Rebequita

Hola!

If you’ve found your way to this page, chances are you know me, or you’re somehow a little part of my life. And if you know me, you probably know that I’m taking part in 20 hours for 20Talk. I wanted to use this opportunity to share a little bit of my own story and hopefully help create more awareness around mental health, whether you’re struggling yourself or have a friend or family member who is.

I think we all have our own little stories when it comes to mental health. Sometimes when the topic comes up, we laugh it off, make a joke or just brush it aside because it can be uncomfortable to talk about what’s really going on. I want to help change that. I want to share a little bit of my story so that maybe someone reading this can recognise themselves in it and know that they’re not alone.

The past two years have taught me a lot about myself. They weren’t always easy, and there were times where I struggled quietly and didn’t really know what the next step was. But looking back now, I realise that getting to where I am today wasn’t one big moment where everything suddenly changed. It was a lot of little things that slowly started adding up and helped me find my way back to myself.

For me, one of the biggest things was learning to talk. I had spent a long time keeping things to myself, and eventually I realised that I didn’t have to carry everything on my own. Opening up to someone I trusted and hearing an outside perspective made such a difference. Sometimes you can be so caught up in your own thoughts and your own situation that you can’t see things clearly anymore, and having someone there to listen can be the first little step forward.

I also started looking at how I was taking care of myself. I started making more of an effort to eat fresh, healthy food, making sure I was getting enough protein and actually thinking about what I was putting into my body. I started cooking for myself and, instead of seeing it as another thing I had to do, I started seeing it as time I was investing in myself. It made me realise that looking after yourself doesn’t always have to be something huge. Sometimes it’s just choosing to put a little more effort into yourself because you’re worth it. You genuinely are what you eat!:)

Then I made probably one of the biggest changes of all. I moved from Busso to Perth all by myself and my little choccy. It was scary, and definitely outside of my comfort zone, but I think I needed it more than I knew at the time. I needed a new routine, new experiences and a reason to push myself. Moving gave me the opportunity to build a life that felt like mine and reminded me that sometimes the things that scare you the most can end up being the things that help you grow the most.

And then there was sport. I honestly can’t stress enough how much moving my body has helped me. It’s not just about being fit or looking a certain way. There is something about finishing a workout feeling exhausted but somehow so much lighter afterwards. It became something I could do just for myself, and don’t want to miss out anymore.

More recently, I found calisthenics, which has become a little obsession of mine. I’m still very much a beginner, but I love having something that challenges me and where I can actually see myself improving. Even when it’s something tiny, like finally getting a movement I couldn’t do the week before, it gives me that little feeling of “I did that.” I love having something that reminds me that progress doesn’t happen overnight. 

It means consistency is everything!:)

I’ve also learned how important it is to have time where I’m not doing anything for anyone else. Sometimes my favourite nights are just a candle-lit movie night with some good food, cooking with music on, going for a walk or sitting at the beach. Just being by myself without feeling like I have to fill every second with something. Learning to enjoy my own company and actually be comfortable with myself has probably been one of the biggest parts of learning what self-love means to me.

Along the way, I’ve also become really interested in understanding myself more. I listen to podcasts, read books and try to learn from other people and their experiences. I think a lot about who I am and, more importantly, who I want to be. I want to be a good friend, a good sister, a good partner and a good dog mum,- reflecting yourself is so important. And then there’s Choccy, my little sweet angel sausage dog, who has shown me what unconditional love really means. She has been such a special part of my life and has been there through so much without ever asking for anything in return. I’m so grateful for the love she gives me every single day. And i can’t have enough of how happy she is and she makes me.

I’ve also learned that surrounding yourself with people who genuinely value you makes such a difference too.

This is only a little part of my story, but I wanted to share it because I think mental health deserves to be talked about more openly. We all go through things, and sometimes you really have no idea what someone else might be carrying. You don’t have to have everything figured out, and you definitely don’t have to do it all by yourself.

Looking after your mental health can be a long journey, and sometimes it can be uncomfortable. But you don’t have to change your whole life in one day. Maybe it starts with talking to someone. Maybe it’s going for a walk, cooking yourself a meal, trying something new or simply giving yourself some time to breathe. Whatever it is, just start somewhere.

For me, the biggest lesson has been that while you can’t always control what happens around you, you can start choosing to invest in yourself. And sometimes those little choices can change so much more than you realise.

So this is my little reminder to you: choose yourself, take care of yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help along the way.

And lastly, thank you. Thank you to everyone who donates, shares my page, supports me or even just takes the time to read my story. Every single donation, no matter how big or small, means so much to me and helps support such an important cause.

Stay kind, stay soft <3>

,and look after your mates!

Last but not least who knows me knows I can’t shut up… so wish me luck: 20 hours, no yappy Rebequita.