World Friendship Day
Today is International Friendship Day.
I was planning on drawing a pic of Hayden, a fallen brother - but I figured a better way to honour him on this day was to start a conversation about human connection.
The society we as humans have created has put in place many unspoken barriers in our definitions and values of core parts of life including how we interact with others - whether that be with friends, family, or partners.
We put limitations on our kindness and our compassion because we don't want our actions to be misconstrued or be taken advantage of. The reality is that the more we spread kindness the more we normalize it and slowly change the overall way our society works.
There are too many people who take their lives who could still be here if they had been shown a simple act of kindness.
It does not matter who you are, where you are from, how much you earn - every person has the right to be treated with kindness.
Mental health is something that affects everyone. There are many powerful/successful people over the years who have taken their lives or have struggled in some way with their mental health. We are all human, we all have feelings, we all deserve to have our human rights respected.
Below are some names you may recognize of a small portion of famous/wealthy people who have lost their battle with their mental health:
- Robin Williams
- Amschel Rothschild
- Amy Winehouse
- Heath Ledger
- Kurt Cobain
- Chris Cornell
- Mac Miller
- Marilyn Monroe
- Chester Bennington
- Earl Simmons (DMX)
Thank you to all those who are no longer with us but have made an incredible impact on the lives of others by encouraging them to make a change for the better. It's important to remember these people have sacrificed their lives for their stories to make an impact and help develop our society - they still have purpose.
There are so many people who are here trying to make an impact and change the perception of society. Thank you to everyone who is playing a part in making each day brighter.
In case no one has told you today - you are amazing and beautiful!
Don't stop believing in yourself and you can achieve anything you set your mind to!