Days go by. Seasons pass. Some things change. Others never will. Life goes on. And through it all I find myself learning many things. Life is ever changing, and I am being shaped by the sun, the winds, and the rain. Some days are a blur, some hours an eternity. But all days pass away, into the stream of time. New days bring new opportunities, and days of old bring chances to reflect.

I don’t feel very accomplished. Nor all that valuable. But I have learned some things that some of you may relate to, or find value in.

I have never thought of myself as someone who people would care to listen to or speak with. Nor do I do think of myself as a great communicator. But when I started writing about my mental health, I saw that people were reading it. When I started talking about my mental health, people listened. I realized then that I was reaching far more people than I thought I would. I think that all of us influence a lot more people than we realize. Our actions and words also carry further than we think they do. The energy we create travels far, whether it be positive or negative.

I have learned that I need rest. Daily life seems to take a lot of my energy away. The risk of severe depression or unstable moods greatly increases if I go without rest. Sometimes I look down on myself because I feel I spend too much time resting, and not enough time doing. I think we all feel that to some extent. No matter who we are or what we do, we should all remember to rest. Some people need more rest than others. That is okay.

Lastly, I am doing my best to keep moving forward. I tend to spend a lot of time dwelling on the past, reliving traumatic moments. These moments haunt me, but they can also comfort me. I miss the madness sometimes. I don’t wish to forget the past, but I know I must keep moving forward. Forward progress does not have to be fast. I have to believe that if I am still fighting, then I am moving forward. All forward progress is good. No matter how small the steps or how faint the battle cries. Life goes on. And forward we go.