Oh my goodness. Check out this website name — samkimura.com. I have my own name on my own blog site and I’m pummmmmped to return to the personal blogging world after a short, 3 year hiatus. For those who read my riveting, 7 follower blog, this one is coming back with a bang.
Whats happened over the last 3 years!
Do you remember how I used to write thought-provoking posts about motherhood, grocery shopping, nursing, and my cat? I’m bringing this all back, except I have a vastly different perspective this time. One of my last posts on my blog was “Postpartum Depression is an Asshole”. I often describe this as a turning point in my life— that time I had a breakdown and needed to start from scratch after suffering for more than 18 months with postpartum depression and anxiety. My energy shifted after this and I focused the next three years on helping moms overcome PPD and anxiety, advocating for them and helping their babies sleep so they could sleep, and being the most fierce advocate for maternal mental health out there. My mission was to raise awareness for PPD and anxiety. And my goodness did I ever.
An interesting part about recovering from postpartum depression is that the longer you are out of it, the more you forget exactly how it feels. As I was recovering, I noticed some incredibly intense feelings when a mama around me was struggling. I was triggered and wanted to help everyone so much because I knew so acutely how hard it was to be a mom while struggling with mental illness. I wanted to fix everyone. Now that I am 4 years away from the darkness and I am living in the beautiful light of life after PPD, I want to be around it less. It’s not that I don’t care. I will always care with my whole heart about other mom’s mental wellbeing. But I want to advocate from my computer screen. I want to share my story, piece by piece, and inspire others to jump into the hole to help dig others out.
Have you heard this story?
A man falls into a ditch and can’t get out. A religious leader walks by and says “I’ll pray for you” and keeps walking. Then a construction worker walks by and says “oh, I have a ladder at my house. I’ll go get it for you but it will take a few hours”. After this a sales rep from a popular skin care company walks by and says “oh, your skin looks amazing with all of that mud moisturizer. I have a toner for that” and throws down a bottle.
Finally a guy walks by and climbs in the hole with the man. The man says “what are you doing? We are both stuck now” and the guy says “listen dude, I’ve been here before and I know the way out”.
I made the toner part up. I don’t think that was in the fable. My point is this — I’ve been in the hole and I know the way out. Here is a collection of stories about how I made it out.
Also included in my stories: Stupid stuff I see that I need to share, deep thoughts about life, updates about parenting milestones, anything else that fits the theme.
Thoughts are my own. I will try my best not to offend anyone (with the exception of anti-vaxxers, I don’t have any filter about this level of stupidity). But if you don’t like it, kindly unfollow. This space is mine.