Month: October 2017

Worth Living Ambassador & Official DJ Scratchley

One of my favourite days of the year, Halloween. I love to dress up and I’ve deejayed many amazing Halloween parties in the last 5 years. As Halloween is this week I felt like it is fitting to do a Top 10 Countdown with some of my favourite songs for Halloween. Many of these songs bring back great childhood Halloween memories. From making a costume, to going door to door trick or treating with my friends. So here it is, this week’s Halloween Top 10. Enjoy. – Scratchley Q

Worth Living Top 10 Countdown- Halloween

10. Haunted – Beyonce

9. Disturbia – Rihanna

8. Halloweenhead – Ryan Adams

7. Hungry Like The Wolf – Duran Duran

6. The Boogie Monster – Gnarls Barkley

5. Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell

4. Ghostbusters – Ray Parker, Jr.

3. Monster Mash – Bobby “Boris” Pickett

2. Time Warp – Rocky Horror Picture Show

1.Thriller – Michael Jackson

Bonus Track …. I Put A Spell On You – Bette Midler (Hocus Pocus)

Worth Living Ambassador Lesya Li

Lesya Li is a notorious insomniac, avid book reader, psychology nerd and #techforgood cheerleader; She runs http://www.havingtime.com– a digitally native story magazine and worldwide human-centric community that’s all about storytelling, personal development, well-being, mindfulness; supporting #mentalhealth – #oktosay initiatives.

How to Stay Mindful in the Age of Constant Digital Distractions

The last 10+ years of my professional life I spent working in the world of Digital. Soon enough, none of us will be able to recall life before the digital world and the Internet took us by storm without asking permission. What does this mean, you ask? Perhaps, for those gazillions who come next, of course, this will not say anything outstandingly obvious. Taken as a whole picture, think of online tech, it will have become a sort of foundational myth – a tale that most of the people are hardly conscious of, something already habitual, natural and, for that matter, unnoticed. And yet something ground breaking will be missing from their lives. Something tremendous indeed – an unshakable mindset that some of their ancestors perhaps took for granted – and again this will be hardly noticed as it disappears slowly yet decisively. The age of being unplugged, the age of absence of the entire online world that is.

Those, plenty of us still, who lived with and without hyper-connectivity of the online world have the rarest opportunity! All of us, you and I, we are still able to recognize the mild or drastic difference between pre and the post-digital world. How many of you idly reaching for your phones at the train station? Or have you noted how in mid-conversation a friend deep dives into the total recall of pre-Google era? My argument is that amid all the messy changes in this ever-changing world that we experience every day, one of the most fascinating is the end of solitude and being left alone, unplugged. The silence of creative daydreaming is now filled with hassle and bustle and continuous noise in our lives; the burning thirst for solitudes is now perpetually extinguished. I don’t believe there’s genuine “free time” when you are carrying a smartphone in your hand. The chance to be left alone with your thoughts became one of the rarest commodities in today’s world.

Knock-Knock-Knocking on Locked Screen Doors…

Imagine a scene of you taking your breakfast cereal in the morning with your family or on your own. You’ve barely opened your eyes yet; you are still in this haze. Imagine the moment before you’d even taken the first sip of coffee. Pure bliss and stillness of the moment before the hassle and bustle of a busy day ahead to hit a repeat button. Coffee time. Bliss, sheer joy – and then, before you know it, imagine a good couple of hundred people standing in front of your house, knocking on your windows, trying desperately to earn, no, to steal your attention! Annoying? Infuriating? Meh? Knock-knock-knocking on the locked screens of your phones and tablets. Knock-knock! Look at me! PAY ATTENTION! ATTENTION! This is urgent (Nah, it isn’t). And then it goes on and on endlessly trying to persuade you to buy this, take action on that. Does it feel good to you?

Does it feel good when your first impulse is to check for the updates before even saying “good morning” to the person next to you in bed?  Welcome to the attention disrupted world.

