Category: Love

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Love, Mental Health, Reflection, Self-Care, Self-Talk, What Just Happened: Personal Anecdotes

Reclaiming the Sacredness of My Birthday

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Today is my birthday, and for as long as I can remember, it has been a day filled with grief and depression. Every spring, the flowers would bloom, the sun would stay out longer, and the temperature would gradually rise from 30 to 40 to 50 degrees, yet the sadness would wash over me like a waterfall each year. I came to recognize this in a recent conversation with my therapist after a panic attack, which felt inevitable given the number of life changes my nervous system has been trying to process this year.

A birthday is meant to be a time to celebrate yourself, your life, and how far you have come. For me, though, intrusive and cruel thoughts would grow louder, like a speaker reminding me of all the ways I believed I had failed in becoming a “successful” adult. I would question whether I deserved to keep going, to keep living. This year, however, I want to reclaim the sacredness of my birthday. I want it to be a day to celebrate my life. I want it to be an “I am” day, not a “what have I done so far?” day or a “list all the reasons you are behind your peers” day.

In creating that sense of sacredness, I am building rituals and routines to remind my body and mind that I do deserve to be alive and to experience joy and excitement every day, especially on this day.

My first ritual this year is to write myself a letter, something I have done a few times before. Writing helps ground me in the “I am.” I know my SparklyWarTanks family understands that about me. So here it goes:

Dear Nina,

Happy birthday, precious girl. You are in your 30s, what a milestone. Instead of listing everything you have “done” to earn the right to celebrate yourself today, I am simply going to honor how amazing you are as a person. Your personality and who you are is something truly special. You are a bright and divine light in this world. You are meant to lead and to walk alongside those who share your vision of recovery, hope, and love. Keep your head up, because you are not only living for yourself, but also for your ancestors who are cheering you on along the way. You have broken numerous cycles and have chosen yourself. I am so proud of you. Keep going, because you deserve to live a life filled with unconditional self-love.

With all the love in the universe,
SparklyWarTanks

📷 Note: The image above is a self-portrait I created in a workshop last weekend. It reflects all the things that remind me of who I am.

Posted in Love, Mental Health

Read This If You Live With a Mental Health Condition, Like Me 💌

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

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

Posted in Confessions, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Love, Reflection, Self-Talk, The Mighty

A Message to My Inner Teen

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Write a message to your teenage self about a lesson or truth you’ve learned that you didn’t know back then.

Something I find helpful for understanding the shame and grief I carry is writing messages, notes, and letters to my younger self — whether that’s my inner child or my inner teen. These are parts of me that endured so much and didn’t know how to cope with those intense experiences at the time.

Lately, I’ve been connecting with my inner teenager and allowing her to finally feel everything she wasn’t allowed to back then. I’ve noticed how angry, crushed, and betrayed she still feels from all the things she wished she could experience but couldn’t, and how much she wasn’t able to process or release because she didn’t understand what was happening.

Here is my message to her today:

Dear teen Nina,

It’s OK to feel every emotion coming up right now — anger, resentment, shame, frustration, betrayal. I know those feelings are scary for you. You don’t have to perform anymore or try to be perfect for everyone around you. It’s OK to make mistakes; that doesn’t make you a bad person. You deserve to be loved and accepted every day without having to do anything to earn it. You can move slowly and take your time — no one is pressuring you anymore. You are free to be your wonderful and beautiful self.

Oh, and one more thing: other people’s suffering or struggles are not your fault. You are not responsible for their emotions or reactions.

I love you, and I’m here whenever you need me.

— Adult Nina (sparklywartanks)

Also find this prompt in the No Shame group on The Mighty here.

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Love, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Pencil Case Prompts: What are you taking for your wellness shelves this week?

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

What are you taking from your wellness shelves this week?

Comment below with the item(s) that symbolize what you’ll be embracing this week!

🪴 Grounding Plant: Practicing intentional self-care and gratitude, getting fresh air, or doing something fun.

📚 Books of Curiosity: Learning something new, doing your own research, or exploring useful knowledge.

🔑 Keys of Safety: Recognizing your needs, speaking up, and prioritizing yourself.

🔦 Support Flashlight: Seeking help, asking questions, and acknowledging your feelings.

🧸 Resting Bear: Resting, relaxing, and sleeping in.

📦 Connection Package: Reaching out to your community, joining a support group, or checking in with a loved one.

Here’s what I’ll be taking: 
A Grounding Plant 🪴
A Support Flashlight 🔦
Books of Curiosity 📚

What about you?

Also find this prompt in The Pencil Case on The Mighty here.

