April was probably one of the hardest months I’ve survived as far as mental health is concerned. My emotions were all over the place—anger, fear, anxiety, despair. And they were intense. I almost died from the flu (not really. I did have the flu, but I didn’t almost die. I just like to be dramatic), I couldn’t get out of bed for two days, I worried incessantly about anything and everything, but mostly finances.

And then May came in fanfare and celebration: I had an essay print on Upworthy, I met some amazing new writer friends, I published a book, Mother’s Day came and went, and I sold my first middle grade manuscript to a traditional publisher.

Some observations:

  1. Emotions don’t last forever. You find yourself in a slump, you’ll get out of it.
  2. You can handle more than you think.
  3. There’s nothing wrong with being down in the dumps.
  4. You have to get back up. Life is too beautiful—too surprising—to miss.