I’m amongst those people called ‘digital tourists’ – not “digital natives” to be precise, but there are still plenty of us who remember what the world was like before digital took us all by storm. I remember what it’s like to go hiking and to climb in the mountains not worrying about getting a perfect wifi connection or people thinking I went missing or died just because I didn’t instantly reply… or responded in a couple of days! I remember what it’s like to go for a walk without a device in my hand, to be left alone with my thoughts to catch my breath – and just let myself be.

These days, simple things like that are getting trickier to experience. However, we do have a rare historical moment, a unique opportunity to experience the world in between two modes of being. Now please raise hands those of you who have lived both with and without the vastness of hyper-connectivity the Digital world provides, how many of you could still notice the difference between before and after the digital storm? Even though it feels like there’s no escape from Digital and being continuously connected and knowing the world isn’t going to roll backward, there’s still this MOMENT where we get to catch ourselves saying: Wait… hang on a second.

We are all connected, but how many of us get to establish and experience REAL human connection these days?

I get intensively annoyed when all of my five inboxes are bombarded by the endless stream of utter nonsense! Cold emailing that is. Trust me, I am all about making meaningful connections, but oh my god, when my attention is stolen from that, I go ape crazy and then… well, sad.
Let me share something embarrassing too. I remember a shameful moment in my professional career not that long ago, of which am not proud; when I had hundreds of tabs open on my screen and then a colleague approached me to ask a question, then the other one came along, and then the other one popped in too. A simple thing like that felt overwhelming. I couldn’t focus on a task at hand, nor could I help anyone, no matter how desperately I wanted to. Don’t get me wrong; I am always trying to be as helpful as I can be. At THAT moment, with hundreds of things to do and a few hundreds of tabs being persistently open and notifications and colleagues ALL SEEKING MY ATTENTION and help, I felt utterly depleted from my energy, low on batteries. It was over the top, it was too much, so I did something horrible.

What did I do? It was quite embarrassing. I looked at each colleague approaching me with questions, vital and petty ones as if they were just “another tab open” on my screen of attention. And then I started at them blankly saying “Swoosh” and then “Swoosh” again literally pushing on an imaginary ‘remote control’ trying to mute all the noise. Mute… Mute! Mute!! It was a terrible thing to do. I know. But it was essential for my awareness and sanity. So I decided to go and recharge. To be quiet for 10 days. No phones, no tablets, no media, no noise… just…. quiet.

Desperately, I ran for a yoga retreat without saying a word to anyone outside of my professional circle. I went and did Vipassana, something I did a few years ago for the first time and found this as one of the most challenging and most rewarding things to do. What I got in return were the tools for grounding yourself in this ever-buzzing world, no matter distractions, staying present.

The tools that helped to regain control
1) Allow quiet time to decompress emotionally.
Just like I did, get yourself in the habit of taking calming mini-breaks throughout the busy buzzing day. Breathe in some fresh air. Stretch more. Take a short walk around the office or go outside. These interludes will reduce the excessive stimulation of going non-stop. It will help you to stay grounded at the moment, to find peace and distress.
2) Practice guerilla meditation.
To dial down your emotional overload, act fast and meditate for a few minutes. This centers your energy, so you don’t take it on from those surrounding you at the fleeting moment.
3) Define and honor your empathic needs.

Try to safeguard your sensitivities. If someone asks way too much of you, politely tell them “no.” It’s not necessary to explain why. As the saying goes, “No is a complete sentence.”  If your comfort level is two hours max for socializing – even if you love being surrounded by amazing people – take your car or have an alternate transportation plan, so you’re not stuck. If crowds are way over the top and you feel overwhelmed, eat a high-protein meal beforehand (this helps to ground you) and sit in the far corner of, say, a theater or party, not dead center. If you overeat to numb negative emotions, practice the guerilla meditation mentioned before you’re lured to the refrigerator, a potential vortex of endless temptation. As an emergency measure, keep a cushion next to the fridge so you can be poised to meditate instead of binge eating.

Think about carving out private space at home. Then you won’t be stricken by the feeling of too much togetherness when all you need is to be left alone with your thoughts and recharge. Learn to distinguish the silence while you are surrounded by the machines steady and persistent buzz.

