A Long Personal Post on Positivity

I’ve stayed off here for a few days because I honestly couldn’t bring forth my passion and drive to create. I felt like the very reason behind what I do was taken from me; it left my identity broken. If you haven’t been aware of the social media storm happening masked as a movement, consider yourself lucky.

One MAN has decided to be in charge and tell WOMEN that they should condemn others for what the post publicly, what they wear, say, eat, how they act, even down to what they choose to do to their bodies. There was some truth to it, as the leader of this “movement” shed light to mental health… but it was done in the wrong way. I found myself all consumed with it, and my very being was seized as I forgot why I do this in the first place: to inspire myself to be better and to hopefully inspire those along the way. In order to control my familiar feelings of depression (lack of enjoying in usual activities, emptiness, hopelessness) that were creeping up in my consciousness, I wrote them down. I wanted to take responsibility for spiraling further by feeding the dark beast. I chose to instead take matters into my own hands in a healthy way— by getting some delicious food and expressing myself in a non-hurtful letter.

Below (in the first comment) is the letter I wrote. I haven’t sent it to the man who needs to hear it yet, but when I get the courage, I will. I believe in so many of you women that have surrounded me and become my community; I feel safe sharing with you. Please read, and PLEASE reach out to me if you ever need a friend. I’m not going to tell you that I’m qualified in helping you manage the gloomy feelings that we all get sometimes, but I want to support you like you have supported me. After I say this, I hope that I can get back to my regular posting schedule and feel the positivity again. We all need positive passions!

 

I will absolutely use my voice on this platform, but I will never draw attention to you. You hurt so many of my friends deeply. The damage is irreparable because of the poison you filled peoples veins with. Bad deeds have been done by those you enticed to leave negative comments on unassuming accounts and nothing was done to stop it until it was far too late. The apology you gave yesterday seems insincere as it only comes after we (those that you put the blame on) have band together, gathered evidence, and began to voice your wrong approach. You’ll never post this screenshot on your story because it doesn’t fit your narrative of “hundreds and thousands of supporters and maybe only one negative comment a month”. I know for a fact, as I’ve seen screenshots of you not responding to people with counter arguments. I do want you to know that you have shook me, and not in the way that many would hope influencers would be shook. You have been a part of a movement and invited others to make fun of a business and a brand I hold close to my heart. I’ve lost my passion for it all this week, which took away my voice. I viewed my brand as a creative outlet, a way of making art and capturing moments. I now feel depressed about it all. Ironic, isn’t it? Someone promoting a “movement” about mental health awareness, yet you dragged others through the mud to get your point across. You directly hurt my friends when you called them out. You hurt women when they lost hope in this industry supporting women empowerment. You hurt me when you took away my purpose and my passion. Let it be known that I am all for raising the bar, opening up the discussion on mental health, breaking boundaries with communication. The approach I witnessed the past few months, and the past few weeks even more so, was absolutely filled with hatred, vagueness, and scapegoating. What I witnessed was women put down by a man, women pitted against women by a man, women told that what they do with their bodies is wrong by a man, and even worse, that mental health should be the responsibility of others. Blame was shifted. Scapegoats were accused and held accountable. Gaslighting was prevalent as a tactic to prevent the madness of it all from getting out. I’m sick for all of the people that have been manipulated. What this movement needs is a WOMAN that is educated in teaching the proper coping mechanisms for feelings of depression, anxiety, comparison, and inadequacy. If you truly want to help this movement, give the mic to someone else that is qualified.