Why You Need an ‘ANTHEM’

Creating a Life of Love, Joy, and Mental Wellness

I remember the first time I created an ‘anthem’ for myself. I felt emotionally isolated, discouraged, and depleted. It was at a time when it seemed the nights lasted infinitely longer than the day. After weeks of this, I heard a voice whisper to me, “How much longer?”

How much longer was I going to grieve? How much longer was I going to wallow in self-pity? For how much longer was I going to allow the negative voices in my head to rule my life?

At that moment, I decided to talk back.

“Anthem- (noun) a song of praise or devotion; a sacred vocal song.

— -

An anthem is a dance that you do in the privacy of your room, or on a crowded dance floor, feeling free. It is a poem written from the soul, spilling the truth of your spirit in deep black ink. It is a song sung in the shower. A hug given, a kiss received. An anthem is a meditation of gratitude, a prayer of love. It is an affirmation of all that encompasses you.”

Everyday life doesn’t permit us the time or space to cater to our needs. The day is full of to-do lists, tasks, and productivity. We are encouraged to live as a cog in the machine and to please those around us, neglecting our own happiness.

We ignore how we feel, thinking, “Oh others have it so much worse,” or we gaslight ourselves into thinking we are being too dramatic.

Each one of us deserves an anthem to celebrate who we are and the effort we put in every single day. It doesn't matter if you are going through hardships right now or not. You are working through things in your relationships, growing in your career, and attempting to connect deeper with your friends and family. None of this is easy.

An anthem is a way to love on yourself, foster moments of joy, affirm yourself, and give encouragement. It is an opportunity to feed yourself grace, to acknowledge that you are trying, and to allow the experience of pleasure.

Creating your Anthem gives you permission to choose JOY.

It is as simple as being present enough to recognize when and where to create those moments. It can be as easy as verbally speaking love and life unto you.

For more on how to create your YOU ANTHEM, order my debut memoir You Anthem: Stories and Reflections of Celebration here

With Love,

Mee