Tag: writing

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 Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Reflection, Self-Care, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

What does creativity mean to you?

Posted on by 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.

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

Moving On: 2025 Closing Thoughts

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

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.

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

What are your hopes for the end of 2025?

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

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.

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, Mental Health, Other Accomplishments, Reflection, Self-Care

2 Wins!

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks


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! 😌

Posted in Events, Mental Health, Self-Care, Self-Talk

NAMI-NYC Virtual Expressive Arts Workshop Event: Coming Back to Self

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

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. You can find the link here. Click the Expressive Arts Zoom link for May 31, 2025.

IMPORTANT: This Expressive Arts workshop and the ones following this one are from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm!

If you have any questions or concerns feel free to send me a DM or 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:
Coming Back to Self

Description:
“Coming Back to Self” is a creative and reflective event where we will draw and write to describe ourselves and where we are in our personal journey.

We’ll begin with a short icebreaker: choosing a word from a provided list, sketching an image inspired by that word, and writing about why it resonates with us.

The main activity will then be choosing one of four options:

1. Sketch an image of a large tree and describe yourself using ten words written around the tree.

2. Draw a series of images that represent what safety looks and feels like to you. What images symbolize safety? Where do you go to feel safe? Who do you talk to?

3. Create a list of resources, helplines, people, or places you can turn to when you need support.

4. Write a letter or poem to your younger or current self, sharing three reasons why you are proud of yourself right now.

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!

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Pencil Case Prompts: How can you be creative this week? 👀🎨

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

How can you be creative this week?

It’s the beginning of a new week, sparkly friends—a great time to think about how we can sprinkle a little creativity into our days.

Sometimes it’s hard to feel creative when energy is low and the week ahead looks busy. Still, I’m hoping to spend some time writing in my new journal and updating my calendar with stickers and important dates for next month. 🤔✍️

What about you—what does creativity look like for you this week? 🖌️🖋️✏️

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

Posted in Creative Writing, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty

If My Body Could Talk

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

If My Body Could Talk

If my body could talk, she would whisper, “slow down” — move at the pace of a snail, as if approaching a yellow light at the intersection of my limits.

She would remind me that I am worthy of care, every second of every day.

My body would tell me when my cup is empty and show me how to refill it.

My body speaks in a calm and soothing voice, I just need to listen. She’s been with me for so long— surely, she knows what I need by now.

If my body could talk, I’d want to talk with her daily,

to be her best friend.

She is me, and I am her.

If only my body could talk.

This poem accompanied the following poll I shared in the Mighty Poets group on The Mighty:

Which title would you choose?