Closing out May--Looking to June
Hello again,
May is coming to a close and with it Mental Health Awareness Month. It has been a transformative month for me. My blog has been re-imagined, and this newsletter was born. I started the month energized and enthusiastic about this new chapter. I am hopeful that these efforts will find the people who need them. The latter half of the month was less pleasant. The days drifted by like trash in a stream. They blurred together in a fetid mass, becoming indistinguishable from one another. But hey, we keep going.
As we step into June, I hope to take steps to bring my next poetry collection closer to publication. The collection is drafted. The working title is “Treading Water”. Proofreading is next. I will keep you posted as progress is made. Wish me luck.
📝 New on the Blog
This week I discuss a recent writing slump and what comes next.
📚 From the Notebook
“I have climbed mountains before. I will climb this one too.”
There will always be obstacles in our way. We can’t control that. We can control how we face them; how we respond or react to them. You are stronger than you know, and braver than you realize. You can get through this.
💬 Reader feedback
Do you have any reflections for this month? How has your mental health affected your creativity or productivity these last few weeks? Reach out and let me know.
🧠 Mental Health Reminder
As we reach the end of May and Mental Health Awareness Month, remember to take care of yourself. Schedule in breaks, hydrate, spend time with loved ones, and in nature. Set and enforce healthy boundaries. Don’t push yourself too hard. Treat yourself with grace and kindness. I leave you with some resources. Reach out to ask for help if you need it.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - Call or text.
Chat online 988lifeline.org.
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
📖 Grey Days in the Green Hills
If you have enjoyed any of my poems, if any of my work has resonated with you, or if you have been helped by my words, you can get a copy of Grey Days in the Green Hills on Amazon. (Or you can read it for free with KindleUnlimited.)
Warmly,
Donnie R. Wallen
Poet
You’re receiving this because you signed up for poetry, reflection, and a little light in the dark.