i was scrolling through netflix as most of us do, and came across a documentary by the name of 'Avicii: true stories'. fascinated by his life, i clicked on it and found myself captivated for the next hour and a bit.

here's a kid (he was 21 when he started his music career) who had 'everything'; mad talent, potential, heart, soul, and a lot of money (like the 'he once donated a million dollars to help alleviate hunger' amount of money), yet he suffered with debilitating anxiety.

this is true of many people, and as we've been made aware of over the past few years especially, celebrities aren't exempt from such a battle. take robin williams, anthony bourdain and kate spade for example - it's just as prone to affect those who we think 'possess everything' than it is for you or i to struggle with our mental health.

although i have resonated with many of their stories, i liked this documentary in particular because it didn't just talk about how tim bergling (avicii) tragically took his own life at age 28 by way of a broken wine bottle (SO HEARTBREAKING), but it let us in on his process.

while he was doing what he was made to do (writing and performing music), he felt anxious, and when he wasn't, he - you guessed it - felt anxious. no matter what he did to cope (drinking a few drinks before his show, meeting with a doctor and psychiatrist, changing his diet, exercising etc), he couldn't seem to escape the stress and internal conflict.

now, while i have no desire to take my own life, knowing that someone else understands the inner (and at times, very illogical) conflict that i feel at times (and was able to bravely express it) not only assures me that i'm not alone, but spurs me on to tell my own story knowing that it may help someone else feel less alone in their battle, too.

that's the beauty of bell let's talk day; talking doesn't only (potentially) help the ones who suffer, but it helps others understand.

of course, the same can be said about anything else we face, too:

your marriage is falling apart. (someone else's is, too)

your kids aren't doing well in school and/or hanging around the 'wrong' crowd. (someone else's kids are, too)

you're grieving the loss of a loved one (welcome to the club.)

no matter how hard you try, you can't nip that bad habit in the bud (we're all struggling.)

enter whatever else you're struggling with here (so many have something to add here, too.)

i can't help but wonder if avicii would still be here if he knew that he wasn't alone in his battle. sure, he reached out - that was evident in his documentary, but i'm not convinced that he knew that he wasn't alone in his struggle. (it makes me sad just typing that.)

so ... whether you're struggling today or not, i want you to know (even before bell let's talk day) that you're not alone, i see you, it gets better, and tomorrow needs you. keep fighting.

with love & understanding,

paula