My biggest motivator, though, was to have more time to spend doing things that I think are important, really important. I'm looking forward to being able to make more calls to my elected officials, sharing my thoughts on why mental health issues are important, and why spending more upfront actually saves us all money. I'm also going to work with my local NAMI group with a program that goes into the schools, talking about mental health, breaking down stigmas and educating kids, parents and teachers that mental health problems truly are an illness and can, and should be, treated.
Homelessness is also high on my list of priorities. How can anyone with a mental illness work on recovery when they don't have a safe place to live? The housing taskforce I work with is doing a tremendous job getting new housing built, but so much more is needed.
What efforts are you involved with that you find rewarding?
p.s. I also feel I need to add a postscript here to say that I am truly fortunate to have the resources to be able to make this choice. My husband is continuing to work and I'll be able to get health insurance through him, which is a big concern for most of us. Thank you sweet husband of mine!
Hooray for retirement! Looking forward to seeing more of you and hearing more about what progress you can make on your causes now.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nasser! Now that I have lots more time, I will be posting more regularly.
DeleteThanks for sharing this Lorri.
ReplyDeleteJason Cocke
Thanks, Jason. I strongly believe that one of the simplest things all of us can do to help is just to talk about mental illness. Just by talking about people who are ill, how they manage their illness, how it affects our society, or anything us, helps to make the subject less taboo. Mental illness is a REAL illness and no one should feel ashamed, anymore than they would if they had cancer.
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