This was one of the hardest podcasts I have ever had the blessing to listen to. (Patreon)

I have her book arriving tomorrow

I recently listened to Hayden Panettiere speak about her life and experiences, and I walked away from it feeling an incredible amount of sadness and compassion for her as a human being.

I’m not going to suddenly post a marathon of her work and pretend that I have followed her entire career. I’ve seen random episodes of Nashville over the years, and I watched Amber Alert after it was requested by one of our Executive Producers last year. This isn’t about content, views, marketing, or trying to capitalize on someone else’s pain.

What stayed with me was her story.

Hearing her speak so openly about depression and postpartum depression, grief, the loss of her brother, complicated family relationships, the separation from her daughter and the emotions surrounding that, living with fear, dealing with a stalker, and surviving an abusive relationship affected me deeply.

There were parts of her story that felt painfully familiar to me.

I have spoken before about some of the darkest periods of my own life. In 2017, had my husband not found me when he did, I very likely would not be here today. I do not say that lightly. I don’t say it because I want sympathy, attention, clicks, or money. I say it because I know what it feels like when your own mind convinces you that there is no road forward.

And I need every single one of you to hear me when I say this:

You are enough.

You are worthy.

Your existence matters.

Your worst day does not get to decide the rest of your life. You do not have to have everything figured out today. You do not have to pretend you’re okay because you’re afraid of becoming a burden to someone else.

I have said this in many of my videos, and I will continue saying it for as long as I have this platform: if you need someone to listen, please reach out.

This Patreon community may have started because we love movies and television, but behind every username is a real human being with a real life, real struggles, real grief, real fears, and real battles that the rest of us may know absolutely nothing about.

Please look after one another. Check on the person who suddenly gets quiet. Tell the people you love that you love them. And if you are the person struggling right now, please do not convince yourself that everyone would be better without you.

Stay.

There are still chapters of your life you haven’t lived yet.

If you are in the United States and experiencing a mental health or suicide crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also chat with them through the 988 Lifeline website. If you believe you are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

I love this community more than you probably realize. Please remember that asking for help is not weakness. Staying alive long enough to see things change can sometimes be the bravest thing you ever do.

Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. ❤️