My mental health journey…began with my body
My own journey with mental health…began with my body.
The year was 2017. I had left my corporate IT job the previous year, moved to a new city and was chasing a childhood dream of pursuing art. I was also home full time with a preschooler while my husband was at work, settling into a new role. No nanny. Just me, my daughter, and a dream.
I was trying to do everything perfectly. Follow that childhood dream, be the best mom, and keep everything running perfectly at home.
But my body had other ideas.
I wanted to be the perfect mom. Hit it out of the park in a new career. All without additional help, while still finding footing in a new city.
My body had other ideas.
I noticed that I was waking up every day with tightness in my upper back and shoulders. Knots that were super painful. Regular massages and foam rolling didn’t help. Visits to doctors, battery of tests, nothing explained it.
I thought perhaps it was lack of exercise and poor posture, and so I decided to work with a personal trainer and strengthen my upper body. I lifted weights seriously for the first time, and got really strong. And yet, the pain never quite went away.
Until slowly, it dawned on me. Perhaps, the issue wasn’t physical after all. I decided to give therapy a shot. I had tried everything else anyway.
Therapy was hard, messy, beautiful. I felt witnessed. I felt validated. I felt held.
In therapy, I discovered patterns of thinking and behaviour that were hurting me. I learned to get real about my expectations from myself. It took a while. But gradually the symptoms eased up.
I realised that all that pressure I was putting on myself to be the perfect Mom, to make it as an illustrator...fast, and hold it all together….was living in my body.
My body continues send me signals when I’m overdoing it. But I’m more aware now, and I’m learning to listen and respond to the whispers of my body before it screams.
If you’ve been dealing with unexplained chronic pain or other symptoms, perhaps this is your sign. If you’ve been going too fast or pushing too hard, this is your sign.
To slow down. To breathe. To ask for help.
We’ve got this <3
If you’re an incredibly capable woman, trying to do it all, and feeling like you’re overwhelmed all the time, or falling short of your expectations…
You don’t need to figure this out alone. As someone who has walked this path, and can support you professionally, I’ve got you. Click below to set up a 15-min exploratory call to see if we might be a good fit. I offer therapy session both in-person in Singapore and online.
