Tag: mental health

darkness ©Dawn Minott

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry19 Comments

Hey y’all! Guess what?! 

My poem’s found a brand-new spot—

Spillwords picked it up, oh yes,

I’m feelin’ proud, I must confess.

If you’ve got a sec to spare,

Click the link and show some care:

https://spillwords.com/darkness-by-dawn-minott/

Drop a heart, a word, a view—

Any literary love from you will do.

Darkness

Thanks much,

Dee🙏🏽🙂🙏🏽

2026 All Rights Reserved

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In creative solidarity, Dee

darkness ©Dawn Minott for Mental Health Awareness Month| with audio

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry17 Comments

it showed up on a Wednesday after dark—knocked
knocked with determination on the entrance
entrance of her mind awakened
awakened from stupor gathering
gathering her wits about her down
down the stairs across the hall meandering
meandering through the passage way she
she peers through the peep hole of the door
door to her mind and she sees—it
it—is sinister
sinister a force forces its way in uninvited
uninvited into the deepest recesses
recesses of her mind cobwebbed
cobwebbed like a closet blacker
blacker than the darkest night
night formed from childhood hurts grown
grown-up disappointments her mind now mildew
mildew-stained of if-only-could-o’-been-not-enough-what-if
if her mind now molded-grief from loss
loss from betrayal from rejection in those
those dusty crevices resides a familiar
familiar stranger her thoughts redirecting
redirecting her emotions orchestrating there
there staring right back at her—it
it showed up on a Wednesday after dark—knocked
knock
knock

Afterword: Darkness can be from issues that you dare not let anyone see or know about, the issues you struggle with alone and silently … it’s time to open the door, let in the light, you’re not alone!

First published 2022
All Rights Reserved
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In creative solidarity, Dee

October: Mental Health Awareness Month ©Dawn Minott |a Haibun

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry21 Comments

Mental health encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social wellness, impacting our thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and influencing our stress management, relationships, and decision-making.

Threads of thought convene

Labyrinth of mind and soul

Inner world whispers

Afterword: A haibun is composed of two stanzas. The first stanza is a prose paragraph, and the second stanza is a haiku.

2024 All Rights Reserved
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In creative solidarity, Dee

The Pain We Bear ©Dawn Minott |for Mental Health Awareness

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry7 Comments
THE PAIN WE BEAR

The pain we bear, both seen and unseen
Scars etched deep, where wounds have been
Each mark tells a story, of hurt and strife
A reminder of the battles fought in life

From betrayals deep to words unkind
Scars linger on, in heart and mind
Yet in the midst of all the pain
Be reminded—Jesus bears scars, not in vain

His hands, His feet, His side so torn
His brow, His back, all bruised and worn
Every mark, a testament profound
Of love and grace, the world around

For in His wounds, our healing’s found
The great exchange—it’s quite profound
Beauty for ashes, joy for tears
In every scar, redemption nears

From brokenness to wholeness bound
Each scar a jewel in life’s crown
For wounds transformed, become our strength
A journey marked, of depth and length

In every scar, there’s a story to be told
Of how we fought and how Christ mold
For in our wounds, our stories are shown
And through His scars, healing is known

2024 All Rights Reserved
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Like what you see? To never miss a post click HERE👈 to subscribe & follow the blog. There’s more HERE👈 and on Spillwords, the Writers Club & Facebook.

In creative solidarity, Dee

Belonging ©Dawn Minott |Mental Health Awareness

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry21 Comments

Sometimes, the heart wanders

Seeking solace in foreign places, dislocated spaces

Yet finding only transient comfort

For familiarity does not always breed belonging

And the soul, restless, continues its searching

Amidst the dissonance of life’s discord

Seeking harmony

But, in the quiet moments
in the stillness

There comes a whisper, a gentle hum

A resonance that resonates deep within

Guiding the wanderer back home

To the place where the heart
finds its echo, its chorus, its harmonious belonging

2024 All Rights Reserved
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Afterword: Contribution to David’s W3 prompt: 12 line free verse poem on the theme of belonging.

