2015 is my year for a new challenge. 2014 was a good year but a hard year. 2013 was an even harder year. 2013 was the year I struggled as a person. Anxiety and Depression crept up slowly on me and I had no clue what was happening and why I felt the way I did. But all I knew slowly I was melting, breaking, and didn’t know where to turn but deep down I knew I was going to be ok but in my mind those negative thoughts were telling me different.

Mind, why Mind? Mind stands for better mental health. Every year, one in four of us will experience a mental health problem. I was one of them and there are many people around us who are but are just standing silent in the crowd and silently suffering just like I did for a while. Mental health problems are common, but nearly nine in ten people who experience them say they face stigma and discrimination as a result. I am not sure why having a mental health problem faces more discrimination than any other health problem. To me I am proud that I suffer with anxiety. It shows that you have been strong and holding it all together for everyone else for to long and then boom you just couldn’t be strong anymore. More people than you know are out their suffering with it and I believe everyone in their lifetime will deal with depression or anxiety. I don’t talk about it much as I don’t want sympathy I just want acknowledgement and respect about depression and anxiety and for people to know how to support people who are suffering. I do know, that having anxiety it has made me a very thankful, grateful girl of what I have, who I have in my life and what I am doing in my life. I am the happiest girl in the world the majority of the time but anxiety can hit you like a wave and knock you down. So this year, I thought F*** it, Anxiety can knock me down but I will ALWAYS get back up so I chose to ride a bike, which I keep falling off BUT like anxiety I keep getting back up and on it (most of the time) with the support of my boyfriend Dale.

So this year I am cycling 4 sportive events and my first one is in Surrey, 36 miles and on Sunday 26th April. At then end of October I would have rode 221 miles but that is without all the miles I am clocking up to train ready for my events. Please bare in mind at the start of October 2014 I could not ride a bike…J so this is a challenge for me and I am excited to give something back! All of us have time to give something back, so please help me raise money for such a great cause mind. And if ever anyone needs any support, a chat or a shoulder to cry even when you don’t know why you are crying.. Dale often gets that haha! Thankyou for reading my story and for donating. Big squeeze to you all. Kerry xX