I don’t want to feel like a fish with no water.

I want to feel the slight pulsating of the water as I wade.

I will stop for a moment at every meal to practice gratitude.

I don’t want to feel like an overinflated balloon that will pop at any moment.

I want to be filled with the proper amount of energy to tackle my day.

I will discover how to use my sudden and unpredictable bursts of energy in a productive manner.

I don’t want to feel like water that is about to boil out of the pot because the flame was left on too high.

I want to feel like the tiny bubbles of excitement in a pot before the water is about to come to a boil.

I will work to make each day a little less worse than the one before it.

I don’t want to feel like a cell phone with no service when one is in an immediate crisis.

I want to feel like a cell phone that literally sees the light at the end of the tunnel where service will resume.

I will map out my goals and take positive steps each day in order to achieve them.

I don’t want to feel like an airplane that is stuck on autopilot.

I want to feel like I am in control of my life.

I will tell myself that I can only control how I respond to certain situations.

I don’t want to feel like an electronic device on low battery with no charger.

I want to feel energized throughout the day.

I will refuel myself during the day with food, hydration and a calming atmosphere.

I don’t want to feel like a bike with a flat tire.

I want to feel like myself despite my mental illness.

I will feel like myself because of my mental illness.

Shelli Sussman is working to destigmatize mental illness based on her personal experiences. She has also written articles on depression for the Refuat Hanefesh blog. Shelli is creating a comprehensive spreadsheet of pediatric, adult, and geriatric mental health service providers for the Bergen County Jewish community. Please contribute to the list by emailing her at: [email protected]. Names of people who contribute to the list will be kept confidential.