We're Rooting For You: Protect Your Mind

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I wanted to take a moment to speak directly to my fellow creatives about the importance of protecting your mind.

As creatives, many of us have chosen paths in life that are anything but traditional. There’s no straight line. No guaranteed blueprint. No clearly defined steps that magically bring us closer to our dreams. Most of the time, we’re chasing visions that feel abstract and intangible to everyone around us except ourselves.

And truthfully, that can be mentally exhausting.

Not only do we navigate the same societal pressures everyone else faces, but many creatives also carry an added layer of sensitivity, self-doubt, and insecurity that can make life feel even heavier at times. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably had moments where you questioned everything. Asking yourself:

“What’s the point?”

“Why am I doing this?”

“Is this dream even realistic?”

Meanwhile, the outside world often pushes you toward safety. Toward stability. Toward predictability.

“Why don’t you just get a normal job?”

“Why pursue art?”

“Why not play it safe?”

And whether people realize it or not, those words can weigh heavily on your spirit over time.

I can vividly remember where I was mentally back in 2008.

I found myself trapped in a job I absolutely hated. In a toxic relationship where I was deeply unhappy. I wasn’t taking care of myself physically, mentally, or emotionally. And despite having huge dreams of taking my DJ career to the next level, there was no way I was going to reach them while living the way I was living.

Eventually, everything collapsed.

One day, my mind simply broke under the pressure. I became completely unresponsive—almost catatonic. My brain snapped. I ended up spending the next few weeks in a mental hospital, where I would later learn that I suffer from MDD—Major Depressive Disorder.

Oddly enough, that rock bottom moment gave me some of the greatest clarity I’ve ever experienced in my life.

And during that time, I also realized something important:

The people around me in those hospital halls were not what society labels them as.

They weren’t “crazy.”

They were human beings carrying pain, trauma, pressure, fear, heartbreak, and circumstances that became too heavy to hold alone. People who, in many ways, simply weren’t free enough to exist on their own terms. Shackled by experiences and environments that slowly wore them down until they could no longer carry the weight.

I share this because I know many creatives silently battle similar struggles.

The dreams you carry may be big. They may be uncertain. They may even scare you sometimes. But if you truly want a chance at reaching them, you have to protect your peace and prioritize your mental well-being along the way.

That means learning to tune out the noise.

The opinions.

The comparisons.

The pressure.

The fear.

And no—I’m not saying it’s easy.

Lord knows I still struggle with my mental health from time to time.

But hopefully these words remind you that you are not alone.

Find healthy outlets.

Talk to your friends.

Ask for help when you need it.

Take care of your body and your spirit.

Pour yourself into your passions with curiosity, purpose, and wonder.

And most importantly, keep going.

We’re rooting for you.

-Noafex