Just a quick update today – and a warm welcome to anyone who has stumbled upon JessRunsHappy thanks to my exciting feature at RunInspired! I was honored when they asked me to share my weight loss and running story, and couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out. And it’s an even bigger honor to be their new homepage feature story!
Go check it out and let me know what you think. 🙂
You can also follow RUNspiration on Facebook for other features and daily motivation – check them out and happy running!
Jess Runs Happy 
Wow I just read your story on Run Inspired and I am crushed but in a good way (if that makes sense?). I can’t believe how much my story mirrors yours. I have been batlling a very dark depression and anxiety disorder for at least 3 years now and my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer just a month ago.
She had her masectomy last week and I woke up this morning with just a deep desaire to give up on everything including life itself. The medication I have been on for my anxiety and depression has just made me gain weight on an unbelieveable scale and is not very effective, the therapy has kept me around but my social isolation continues and my mind is just on high volume all the time. I had just really lost all hope, until I read your story.
I was always very active at school but lost that when I had my first battle with depression and I have just never gone back although in the back of my mind I have always thought that running would change that somehow. Anyway I wont take up much of your time I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your story.
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Fatima – WOW. All I can say is wow. I’m floored by your honesty and your situation, and I’m SO glad you took the time to write. You’re right, we’ve got similar stories – and I hope and pray that yours has a happy ending too! I hope your mother is doing well now, it’s important that you know she needs you now. You can both be a source of inspiration for each other, as long as you can find that positivity. Don’t ever give up hope- I know that feeling of despair and it’s crushing sometimes. And just know that it’s ok to take a break sometimes. You need to focus on your well being to be as strong as you can for your family, and sometimes that means taking time to take care of yourself.
And for what it’s worth – it gets better! I know it sounds like a cliche, but it’s true – life always has a way of happening, and time just keeps moving. What crushes you today will give you the strength you need to continue tomorrow.
PLEASE keep your chin up and know that I’ve got faith in you – and in your mother’s full recovery too!
I apologize if this is a rambling response – I just returned from vacation this morning and had to respond as soon as I saw your comment. I hope your week has gone well and look forward to any updates you may have if you’d like to share!
All the best-
~Jessica
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Hi Jessica,
Great news! Mom is at home recovering from her mastectomy and we found out today that it has not spread and is stage 1, which means she will have to undergo very mild treatment only – not to mention her life expectancy has increased !
I just wanted to say THANK YOU! I had really given up especially on myself. I had stopped the medication and therapy and was just generally doing badly – hiding out at home when I wasn’t with my mom at the hospital, feeling like at 31 I was such a failure and I was very suicidal to be honest with you but your story just really did resonate with me and has inspired me in many ways but mostly it has inspired me to take small steps forward and try again. I am now back on medication for anxiety and am giving therapy a second chance. I have started walking/running/sometimes crawling as well and will hopefully return to the shape I once was (in instead of round). Sometimes people don’t realise how much a few words can make such a big difference in another person’s life (especially someone all the way out here in South Africa) but it can so thank you for sharing your story of hope, it has made a difference in my life!
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I am so thrilled to hear about your mother’s good news, Fatima! Keep up that positive attitude and keep me posted on your journey – you know where to find me! 🙂
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