Stay Absent When You Want and Keep Making Meaningful Connections When You Want

The other day I went for a ‘walk and talked’ with one of the top storytellers on havingtime, and we talked a lot about ’staying connected’ in a human way, despite the digital, in a real, tangible world in the 21st century we all live in. How it’s important more than ever to put down all devices aside and BE PRESENT at the moment, be there for each other while we still can. Listening attentively without trying to interrupt, being present.

There’s a trick I’ve learned from a friend of mine. He told me that whenever he feels the urge to add his 5 cents to a conversation, he takes a sip of water or any other beverage, and then, well, listens…

Tech is neither good nor bad, nor is it neutral. I am never anti-tech (because I know of the wonders it brings), yet I am pro-people and establishing meaningful connections here and now, in real time, while I still can.

Worth Living Ambassador & Official DJ Scratchley Q

Worth Living Top 10 Countdown – Family
I hold my family close, we have a strong bond. Family is a wonderful thing to have. My family has been there for me through thick and thin to say the least. I also like to classify my close friends as family. This week’s countdown involves family. All these songs in this week’s countdown are about family. Enjoy – Scratchley Q

10. Dance with My Father by Luther Vandross

9. Daughters by John Mayer

8. Who Says You Can’t Go Home by Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles

7. Hey Brother by Avicii

6. Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own – U2

5. Family Portrait – Pink

4. Family Is Family – Kacey Musgraves

3. Mom – Meghan Trainor

2. Father to Son – Queen

1.Somebody’s Hero” by Jamie O’Neal

Worth Living Ambassador Katherine Anne McCain

My name is Katherine Anne McCain, and I was born with one arm. I am a freelance model and a
student getting my degree in Psychology. When I was 16, I started my ongoing battle with
Anorexia and my constant battle with poor self-destructive tendencies. When I was about 19
(I’m 21 now,) I made the decision to go into therapy and to begin my journey of finding health
and to loving myself again. Throughout my recovery I’ve learned a lot more about myself and
my passions, and have found a deep love for helping others and spending time with my friends,
family, and sorority sisters.

How I Feel at 108
*TRIGGER WARNING*

108 pounds is the most I’ve weighed in over 5 years. The least amount has been 89 pounds. A
person not considered underweight at my height of 5’ 5” is at least 115 at minimum. I reached
108 during the summer of 2016. It had been a good summer that year. I stayed at my parents’
house in the Chicago suburbs and spent a lot of time with my family.

When I’m at my highest weight, I notice at least 10 positive differences about myself. These are
positive differences I try to remind myself of when I find myself slipping. When I’m there, my
mood improves significantly. I have more energy or a normal amount of energy that you have
when you’re healthy I guess I should say. I look less pale, fragile, and sad. I have thicker hair
which is honestly my favorite thing (besides having color in my face) because with anorexia, for
me at least, comes losing ridiculous amounts of hair to the shower drain. It’s normal to have hair
fall out but mine is way thinner and it’s very annoying and a tell-tale sign that I’m not at my best
right now. The most important difference that most people wouldn’t even think of is my ability
to be present where I am. Without food, protein specifically, your overall cognition is affected by
a lot. Sometimes when I eat very little, I find it 10 times harder to pay attention and absorb
what’s being taught in the classroom. The only reason I do well in school is because I value my
life enough to maintain my weight most of the time rather than lose and therefore I haven’t been
hospitalized. I’m lucky that I’m someone that learns content very quickly because for so long
now I’ve lacked the ability to focus on anything in my classes because of eating so little. It’s like
feeling as if you’re constantly hungover yet I didn’t need to drink to feel that way. I can be
sitting in a classroom and I’ll be in a constant state where the lights in the room are so bright and
where I feel like I’m on the brink of fainting.

