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.
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.
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.
1. I wouldn’t call these “business” cards since I don’t see what I do as a business. Instead, I’ve designed and ordered my new connection-to-community cards! Yay SparklyWarTanks! 🥰
2. I finally sat down to write in my journal. I didn’t expect to write so much, but I’m glad I could let go of everything I’d been holding in. I feel so much lighter now! 🌻
I did that! 😌
SparklyWarTanks 