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In creative solidarity, Dee

Lessons in brOKenness ©️Dawn Minott | Mental Health Awareness

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry10 Comments

Beforeword: There can be beauty from brOKenness. It lies in its revelation and unfolding of your authentic self. 

2024 All Rights Reserved
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Like what you see? To never miss a post click HERE👈 to subscribe & follow the blog. There’s more HERE👈 and on Spillwords, the Writers Club & Facebook.

In creative solidarity, Dee

Midweek Boost: Positive Self-Talk ©Dawn Minott

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry10 Comments 
2023 All Rights Reserved

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In creative solidarity, Dee

it’s OKAY to NOT BE OKAY – World Mental Health Day | 10 October

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry11 Comments

it’s OKAY to NOT BE OKAY—period!

When you’re losing your focus
And you feel too exhausted to pray
Don’t get lost in the moment
Or give up when you’re closest
When you’re down and you feel ashamed
All you need is somebody to say
It’s okay not to be okay
2022 ©Dawn Minott All Rights Reserved

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In creative solidarity, Dee

Midweek Boost: Be Rooted

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry5 Comments

Be like a tree. Be Rooted. Roots that are strong enough will help you withstand what life throws at ya.

The week is long. The weekend is short. Midweek is a good point to recharge to get over the hump. Happy hump day!

2022 ©Dawn Minott All Rights Reserved

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In creative solidarity, Dee

Spark of Madness©

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry18 Comments

She’s brave
This friend of mine
Wrestling with her mind
Riding the emotional swings of low to high
Looking up from below sadness, fighting through to light

She writes, open and vulnerable
She writes through the lows
She dances, free and courageous
She dances through the highs
Freedom to just be

See
They think she’s mad

See
It’s they who are uncomfortable with joy

See
She embraces spark of madness

See
She’s open to just be wherever she be

See
She knows more of what it means to be—FREE

She drifts off to sleep, awakens, and does it again

This brave friend of mine

Thank you for journeying along.

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In creative solidarity, Dee

Snappy One Liners #7: Choices

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry7 Comments

Doing something a little different this week. No poetry. No prose. Instead I’ll be posting a series of snappy one-liners that are as good as a mouthful like:

“You make choices; choices make you”.

…in other words:

“The choices you make, make you”.

You may also like previous posts in the series: #1Change, #2Be YOUniquely you, #3Know You, #4New Day New Way, #5Right Love, #6Stand & Fight

Thank you for reading!

First time to the site? Welcome! You may start here👈 and for more follow the blog here👈

In creative solidarity, Dee

A Letter to Your Younger Self: The “HOW TO”

On By Dawn MinottIn Uncategorized1 Comment

I did this exercise (writing to my younger self) a few years ago and revisited it recently. I found it therapeutic and fun! It’s a good way to explore your relationship with yourself, to reconnect to points in your past and use that connection to inform positive changes for your now and your future.

Have you done this exercise? If not and you’d like to, here are a few tips to get you through it:

  • Start by choosing a period in time or age and try to recall the major experiences of that time. As your memories unfold, also connect to the emotions they evoke.
  • Think of what advice the you today would give the you at that age. You could give tips on how to not “sweat the small stuff” and also encouragement to face challenges.
  • This is a good exercise to find self acceptance and also to boost your self esteem. To get the greatest value, lean into the emotions that you feel, don’t judge just allow yourself to feel. You may journal these emotional feelings and do so with intention. Intentionality means seeing how you can shift the perceptions around those old emotions and open space for healing.
  • Instead of ruminating negatively, do so with gratitude. Look for ways you have grown or what lessons can be learned to be a more resilient you.
  • Be sure to affirm you and speak with love and acceptance.


Your life is a journey. You cannot change the past but you can learn from it and grow. This exercise is one fun way to do that.

I believe no experience goes to waste, instead we can learn and grow from them.

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In creative solidarity, Dee