When I’m at 108, I feel aware of my surroundings and love being around people and being social
just like everyone else. I love when it’s easy to do this. I went back down from 108 to 100 in
August of that same summer and stayed around 100 for a long while. I also haven’t seen that
number (108) since. It’s shitty luck that I had really because in August of that year my disorder
spiked because I caught stomach flu for the first time and for 7 days the only thing I could hold
down was a few popsicles a day. As you can imagine the weight loss was very triggering for me.
Anytime I lose weight it reminds me how easy it is to lose. I honestly can’t remember the last
time I felt the feeling of hunger itself. Most people have their stomach growl and they feel
hungry and that reminds them to eat. I’ve had my disorder for so long that I don’t feel anything if
I don’t eat. Every single day I have to force myself to eat and most of the time I’m successful at
that. Successful in the sense of eating in general because although I’ve seen a nutritionist, I really
can’t grasp eating all of the food groups or reaching X amount of calories a day; I already have
to spend the majority of the day deciding to eat or not, I really don’t like to stress about what
exactly it is that I’m eating. It’s funny, honestly, because most of the time I know what triggers
me. I know myself very well because I study psychology. When I drink too much I know exactly
why I do it. Last week I drank almost every day because something was bothering me. A friend
of mine tried to force himself on me, and while he failed to do so it was pretty scary almost
getting raped.

I cannot, however, for the life of me, find the underlying reason as to why I don’t love myself
enough to not self- harm. I mean yes, it’s all the normal reasons that someone is anorexic they
have other underlying issues like mine is being bullied and feeling disabled and feeling like I’m
completely out of control because I graduate in two months exactly and from there have very little
idea of what to do and where to go but I cannot figure out what need of mine isn’t being met that
is causing my disorder to take over. I say take over because again, it’s not me. Mentally I know
that I’m not fat and need to eat and am not beautiful when my bones protrude, but my disorder
tells me the exact opposite. It’s almost like I’m back in high school and feeling better when I can
see my bones more and more. It’s honestly funny because when you’re anorexic there are so
many strange ways to accomplish easy weight loss. One is sometimes when I feel cold I ignore it
because being cold burns calories. It’s all so stupid to me that I let this rule my life but that’s
why it’s a disorder which I can’t just shut it off overnight. I have to work on it. I will work on it.
I will state though that the one good thing I’m doing is not going on my tumblr. That website
will completely destroy your mental health if you (very easily) end up on the wrong page. Hell I
almost started a thinspo page when I was seventeen to be cool and I’m thankful I’m not that
unstable now because teaching others to be anorexic or anything is fucked up and there’s a huge
community that does that.

The most important thing for me is the community I have built. It really means a lot to have
people be there for you that actually know what you’re going through. I always feel alone but
there are things that help. One is a girl that I went to high school with reached out to me and I
find a lot of comfort knowing she actually understands what an ED is. The difference between us
is that she’s gotten help and I’m honestly so jealous of that. I want to get help and for now I’m
just glad I found someone to connect with, it was really nice of her to reach out. I’ve probably
shared more with her than any of my best friends, either because I have intimacy issues or
because she actually gets me. I really think it’s because she gets me.

My other comfort is very controversial. I absolutely love the Netflix movie “To The Bone”
starring Lily Collins. It’s controversial because, like “13 Reasons Why” it is a movie about a
taboo subject. I saw the movie in July when it came out and I found so much comfort in it. It has
parts that depict some of my biggest fears but it makes me feel like I’m not crazy. It’s something
that finally validates me. And for me it wasn’t triggering, it just made me feel an overwhelming
sense of joy to see so much about her that I could relate to. I think everyone wants to find
something they can relate to. My favorite part of the movie is when Keanu Reeves (the doctor in
the movie) tells the group of inpatients “every time you hear that voice I want you to tell it to
fuck off.” That was the best thing ever because most days I do have to do that. After all, food is
what gets you places. It’s what gives you energy to accomplish all your goals. I have no idea
when I’ll stop being obsessed with the way that I look but I’m trying my best to focus on the
good.