Posted in Love, Mental Health, Potential and Worth, Reflection, Self-Care

My Words of 2025: Love and Freedom

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

It’s taken me some time to gather these thoughts, mostly because energy and motivation have been hard to come by these days. Sometimes, I wish there were an easier way to collect all the ingredients needed to create my best work. That, plus the procrastination and perfectionist blocks that make me feel like I have to know exactly what I’m going to write before I even start. And yet, here I am, still not 100% sure what I want to say.

2025 has already been overwhelming. The world is in pain, and there’s so much fear in our collective energy. As for me, I haven’t been feeling well. The problem solver in me wants to make everything better—for both myself and others—but I’ve been feeling lost and out of control.

A few weekends ago, I facilitated my first expressive arts workshop of 2025. One of the activities involved writing a series of personal notes reflecting on our values, what’s important to us, the habits that benefit us, and what we will let go of this year. In my notes, I wrote down my words and phrase for the year: my words being love and freedom, and my phrase being “I’m not doing that.”

This year, I want to take back my energy from the spirals of negativity I often find myself in and explore what it feels like to let go of the expectation of failure and missing out. I want to let love in—and even though I’m scared—be willing to work through the discomfort of change because I deserve to experience something different from what I’m used to. I want to feel free enough that making mistakes or feeling embarrassed doesn’t make me a bad person. I want to be able to make choices that are right for me and not feel guilty when I say no or set boundaries that keep me safe.

These are my intentions for the year. As I begin to feel better and safer expressing and receiving love while navigating freedom, I hope to find others who are doing the same for themselves.

Well that’s what I have for now. Thank you for reading. 💌

Posted in Love, Mental Health, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Farewell 2024

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Write a farewell letter to 2024.

Writing letters has always been a powerful tool for me to process and release stress, limiting beliefs, and painful memories. It helps me learn how to love and care for myself more deeply. 2024 has been a big year for me, and today I want to bid it farewell.

Dear 2024,

I want to say goodbye. You’ve taught me so much in just 12 months, and I’m grateful for all the tough lessons I’ve learned. I’ve experienced painful moments and beautiful ones, had “aha” moments, and encountered situations I still don’t fully understand.

I choose to release the stress and anxiety I’ve been carrying, especially from these past three months. I deserve peace of mind, even if only for a second or two. As I close this chapter, I do so knowing I gave my best. I’m proud of myself for making it to this point, and I choose to give myself grace today.

Thank you and farewell,
Nina

If you feel inspired and up to it, you’re welcome to write your own farewell letter—whether in your own journal or in the comments below. 💌

You can also find this post in The Pencil Case on The Mighty here.

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Love, Mental Health, Self-Care, Self-Talk, Videos

I Shared My Pearls of Wisdom on Taboo Talk Podcast!

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

I’m excited to share that my friend and fellow NAMI-NYC Ending the Silence and In Our Own Voice co-presenter, Lady Charmaine Day, asked me to be on her podcast, Taboo Talk! In this episode I share my 21 pearls of wisdom on how to live a good life as well as my journey living in recovery. Feel free to check it out here or in the video below!

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Love, Mental Health, Self-Care, Self-Talk

7 Days of Affirmations: Day 7!

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

✨It’s our final day of affirmations! ✨

Here is what I’ve come up with for today:

I welcome positive change and transformation into my life. I am equipped to face any challenge that comes my way. I am grateful for what I’m learning and I’m ready to continue on my journey.

Reflection: I did it! I challenged myself to create, write, and reflect every day for 7 days. I’m so proud of myself for keeping at it. I feel a lot better than I did a week ago. I’m ready for what’s next and will keep doing my best 😇.

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Love, Mental Health, Power, Self-Care, Self-Talk

7 Days of Affirmations: Day 6

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

We’re at day 6! 🎉🪴

Today’s affirmations are as follows:

I am comfortable and confident in who I am. I radiate beauty and each day I choose myself, I become more powerful. I love and accept every part of me.

Reflection: Guess what, sparkly fam!? Someone approached me today and said I was extremely beautiful. That really made my day and inspired my affirmations for today 😁. I’ve made so much progress in loving myself more and now feel good when I receive a compliment from someone. I’m really proud of myself.

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Love, Mental Health, Self-Care, Self-Talk

7 Days of Affirmations: Day 5

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Day 5 is here! 🥰

The theme for today is self-care. My affirmations are:

I allow myself to rest and regain my energy. I know how to manage my time effectively. I prioritize self-care because it’s important to me and I deserve to feel good.

Reflection: How I think about self-care is evolving and changing every day. Self-care for me can include being kind to myself, doing something creative regularly, and setting daily personal goals. The more I get to know myself, the better my mind and body feel.

What does self-care look like for you?