacks, and you’ve spent more time in the valley than on the mountain. That’s ok, my friend. Take a break, do what you need to do to reset, and find 3 things to be grateful for from the first half of this year. They don’t have to be big or profound; it can even be something like “I got out of bed each morning.” Then come back, and tackle the rest of the year with a more positive attitude, and a determination to find gratitude and joy in every season, even if it’s just something small.

Life is what you make it…so make it a life YOU can live with!