Last week went from amazing to shit in the span of 24 hours because I allowed myself to sit in
my self- pity following my almost rape and self-hatred and feed off of it. The weekend after was
amazing, my sorority sisters and I went on a retreat where we stayed in cabins and had no cell
reception. We did activities where we wrote each other notes that were anonymous to share how
much we love and admire each other. I was genuinely happy at the retreat. I felt alive, I felt like
myself. It even happened that it was easy to eat. I even got seconds. It’s a rarity that I don’t have
a panic attack before eating in public but I guess I felt safe because I know my sisters don’t judge
and I was in comfy clothes. And I know they want me to get better. Following that came
Monday, the first day I started drinking and starving myself more so than usual. I actually threw
up after having two margaritas that night because I didn’t eat all day. I haven’t thrown up since
sophomore year because I only throw up when I eat absolutely nothing.

The thing besides graduating and relocating that triggered me is date night. It was on the Friday
of the week I started drinking more. Date night is always my favorite event because we pre-game
and do a really cool activity with our sisters and their dates. Seeing everyone with someone
though that’s what screws me up. In the past I’ve brought guy friends or have been set up but
right now I’m trying to date seriously again but I hate talking about myself. Who even wants to
date a mess? Sure no one’s perfect but it’s hard for me to feel beautiful and it’s hard to talk about
how I want to advocate for mental health because of all that I struggle with. This leads to
starving and drinking alcohol. For some odd reason I can drink 10 times my bodyweight in
alcohol and not get sick. Not a good thing but I’m kind of proud of that. Another thing- I don’t
even know if I’m restaurant ready either. The last date I really went on I wanted to eat so bad but
even with a drink I could barely eat one hot dog. I think he commented on that too. Not eating
that much is embarrassing, eating more slowly than everyone is embarrassing, and people
commenting on my lack of eating is embarrassing. I really don’t know how to win with that one.
I also don’t know what it is I’m “supposed” to look like. Society is too weird….first thin was the
ideal but now women are expected to have an ass with their too thin waist? I think my problem is
that my disorder tells me that extreme dieting and exercising (to be thick or whatever it is that’s
expected now) will make me look and feel beautiful.

Despite all of this surfacing right now for me, I do see hope for myself. Hope of bettering myself
I mean. I think it’s an important step to be very self- aware. I know that starving myself and
exercising more won’t make me more attractive or successful…I just have to shut out my
disorder telling me otherwise.

This week had been especially challenging but after seeing my therapist she reminded me how I
felt at retreat. She reminded me of all the good in my life right now and that I have so much I am
grateful for. And even if I forget that, I have hope that I can keep bettering my thoughts about
myself and celebrate all my accomplishments. I’ve come a long way these past 3.5 years in
college. I really like centering myself in things that are healthy coping mechanisms like reading.
My friend Alexis recommended I read Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur. She’s someone I don’t
talk to often but that I know is there for me and I really appreciate her. I like the book so far. I also
really like “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck” by Mark Manson, it’s hilarious, witty, and
insanely true. Definitely an amazing read if you’re finding yourself stressed.

My favorite author though who’s written several books that I’ve loved is Colleen Hoover. In her
Books, there’s always something “wrong” with her characters. I put wrong in quotes because
there isn’t something wrong with the character, I just mean that the main character always has
some sort of thing going on with them. Her books are romance- my favorite oddly enough but in
each there is hope and triumph. In one book titled “November 9” a girl is a burn victim and she
thinks she’s not beautiful because of this but finds love anyway. I can relate to that because of
my arm. In another, titled “It Ends With Us” she has the strength to get out of an abusive
relationship that mimicked that of her own parents when she was a child. In “Maybe Someday”,
the guy in the book is deaf and it’s beautiful to read about how he expresses his love to the main
character. She has so many relatable books I’m so lucky to have found her. Books, movies, and
friends really give me hope and strength.

Instagram: @katherineeanne
Twitter: @katherineeanne_
Facebook: Katherine McCain

Worth Living Ambassador Ashley Wunsch

Hello, my name is Ashley Wunsch and I am a first-year student studying International Development and Globalization at the University of Ottawa. I always had a desire to change the world. Sometime last year, I realized that changing the world isn’t only digging wells and building schools, but also taking care of yourself and your mental health, so I started to get involved with organizations surrounding mental health like Worth Living.

