We Don't Have It All Figured Out

Julian and I are beyond excited about the launch of our blog. It is very encouraging to see the responses we have received so far. However, I do want to let you in on a secret that’s not really a secret at all: we DO NOT have it all figured out – in blogging, our relationship or mental health.

I understand how you might think it is easy for us to put Chasing Norml out in the word; smiling in photos, having you believe we have all the answers. Even giving you the impression that all the days and months of struggles, frustration and arguments are behind us. As much as I would love that to be true, it is just not the case. 

There was a time when I was struggling, feeling lost and disheartened. If I were to have seen Chasing Norml from the perspective you are seeing it, I would have been excited and encouraged to see a couple talking about their struggles and challenges with mental illness and the effects it has on relationships – positive and negative. Though, on the other hand, I would never have thought Julian and I could be fearless enough to talk so openly about our experiences, let alone put them out there for people to see and read about. I want anyone with these types of feelings or thoughts to know I truly understand where you are at.

I can’t stress enough that we don’t have it all figured out. But that is okay. While we may not post photos that capture the arguments and obstacles we face, it doesn’t mean they don’t happen and exist. We have put in a lot of work to get where we are and continue to do so every day. Some days require more work than others, but that is a post for another time

It is not natural for either of us to be this vulnerable and share our feelings and struggles with others, let alone on the internet. Social media has the reputation of being a very brutal place at times. However, starting this blog and sharing our story has provided the opportunity to (hopefully) reach many people around the world. We believe, there are individuals from all walks of life and backgrounds who need us to share our story so they can share theirs. Relationships with and without mental illness experience good and bad seasons, joys and struggles. Our hope is to build a community and support system for others as well as ourselves. We want you to know that although there will be hardships and feelings of despair, we are here. You are not going through this alone.

Thank you so very much for following along on our journey. We are happy to have you by our side. As we continue to learn and dive more into the world of blogging, our promise to you is that we will always strive to be as authentic as possible.