World Mental Health Day

I want to keep this fairly short, but I have a question for you:

If you were a business owner and I called in sick every month and admitted it was my mind, how would you react? Like, really react? I know it's hard to put yourself in that situation, but in a world where many people I know still have to feign colds and stomach bugs to keep sane in a never-ending life of commitments, I wonder when taking a mental-health sickie will be seen as OK?

Admittedly, there are a lot of flaws with considering mental health as a designated illness in the workplace. I'm ready to put my hand up and fight for it to be accepted as the norm - but where is the line? When is my exhaustion debilitating or just plain laziness? The spectrum of mental illness severity is a can of worms in itself - but I wonder if it's too idealistic to trust that people are honest? Almost everyone is going to experience it at some point in their lives.

I know that some workplaces are great. I know some people in positions of power are just more understanding than others. Yet, there's still that awkward lump in my chest whenever I need to tell someone I was absent because I couldn't get out of bed.

Anyway, just a quick reminder that you're a beautiful being and no single person in this world is better - or worse - than you. You're uniquely, you! A person that smiles, laughs, experiences pain and will most likely survive struggle. I am proud of you, and you should be proud of yourself. Remember to spread that love internally. Make yourself laugh unashamedly. Don't be scared of your flaws.

Love, Mielz x

Hey!

So, I had a blog for about eight years (www.mielzcakes.blogspot.com) that I irregularly posted on in my adult years and I realised I missed it immensely. I love blogs because they provide an outlet where I can talk about things not everyone on my Facebook friends list will agree with - or really needs to know. I actually re-vamped my blogging life due to an epiphany while writing a 250-word strong reply to a rude commenter on a post about sexual harassment against women. I shouldn't be keyboard warrior-ing!! Wait, no, I mean I SHOULD be - but I should put it somewhere I'm accountable for it (uh-oh, maybe this is a bad idea).

This post is purely introductory, but I thought I might give a decisively blunt intro to my day-to-day and what you should expect from me. I'm culturally Filipino-Australian, I have - and am surrounded by - chronic mental illness. I will most likely come to write on here when affected by such illness (if not purely inspired by creative passion). I pretty much post daily on instagram lol (@mielzy) and struggle with procrastination and catastrophisation on a daily basis. I post/talk alot about my boyfriend, Mitchell (@munga18) who I annoy and love to death but don't talk enough about the beautiful, inspiring and empowering women in my life (except I wish I did, so I hope to do so in the future - some are pictured above). Accountability!!? Right?!?

I am in my first year of Medicine which has been a lifelong dream of mine, and I'm learning a lot about myself and the world each day throughout the course (despite the intermittent panic attacks and catastrophising - ref:above). I love cheesy Huffingtonpost videos, indulge in social events and am not ashamed to surf Reddit's Woahdude with Munga on occasion. I might post brunch/food posts, but I also might not. My favourite movie was Eternal Sunshine, but now it's Anastasia because of the feels. Getting the gist here? Anyway, I'm really glad to have a place where I can talk again and feel relevant lmao. Don't worry, I know half of it is in my head. Catch you soon with some mundane musing of mine.

x Mielz