Editor’s Note: Here at Wit & Delight, we don’t shy away from discussing mental illness—we talk and write about it openly and often, in an effort to reduce the stigma and help others know that they’re not alone. As we enter this last month of the year and the holiday season that accompanies it, it’s more important than ever to prioritize taking care of our mental health. In that spirit, we’re supporting a nonprofit organization that’s close to our hearts and minds. When you make a purchase with Shop Wit & Delight on Tuesday, December 3, we’ll donate 15% to help those living with mental illness. Learn more below.

Update: Thanks to your support on Giving Tuesday, we will be donating $220.49 to Bring Change to Mind! But we’re not done yet! Please keep in mind that ALL SALES of our new 8″ x 10″ Pink Rose print will be donated to Bring Change to Mind, now through the end of 2019.

Amidst all of the joy and magic of the holiday season, this time of year can be incredibly hard and painful. I remember many a holiday where I wrestled with my mental state; where instead of joyfully celebrating with friends and family, I struggled with getting out of bed and remembering to eat and brush my hair. All the while, I desperately put on a “holly, jolly” face so I wouldn’t upset family or friends who appeared to be having fun.

Anyone living with mental illness knows that you are never “cured.” Cured isn’t a word that is associated with chronic and lasting diseases. And that’s what mental illness is: a disease. So why do we, as a society, think and talk about it in hushed and shameful tones? 

There is no magic wand or pill or talk therapy that can “fix” you. It requires consistent, intentional effort to manage any mental illness—to take your medication even when you “don’t need it anymore.” To instill in your routine the lifestyle habits that help your brain operate a little more effectively. To go to therapy and to say the words out loud that you never dared to admit even to yourself. 

For years, I struggled with the initial shame of seeing a therapist. Why is that? Why do we go to the doctor when we have a broken bone, but hesitate when it comes to those wounds that aren’t visible?

I’ve been talking about my diagnosis of ADHD for years, and while it may come across as easy to discuss, it’s taken a long time for me to even be comfortable with being so open and vulnerable. For years, I struggled with the initial shame of seeing a therapist. Why is that? Why do we go to the doctor when we have a broken bone, but hesitate when it comes to those wounds that aren’t visible?

Cancer goes into remission and broken bones heal, but how do you describe the baseline normalcy for mental health? These are the things I think about. These are the discussions I want to have more with my friends, with my family, with you. 

In my never-ending quest to become a better human, I realize that if I have this platform, I need to do something with it. I need to continue to be my own advocate and support those resources that have helped me. 

That’s why on December 3, we are donating 15%* of all of our sales to Bring Change to Mind, a nonprofit set on ending the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness. In addition to our Giving Tuesday contribution, ALL SALES of our new 8″ x 10″ Pink Rose print will be donated now through the end of 2019**. 

This holiday season, during all the merriment and festivities, be sure to check in with your friends, family, and yourself. While it can be the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be the toughest for those struggling. 

For all information, visit our FAQ page. We will be sharing our Giving Tuesday donation on Thursday, December 5, and the total amount donated to Bring Change to Mind on January 3, 2020. 

If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

*15% of all sales transactions placed on Shop Wit & Delight between 12:01 a.m. CST  – 11:59 p.m. CST on Tuesday, December 3 will be donated to Bring Change to Mind. 

**ALL of the profits from purchases of an 8″ x 10″ print of our new Pink Rose print will be donated to Bring Change to Mind through the end of the year. YES! 100% of the sales placed from 12:01 a.m. CST on Wednesday, December 4 – 11:59 p.m CST December 31, 2019, will be donated directly to this important cause.

Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.