Mental Health, Softness, and Letting Myself Be Human:
Mental Health, Softness, and Letting Myself Be Human
Some days I am strong in ways people can see.
Other days my strength is invisible — quiet, internal, and misunderstood.
Living with disability, neurodivergence, chronic pain, and a nervous system that has been through far more than it ever should have been, means my mental health doesn’t exist in neat boxes. It ebbs and flows. It reacts to the world. It responds to kindness — and it also reacts to harm.
And that’s not a flaw. That’s being human.
For a long time, I thought I had to prove my wellness. Prove I was coping. Prove I was resilient enough, calm enough, polite enough, palatable enough. I thought that if I just explained myself better, softened my words more, tolerated more, then things would be easier.
They weren’t.
What did help was learning something far gentler:
I am allowed to take up space exactly as I am.
My best does not look the same every day. Some days my best is advocacy, creativity, writing, supporting others, and showing up loudly. Other days my best is rest, quiet, blocking harmful voices, and choosing not to engage. Both matter. Both count.
I’ve learned that it’s okay to not be okay sometimes — without needing to justify it, apologise for it, or turn it into something inspirational for others. Not every struggle needs to become a lesson. Not every low moment needs to be shared. Healing doesn’t perform on demand.
And I’ve also learned to celebrate my wins — especially the small ones.
Getting out of bed.
Setting a boundary.
Choosing kindness towards myself.
Creating something gentle in a world that can be harsh.
Those wins are real. They are hard-earned. They deserve recognition.
My mental health is not a weakness. It is shaped by lived experience, survival, empathy, and deep awareness. It’s the reason I care so fiercely about others. It’s why my work centres compassion over conflict and people over profit.
If you’re reading this and you’re tired — I see you.
If you’re doing your best and it doesn’t look impressive — it still counts.
If you’re soft in a world that demands hardness — that softness is not a liability.
You don’t have to earn rest.
You don’t have to justify boundaries.
You don’t have to be okay to be worthy.
Today, I choose gentleness.
I choose to protect my peace.
And I choose to keep going — not perfectly, but honestly.
And that is more than enough.
Doing your best will look different every day.
It’s okay to not be okay sometimes.
Celebrate your wins — no matter how small. 💗✨
Kawaii Doll Decora | Sarah Wingfield ❤️
#mentalhealth #affirmations #support
Alt text:
Soft pastel pink graphic titled “Mental Health Reminders.” At the centre is a kawaii-style anime girl with short brown hair and a pink bow, sitting and hugging a teddy bear, with a small cloud floating above her head. Surrounding her are plush teddy bears and bunny toys. On both sides are heart shapes containing the text “Kawaii Doll Decora.” Along the bottom are three affirmations: “Doing your best will look different every day,” “It’s okay to not be okay sometimes,” and “Celebrate your wins, no matter how small.” The creator handle “@KawaiiDollDecora” appears beneath the central affirmation.
