You're Strong, Smart, and You Got This: Drawings, Affirmations and Comfort to Help with Anxiety and Depression

by Kate Allan

Though I didn’t feel I deserved goodness, I was determined that for every shame, disappointment, and negative judgement I thought and felt, I could find a kind counter thought.

My depression has never lifted entirely, but I have learned the battle is only half as painful when I’ve stopped shaming myself for it.

When you're feeling overwhelmed, when you're afraid of not knowing what's ahead, when you feel like you're just not good enough, when you hate yourself, when your relationships don't quite feel right, and you feel like you don't belong anywhere—please READ THIS. No matter what problem feels insurmountable right now, just remember: You're Strong, Smart, and YOU GOT THIS.

Leaning in to the pain and fear can loosen anxiety’s hijacking of your mind. You may have no idea what’s headed your way, but if you keep telling yourself that you’re capable of handling whatever happens, your mind will panic less and less often.

It’s also important to start setting kinder expectations for yourself, ESPECIALLY when you are living with illness.

Yet, while you’re depressed and suffering from daily panic attacks, you expect yourself to have a robust social life, know exactly what to major in, know what job to aim for, and to always be enjoying yourself.

You know what’s more realistic and leads to a better life? Showing yourself some compassion. Leave yourself room to be confused, uncertain, and sad. You have a tendency to set your bar so high, that even without any...

There are completely legitimate reasons for why you’re struggling. Please do not sabotage your future just because your present is not as lovely as you hoped it would be.

You deserve to have all of your energy and effort go toward a better future for yourself, rather than holding yourself back through self-abuse. You deserve a better life. You truly do.

You are worthy of kindness, care, and DEMONSTRABLE LOVE (words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch), just as you are, right now. You won’t become worthy after you lose weight, make the grade, impress your parents, become brag-worthy, stop swearing, or make more money, no. You’re worthy now.

There ARE people out there in the world who will delight in YOU—your humor, your insight, and your worldview. You don’t need to mold yourself to fit what others want you to be, I promise you. There are good people you can find who would properly value the true, raw YOU.

You truly are worthy of respect, kindness, and compassion from yourself and the people around you, RIGHT NOW, just as you are at this very moment. I promise.