Fear of Judgement

Although this is my first actual blog post here, there are about 10 drafts saved on my laptop. Even as I sit here writing this, when the whole idea of this blog is structured in my brain, I worry that this will mark number 11. When I applied to be an ambassador in May, I told myself I was going to be an amazing ambassador and write these posts frequently-evidentially that never happened. Every time I would start to type down the thoughts in my head, after a few lines, I would save the word document and close it, pretending the idea never popped into my head. The thought that my feelings would be public and all my friends could read them terrified me. I wanted to relieve the weight off my shoulders but I also didn’t want to give others that power to judge.

I always chose the latter, letting my thoughts pile up instead of letting them out simply out of fear of what people will say. I felt like most people wouldn’t believe me and to some extent, I still do. It’s battling what I feel inside, versus what other people expect. I think expectations are the biggest part of my struggle and why opening up seems so terrifying.

How am I, the girl who got a 95% average in high school, supposed to admit I got a 30% on my first university midterm? Every time someone has asked me how it went, I shrugged it off and pretend it never happened because I’m terrified of how they will react. How am I supposed to be honest and tell people I am so overwhelmed and lost when people back home ask “how’s school going?” when they expect me to be great and loving it? The truth is, I wasn’t perfectly together back home either, but that’s what everyone expects. They think that if I can help other’s deal with their problems, that means that I am 100% put together. However, I’m not and haven’t been for a few years.

It got to the point where I wouldn’t even bother trying to open up anymore apart from a few people. I knew that if I were to try and explain my thoughts, the answers I would receive would be “that’s not that bad”, “you’ll be okay”, or the person totally going on about a situation that is worse in their lives. As much as I knew I would be okay or how people have things worse off, those are not the sort of replies I needed in those moments. I feel another part of me was always panicked to share my thoughts on this blog out of the fear that my friends would read it and feel like I am pinpointing them and that it is their fault. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone, so I just shrugged it off and never dedicated myself to write it out. Yet I want my friends to know that if they are reading it, it’s not your fault and I don’t blame you. Sometimes, I even catch myself answering to your problems with a reply along those lines and I apologize for every time I did.

Unfortunately, the fear of judgement has stopped me from doing a lot of things and telling people how I honestly feel. It has even made me lie or cover the truth, such as the time a teacher asked me if I enjoyed a trip, when in reality, I had no true emotions. Did I hate it? Did I love it? I wasn’t so sure and still am not 100% sure. Did I feel anxious yes, but did I also have fun, yes. Would I have chosen to not go at all? I am not too sure. Yet how am I supposed to describe all this to the teacher? I don’t remember exactly how I worded it, but I remember saying how it was fun but I was worried for my valedictorian speech the next day and that clouded my feelings over the trip. Yet, I also remember being terrified to go white water rafting and zip lining, and wanting to return home the second we left that Tim Hortons.

Just because I look ‘perfectly okay’ on the outside, doesn’t mean I am ‘perfectly okay’ on the inside. As I look ahead to my overwhelming week of four mid-terms, I remember the wise words of two of my favourite people: “doing your best is the best you can do” and this week, (and every week), I will focus on being my best instead of the best, and not worrying about the expectations of people back home or even my new friends here in Ottawa.

I now see that I can’t be perfect in every way and I am going to have flaws. I know I am going to feel worried about things and things aren’t always going to be smooth sailing. I know that I am going to struggle some days with things that could be super simple or super complicated. I know that it is okay to be afraid and to do it anyways. I want to start living by the mantra of ‘doing one thing a day that scares you’, and hopefully, help me grow as a person. I want to change the world, and I will one day change the world, but first, I need to start with myself.
For that reason, I will talk about my mental health and how it is not perfect and how I am struggling. I will wear that shirt saying it’s okay not to be okay in public and not only in my room where no one can see it. I will make my mental health a priority and although part of me will always be scared of the outcomes, from now on,

Worth Living Ambassador Sarah Gobeil

Hi world, I’m Sarah.  I’m a slightly crazy, energetic ball of dancing wonders. I love to make others happy and to influence the world in the most positive way I can. I also really like to smile.  Smiles are contagious, please show me yours

Let me tell you a story:

As a young child, I always had many friends. I never doubted my ability to make or keep friends. I thought I was funny, smart, and caring, which in my head, were perfect characteristics for a friend. I must have been about 13 when I realized that not all friends are forever, no matter how much you loved them.

