You Are Enough

January 21, 2020 / Alex Hanna  / 
enough

When you doubt yourself and feel like you don’t deserve happiness, remember that you are enough. (Published on Medium)

when you learn that you
are enough
you see the world
differently
you see the world
in color
instead of the black and white
surrender
to which
you’ve become accustomed
your face shines bright
in the mirror; illuminates
the dark room
where you once hid
you stand taller
you smile wider
people see you
for the beauty
inside
which you exude
with every waking breath
you attract goodness 
and joy
and share these gifts
with those
around you
you stop trying
to be that person
everyone
wants you
to be
weight lifted
you can breath
again
because you know
just as you are
that you
are enough
~ A. Hanna

I’m Doing Pretty Okay

June 4, 2019 / Alex Hanna  / 
okay

You don’t always have to be awesome, steller, or even happy all the time. We all need a break from the reckless and unrealistic expectations that we can always be happy. The truth is, sometimes we’re just doing okay. And that’s perfectly fine. There is nothing to be ashamed of when feeling “just okay”. 

been doing okay
in this flowerless may
and though today
that’s all I can say
i’m doing pretty okay
~ A. Hanna

As I went through the month of May, I felt good at times, bad at times, and just alright at times. Now, it’s well known that given our social media exposure, we think that everyone else is happy, gleeful, and always doing awesome things. And because of this, we feel that there is something wrong with us if we don’t feel the same way: that feeling “just okay” equates to being the opposite of happy. We have to change this paradigm. 

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Rambling Crazy Old Woman

December 15, 2017 / Arlene Passer  / 
park bench

The Rambling Crazy Old Woman was created because my perception is that some of the “normal” people think that we are crazy.  After an intense therapy session in which discussing old age was the subject, I was driving home and the poem began to take shape.  In probably an hour’s worth of time, the poem was done.  I thought a lot about the poem and realized that it wasn’t the whole story.  Thus I wrote “I Don’t Mind”.  As I grow older, I have made a choice to become more of the woman that is reflected in the poem “I Don’t Mind”.

Rambling Crazy Old Woman

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The Surviving Woman

December 12, 2017 / Arlene Passer  / 
woman, park bench

There are times in my life when my creativity focused on journaling about my childhood torture and abuse.  Somehow I have survived that time and also as an adult.  This poem describes, without going into graphics, the childhood, the tortured mind of an adult and the healing that is always ongoing.  I hope that these glimpses into my life give others encouragement to continue on even when they believe they can’t.

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I Can’t Get Out Of Bed

October 17, 2017 / Alex Hanna  / 
bed, alarm clock

We all know the feeling…that feeling when you just can’t muster up the strength to get out of bed. Maybe it’s the work-week and your alarm just won’t shut up. Maybe it’s the weekend and you can’t find a good reason to plant your feet on the floor and make something out of the day. Whatever the situation, we can all relate. And for someone with depression, this can be especially difficult. 

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How Poetry Helps Me Cope With Mental Illness

July 13, 2017 / Alex Hanna  / 
writing, poetry

Creative outlets can be extremely powerful to help cope with hardships. In 2015, I turned to writing, specifically poetry to help me through some of my more difficult times. Along that journey, I started writing not just when I was distressed, but all the time. Whether happy or sad, there was something extremely cathartic about putting my feelings on paper. And I’m not alone, it turns out.

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