I allow myself to be seen. I am worthy of love, acceptance, community, and partnership. I can alchemize the shame that has dictated how I navigate relationships. My growth is sacred. I am gentle with myself as I create the life I deserve. 💛
Living with a mental health condition can mean that some days feel incredibly heavy—confusing, disorienting, and overwhelming. It can feel like your body isn’t yours, your mind is somewhere else, and you’re disconnected, caught in a never-ending falling sensation with darkness all around. But when that relief comes (because it will), it becomes one of the most cherished and gratitude-filled feelings you’ll ever experience. It’s reassurance that the waves don’t always have to plunge that deep into a dark, cold ocean.
If you live with a mental health condition like I do, know that we deserve those moments of peace and relief.
I love you. ♥️
–SparklyWarTanks
What does creativity mean to you?
It’s a new year, and one of the words I want to guide me this year is creativity—because of how important it is to me. I want to talk more about it, explore it together, and learn how others experience creativity in their own lives.
For me, creativity is who I am. It’s how I get to know myself—my consciousness, my imagination, the way I connect to my intuition, and how I understand and navigate the world in my body. I see creativity everywhere.
What are your thoughts? What does creativity mean to you?
You can also find this post in The Pencil Case on The Mighty here.
Here are the words that will guide my year forward:
Affirmation: I know who I am.
What’s something you’re moving on from?
Reaching December always stirs up a lot of thoughts for me. As I write this, I’m imagining myself sitting under the moonlight with the year’s lessons rolling past me like movie credits. One thing that keeps coming up is what I want to move on from.
I want to move on from the version of me that holds too tightly to experiences that hurt. I’m ready to let them go now. I want to learn what I need to learn — and then let go just as gracefully.
What’s something you want to move on from or let go of?
You can also find this post on The Mighty here.
Write a free verse reflection poem about a core memory.
A “core memory” (a phrase popularized in part by the 2015 movie Inside Out) is a significant moment or experience that stays with you and shapes you in some way. Core memories often connect to strong emotions — joy, fear, love, embarrassment, pride, belonging — and become experiences you can recall clearly even years later. They might be impactful conversations, milestones, turning points, once-in-a-lifetime adventures, difficult truths, important relationships, “firsts,” flashes of clarity, or life lessons.
Here is my poem:
The Tears that Shaped Me
The hallway glowed a bright yellow.
It was dark outside,
and I carried a faint excitement
that maybe it would be a good night for me.
My long dress — my favorite color — that exact shade of sky blue you see at noon on a cloudless June day with a soft, warm breeze.
Only then did I realize
I had no idea how to move in this space, how to belong here.
I walked into the lunchroom,
strange and unfamiliar in its new arrangement.
I missed my mom the moment she slipped away, leaving as quickly as she arrived.
Two hours, then three.
I watched, a puzzle piece that didn’t fit, a quiet spectator taking notes, seeing everything through a microscope.
I wasn’t “picked” that night.
Invisible.
A dance — a tiny stamp of approval — was nowhere for me.
This chapter of my life ended right then, ushering in a transition I didn’t ask for.
Was I even there?
Did it even happen?
Tears soaked the dress
until it became its own rainy day.
My chest tightened.
Regret and sadness painted my heart in black, burgundy, and navy blue. The sunny June afternoon turned into a December midnight storm —
cold and unwelcoming.
The unchosen.
A title I still carry,
a backpack glued to my shoulders.
Share your poem below. 📜
You can also find this post in the Mighty Poets group on The Mighty here.
What are your hopes for the end of 2025?
This year has felt like the longest yet shortest one ever. There have been so many ups, downs, uncertainties, moments of clarity, and uncomfortable changes, but also steady progress nonetheless.
When the year began, I didn’t know what to expect, and honestly, my hopes were few. But as 2025 comes to a close, I’m ending it with hopes for more confidence and compassion toward myself. I want to create more space for love and connection. I want to be more patient and continue to redefine what success and growth mean to me.
I hope to stay grounded and present, more aware of what’s happening around me. I want to embrace empathy, giving others space to use their voices too. And I want to experience more peace because I deserve it.
What hopes do you have as the year closes? What goals do you want to reach, experiences do you want to have, or things will you make time for?
You can also find this post in The Pencil Case on The Mighty here.
I’ve been a volunteer with NAMI-NYC for a little over six years, and during that time, I’ve served as a young adult presenter for the Ending the Silence program. Yesterday, October 16, was my first full day as the lead presenter, and I was really anxious and nervous about it. I wasn’t sure if I’d do a good job, but I did it — all on my own too!
One thing about me is that, despite my anxiety, I always give my best. I’m proud of myself and grateful for the feedback I received. I’m excited to continue educating and sharing my story in community spaces, schools, and psych wards all around the city!
🗓️📌 Marking this day on my SparklyWarTanks calendar because it means a lot to me.
What role does creativity play in your health journey?
Creativity has been my main tool for relief and release ever since I could remember. When my thoughts felt trapped, I found freedom through a pencil, pen, or by typing at 2 a.m. I learned how to make bead bracelets and stickers with affirmations and quotes to move my hands and release the anxious energy that made me feel hopeless or out of control.
I’m grateful for the people I’ve been able to share my creativity with, and for the connections I’ve made through self-expression and vulnerability. To me, love and creativity feel very much the same. Thank you sparkly family for giving me that opportunity! 🎉
✨ How do you use creativity in your health journey? What role does it play for you?
You can also find this post in The Pencil Case on The Mighty here.
So very excited to announce the NAMI-NYC Expressive Arts workshop event I will be hosting this Saturday! This event will be via Zoom and on the NAMI-NYC website. This event will be via Zoom and on the NAMI-NYC website. You can find the link here. Click the Expressive Arts Zoom link for August 30, 2025.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to send me an email 💟. The time of the event is in Eastern Standard Time.
*I will share any updates or changes and keep everyone posted.
Here are some details for the event:
Title:
The Lighthouse
Description:
“The Lighthouse” is a creative and reflective event where we’ll use drawing and writing to explore our mental health and recovery.
We’ll start with a short icebreaker: sketching an image and writing about how our summer has been so far.
The main activity will then be choosing one of three options:
1. Draw a stormy ocean with a tall lighthouse, and fill the image with free-writing phrases or notes about how you’re navigating recovery and your mental health.
2. Write a poem about a time when you pushed through a difficult moment, or about an “aha” moment that shifted your perspective this year.
3. Create a T-chart with one side titled “I’m proud of myself because…” and the other titled “I’m working on / I want to become better at…”.
Materials:
Paper, writing utensils (pen, pencil, markers, or crayons).
Schedule
2:00 – 2:20: Introductions and Ice breaker
2:20 – 3:00: Main Activity
3:00 – 3:30: Sharing and Closing
Hope to see you there!
SparklyWarTanks 