The Breakfast Theory

With all the things that have been happening lately, it's not unusual to feel anxious and/or depressed. Self-care reminders abound on social media for a reason- more people have become self-aware and are being honest about the state of their mental and emotional health. When I was younger this was something people don't talk about much, I still tiptoe on the topic when discussing with family and friends. You weren't depressed, you were just sad. Truly, our generation and those before us were left to sink or swim, and sadly I've had friends who've sunk and I almost did too. To be honest, there are still times I feel like sinking but I've come up with things to get me out of that mindset whenever it creeps on me. I've listed things that work for me but these are like band aid solutions and not real solutions to treat depression. If you think you need help, please visit the link for a list of helplines to call for free: https://www.therapyroute.com/article/suic...

I have been feeling dispirited lately and it was starting to get in the way of my daily activities. Normally, when I sense I'm having an episode of mental or emotional upset, I have things I do to help me get over it quickly. But this time, all the things that used to work for me didn't. It was three months already and I was feeling more anxious.  One night I was scrolling through Tiktok and one of the suggested video was of an oracle card reading. After watching a couple of those videos I kept getting ads and suggested pages of tarot and oracle cards and card readers on Facebook and Instagram.  Flashback to the 90s. As a child and teenager, I wanted to be a witch, but my Tito Alex (✝), who was my only connection to that kind of life, said he didn't want to encourage me for fear of my Mom. He said to wait until I become an adult to join a wicca. But as an adult I realized the difference between what I wanted to be and what I needed to be, and was faced with the hard truth...

I started drinking coffee at an early age, when Starbucks wasn't a fad yet and social coffee drinking wasn't a thing either. In our household, the smell of freshly brewed coffee meant guests, and Mama has the most diverse set of friends. Coffee wasn't just for mornings but afternoons, nights and even after midnight when a distressed friend would come knocking. Once I smell coffee, I would come out of the bedroom and see who our guests were and I'd hover around them awhile until I get bored of the conversation and leave them be. They would laugh hysterically at first, and then in hushed tones share their problems in between quiet sobs, and then you'd hear them laughing again. Those moments ingrained in me just how comforting coffee can be. Most of what I know about relationships and life were from observing Mama and her friends, and listening to their woes. Different people, different problems but all comforted by a cup of coffee and a friend willing to listen. So wh...