I started high school and within the year, I found myself without a friend-group. I was not hated by anyone in particular, I was just not anyone’s first choice; which I will admit was a very hard pill to swallow. Luckily for me, I was fortunate enough to find someone very soon after that I thought would be around forever.

Everything in the social aspect of my life was perfect, I didn’t even need to spend time grieving  from the loss of my other friends because I had hit the best-friend jackpot.  We began doing everything together, known as each other’s side-kicks. I will tell you…
There is a subtle falsehood in friendship and it’s hard to identify that while in the friendship. But within my own very best friendship, I failed to see what was on the other end of the horizon.

I am a clingy person and I take full responsibility in that. So, when my best friend started to not talk to me as often, I got a little worried but I didn’t sweat it too much. It wasn’t until I was almost completely excluded from all of the social gatherings of which I was once a part that I realized there was a problem.

Within a few days of this realization, I confronted my best-friend, and my best-friend left me. To my best-friend, I had not been myself and it was not manageable to be my friend any longer. No apologies, no regrets.

I found myself back in the position I was in a few years back, but this time I had time to grieve.

Now, let me give you a lesson:

I have learned so much about myself without the presence of many friends. There is something liberating about being able to accept yourself and who you are without having a ‘best-friend’.

1.If someone is making you feel bad about yourself for having emotions and feelings; let them go.
2.If you allow others to control your emotions, you will never be happy.
3.You have to know who you are before you can let anyone else know who you are.
4.As a friend, it is incredibly important to stick around during the tough times.
5.You WILL survive the thought of no-one being there for you.
6.Someone in your life will be there for you when you call out.
7.Your life is worth living

Worth Living Ambassador & Official DJ Scratchley Q

After being under the weather and struggling with a serious ear infection (I’m still waiting to get my hearing back in my left ear), I’m overdue for some good music. Something that will lift my spirits and make me feel a little better. For this week’s countdown it’s all Major Lazer tunes. These are just of few of my current favourites from Major Lazer. Enjoy. -Scratchley Q

Worth Living Top 10 Countdown – Major Lazer
10. Sua Cara – ft. Anitta &Pabllo Vittar

9. Believer – ft. Showtek

8. Powerful – ft. Ellie Goulding & Tarrus Riley

7. Cold Water – ft. Justin Bieber & MO

6. Get Free – ft. Amber of the Dirty Projectors

5. Watch Out For This (Bumaye) – ft. Busy Signal, The Flexican & FS Green

4. Light It Up – ft. Nyla & Fuse ODG (Remix)

3. Leg Over – Mr Eazi  ft. French Montana & Ty Dolla Sign

2. Know No Better – ft. Travis Scott, Camila Cabello & Quavo (Afrojack Freemix)

1. Particula – ft Nasty C, Ice Prince, Patoranking & Jidenna

Worth Living Ambassador Kimber-Lee Iacona

Hi, my name is Kimber-Lee. I’m 19 years old and a student at St. Bonaventure University. I just recently switched my major from Spanish to English. I am excited to see what comes next. In the meantime, here’s a self-care video. I’ve always struggled with having confidence in myself and I felt open to share this with all of you.

Worth Living Ambassador Beth Allen

Beth Allen is a Mental Health Advocate, and an active video blogger who aims to be informative, fun and truthful whilst showing life with Mental Illness. Having suffered in silence for 10 years with GAD, Emetophobia, Anorexia and Depression, Beth is 100% committed to showing the world that it’s okay to not be okay. In this video, Beth discusses GAD in the hope of raising awareness. Please subscribe to Beth’s Youtube channel. Proud to have her on the WL Team of Advocates!

Living with GAD