Dear Reader,

For reasons that I don't fully need to share with you, I have been filled with an unbelievable amount of sadness and anxiety recently. Despite my efforts to rectify certain situations, I'm not sure it will be enough. Telling myself to "move on" and "get over it" wasn't helping. I had to deal with it before it could go away. For any of you that feel sad, lost, or hopeless due to any type of circumstances, here's what I recommend;

1. Call your mom.

2. Watch a movie.

3. Read a book.

4. Cry.

5. Nap with a comfy blanket.

6. Go for a walk.

7. Look through old pictures

8. Eat a lot of food.

9. Cry some more.

10. Write about it.

11. Clean your room.

12. Cook something.

13. Call your best friend.

14. Talk to a teacher.

15. Watch season 4, episode 1 of The Office.

16. Drink some tea.

17. Watch home movies.

18. Listen to a strangers Spotify playlist .

19. Look up "Idiots on the Internet" on Youtube.

20. Take 3 really long breaths.

21. Call your mom again.

22. Stay off social media.

23. Take a long shower.

24. Watch The Kings Speech.

25. Listen to Disney songs.

26. Enjoy fresh air.

27. Have a "George Bailey" moment and remember that if you didn't exist, nothing would be the same.

28. Lay in the grass.

29. or the snow.

30. or the leaves.

31. Order Insomnia Cookies.

32. Ask yourself what would make everything okay.

33. Do everything in your power to do whatever you said to

34. Forgive others.

35. Forgive yourself.

36. Call your mom, again. She's your mom, she'll always love you.

37. Ask your mom to send pictures of your dog, cat, bunny, etc.

38. Cry more.

39. Imagine your life ten years from now.

40. Do everything in your power to make it happen.

Obviously, these things won't magically cure my sadness or anxiety. But that's okay. Because of it, I'm one step closer to feeling like my old self again, and I hope you are, too.

All the best,

Colleen Lipold