Is anyone else feeling a big sigh of relief? Finally, the conversation around mental health is changing! The quotes I’ve gathered today are just a small example of how we’re shifting our beliefs around mental illness.

Even just a couple years ago, all the quotes I’d find around depression and anxiety just left me feeling more shitty about myself. Even though the tone was trying to be helpful and uplifting, there was always a tone of “you’re not doing enough” in every statement.

Ya know, quotes about “just breathing” or reminding you to “simply relax because overthinking isn’t worth it.” As if, it were that simple.

The ones that made me even more irritated? Statements reminding me how my anxiety was keeping me from joy, that it’s not very useful, that stress is just ignorant. That if I could just “be more present,” everything would be fine.

Or even worse? Stupid things like, “There’s nothing in life that can’t be solved by a nice cup of tea.” Or pie. Or whatever bullshit the cafe is selling via a silly catch phrase.

Because nothing feels worse than knowing you have mental illness and feeling the rest of the world is condemning you for not just drinking the cup of magic tea to be happy and joyful, god damn it!

Okay, I’ll stop ranting.

Thankfully, I was able to pull together twenty quotes that give me hope that the conversation is shifting a bit.

One thing I know for sure? You’re not a failure. You’re enough, just as you are, mental illness and all!

1. Your Feelings Are Valid

“Just because I can’t explain the feelings causing my anxiety doesn’t make them less valid.”

Lauren Elizabeth

You can replace ‘anxiety’ with stress, depression, loneliness, etc. Sometimes, our feelings don’t make any sense, even to ourselves. That’s okay.

Your feelings are always valid.

2. You’re Courageous

 “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.”

Mary Anne Radmacher

Some days are just plain shitty. It speaks to your courage when you forgive yourself and look to try again tomorrow.

3. Let It Be Okay

 “It’s not the stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it.”

Hans Selye

Listen, we all experience stress, anxiety, depression, anger, and emptiness throughout our lives. It’s normal. It’s okay.

When we react with self-criticism and frustration, it can make everything feel a lot worse. Instead, react with compassion and kindness. You’re doing just fine.

4. Sit With It

“Being present to our anxiety is an act of self-love.”

Manoj Dias

When you can sit with your mental illness and witness it fully, you’re committing a powerful act of self love. There’s so much compassion in being able to look at your struggles and say, “hey, I see you. I accept you. It’s okay.”

5. Your Eyes Are Open

“People who are spiritually minded tend to suffer from anxiety and depression more. You know why? Because their eyes are open to a world that is in need of repair. They literally have an increased ability to feel the emotions of people around them.”

Osho

As I child, I always felt too much. I took on the emotions of everyone around me and didn’t really understand it, which translated to depression and anxiety in my early adolescence.

When I got on a spiritual path, I was finally able to see my sensitivity not as a weakness, but as a powerful tool. Sure, I tend to be more anxious, but I also tend to walk around with my eyes wide open.

6. Don’t Deny Your Feelings

“The deepest pain I ever felt was denying my own feelings to make everyone else comfortable.”

Nicole Lyons

You are not responsible for the way other people feel. Period.

Your feelings are always valid. It’s not your job to filter them through a societal-approved strainer. It’s okay to be yourself, even if it makes other people feel uneasy. That’s not on you.

7. You’re Whole

“No one would ever say that someone with a broken arm or a broken leg is less than a whole person, but people say that or imply that all the time about people with mental illness.”

Elyn R. Saks

Mental illness doesn’t make you less whole. It doesn’t give you less value or less worth.

Heck, in my opinion, it doesn’t even mean you’re broken! You’re HUMAN. And still a complete, whole person.

8. You’re crazy 😉

“Don’t worry if people think you’re crazy. You are crazy. You have that kind of intoxicating insanity that lets other people dream outside of the lines and become who they’re destined to be.”

Jennifer Elisabeth

Embrace the “crazy.” You know what I think you are?

Crazy strong. Crazy connected. Crazy authentic. Crazy brave. Crazy unique. Crazy deep.

And you make it safe for others to be crazy.

9. People Don’t Need to Get It

“I get nervous about everything. Sometimes I literally don’t know why I’m anxious. I just am and no-one seems to understand that.”

HealthyPlace.com

As a coach, I love walking my clients into a place of understanding their anxiety and fear. It’s a powerful way to feel in control and see potential triggers.

But guess what? Sometimes, we don’t find a reason. There are days when I’m anxious and can’t pin-point why. That’s okay! Instead of pounding my head for answers, I just accept it and let it be.

10. You Can Find Summer

“In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.”

Albert Camus

We can’t be in summer all of the time. Life has seasons, just like we have seasons. Each day has light and dark, which is a good thing.

When we are always in “summer,” it loses it’s joy anyway. It feels numb at some point, which can lead to further depression. The winter is used as a period of rest and to create reason to appreciate the warmth of July sun. We need them both.

11. You’re Not Weak

“It does not make you weak if you need a little extra encouragement in this season of your life.”

