This Is the End. Or Is It?

It's no secret that when you're seemingly ploughing through everyday life, with a metaphorical backpack full of depression and/or other mental illnesses weighing you down in the process, life can seem simply unbearable.

It's Monday again. It's the beginning of a new week. Things are exactly the same, insouciant in their monotony, doing just fine, whilst you're here silently drowning in your own oxygen.

And I felt exactly that. Some days I wouldn't even be paying attention to the passing of hours. Before I knew it, I was in the dark. And not just mentally.

It was only a few weeks after taking the medication I had been prescribed that I truly started noticing dramatic changes in my mood and most importantly my positive approach to life. I realised then that all I needed to do was just give life a chance to get better. I needed to give myself a break in order to realise how much beauty there is in this world.

As this positive attitude began to surface, it seemed as though everything was brighter. Things had, as cliché as it sounds, a physical light surrounding them. It finally felt like there was something worth looking forward to at the end of a dull and dark tunnel.

In no way am I suggesting that medication is the answer. The most common misconception is that this pill is one of Jack's magic beans that he sells for a cow. Well, it's not. It doesn't cure your illness. What it does do, however, is provide you with a mental pause button which you can use to process things properly. It allows chance for the positive things to be noticed more meticulously, so that you have a chance to realise what's important. Only then can you truly turn your life around, step by step.

There was a moment where I was driving in the car with the man I love. The sun beamed through the window, temporarily blinding me, but I didn't mind. In front of me I saw golden rays slipping through the branches of healthy, strong trees and in that moment, I felt so happy I could cry.

I paid attention to what people wore in the street. I was exposed to their emotions and to their conversations. I could smell the sweet scents of fresh fruit in Nottingham City Market. I was aware again and starting to feel more like myself. I am a creative person with an eye for detail. These small things used to inspire me to write and to create situations for Novels or poetry and now, I can feel that familiar itch to create something new.

The point was that I realised beauty in front of my eyes when I had been so busy sitting in the dark. I was truly and wholeheartedly appreciating what I had in my life. I have amazing parents who love me and who do anything to ensure I have what I need. I have beautiful sisters and friends and most of all, I felt alive and happy to be breathing.

I've learned that you attract what you are. Whatever you put out into the world will come right back to you.

As long as you have the courage to give life a chance, there will be objects you will see or people you will meet or feelings you will really feel that will remind you of your purpose. They will remind you that you are supposed to be here and that most of all, you are loved.

Just when you think it's the end, take a step back and watch. The universe has a plan for you.