Morgan Harper Nichols

We can’t expect to be on top of things all the time, to never need a little encouragement. That’s what people are for.

We weren’t designed to live alone. We were designed to lean in, hold each other, and ask for help when it’s needed. It doesn’t make you weak; it makes you strong.

12. Help Each Other

“Never give up on someone with a mental illness. When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we,’ Illness becomes Wellness.”

Shannon L. Alder

Sometimes, I struggle to text my friends back or I cancel plans last minute because anxiety has me panicked about the menu at the restaurant we’re going to. Can you relate?

I’m so grateful that I have people in my life who didn’t take offense, who didn’t give up on me. I recently had an amazing podcast interview with Jonny Miller, who walks us through what it’s like to love someone with mental illness. It’s hard, but we need each other.

13. Awareness is the First Step

“This is one of the most frustrating things about having an anxiety disorder; knowing as you’re freaking out that there’s no reason to be freaked out, but lacking the ability to shut down the emotion.”

Unknown

I used to watch my brain spiral, fully aware that I was having a panic attack, and feeling torn apart that I couldn’t do anything about it. It’s incredibly frustrating.

One of the biggest lessons I learned was how to accept my anxiety, even when I felt like I had no control. Practicing self-compassion in these moments, being kind to yourself – that’s the first step. Control will come later.

14. Where Can You Be More Yourself?

“If you trade your authenticity for safety, you may experience the following: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, rage, blame, resentment, and inexplicable grief.”

Brené Brown

Conforming to what the world “expects of you” is incredibly painful. Getting lost in everyone else’s “shoulds” leaves us feeling like we’re never enough, that we’re failing, that who we are is somehow wrong.

When you can shed the shoulds and embrace yourself fully, the pain reduces. There still may be anxiety or depression, but we aren’t ashamed or running from it. That can make all the difference.

15. You’re Strong

 “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by ever experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

I already know how courageous you are because you’re aware of your mental health. You’re reading this blog post! You’re facing your fears.

Every time you overcome anxiety, depression, eating disorders, or even a bad day, you grow stronger. You gain confidence when you can look back and say, “wow, I pulled through! I’m freaking amazing!”

You’re brave.

16. One Day at a Time

“Anxiety happens when you think you have to figure out everything all at once. Breathe. You’re strong. You got this. Take it day by day.”

Karen Salmansohn

It’s okay to not have everything figured out all the time, or ever. You don’t need to have a plan or be in control over the future. In fact, you really can’t be in control of the future.

Accepting that you don’t need to know can make it a lot easier to breathe and move forward. Just one moment at a time.

17. It’s Okay to Not Have a Cure

“My good fortune is not that I’ve recovered from mental illness. I have not, nor will I ever. My good fortune lies in having found my life.”

Elyn R. Saks

For many of us, our mental differences are just part of who we are. Some of us are born naturally anxious or depressed or bi-polar. We don’t need to be “fixed.”

What I’ve worked on in my own life and what I do for my clients is find how to lives with mental illness. Truly LIVE.

I can have anxiety and still lead a beautiful, happy, successful life. You can too.

18. You May Not “Master It”

“Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it—just as we have learned to live with storms.”

Paulo Coelho

Even if you learn everything there is to know about neuroscience, spiritual practices, and psychology, there are still bad days. You can learn every tool the world has to offer and still have moments of anxiety, grief, sorrow.

We’re humans. We aren’t meant to be perfect. Even as an anxiety coach, I still have anxious moments every single week. But I’ve learned to accept it, to find the ways in which it makes me unique, and release the judgement I used to have other my overthinking.

Acceptance is powerful.

19. Listen to Sirius

“We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act upon. That’s who we really are.’

Sirius Black, J.K Rowling

This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. I think of it often when I look down at the dark mark tattoo across my left forearm.

It’s always been a reminder that no matter how dark and twisty my brain can get sometimes, I still carry so much light within me. You do, too. Even when you can’t see it, it’s there.

20. You’re NOT a Failure

“Mental illness is not a personal failure.”

– Unknown

If I haven’t said this enough throughout the post, hear me one more time – you’re not a failure. Mental illness does not make you weak, lazy, less-than, broken, or any other crap that the mean voice in your brain will try to convince you of.

You’re okay. You’re not broken.

You are worthy of love, from yourself and from others. You’re worthy of acceptance, of belonging, of health, wealth, joy, freedom. You’re worthy of whatever your big heart desires.

If you’re needing assistance in shifting these beliefs, I’m here for you. As an Anxiety and Confidence Coach, I lead my clients into deep self-acceptance in a way that radically changes their lives.

Courtney said, “Working with Taryn has taught me so much about confidence, self love, mindset, the way I see myself… She’s not only a coach, she’s a cheerleader, a friend, a mentor, a support system; she’s there when you need her.“

If you’re ready to change your story, I invite you to book a free alignment call with me. I promise you’ll walk away with at least one powerful mindset shift that will leave you feeling less anxious and more accepting.

You can also reach me at anytime on social media @theremoteyogi and I’d love to answer any questions you have on mental wellness.

You’re amazing!