Guest Feature by Angela Lee Pucci, Waiākea Kōkua Ambassador. Read Pt. 1 here.

Having people around me who make me feel safe, supported, understood, and accepted for who I am has made a huge difference in my life.

Community matters so much.

The people you surround yourself with matter. The environments you put yourself in matter. The conversations you have matter.

I’ve realized that mental health is affected by so many things. Not just one.

It’s your environment. Your relationships. Your habits. Your stress levels. Your support system. Your boundaries. Your routines. Your lifestyle.

Taking care of my mental health now looks a lot different than it used to.

Sometimes it’s training hard. Sometimes it’s therapy. Sometimes it’s a hard conversation. Sometimes it’s saying no. Sometimes it’s taking space. Sometimes it’s laughing with people I love. And sometimes it’s just sitting quietly watching the ocean with a coffee in my hand.

The truth is, mental health care doesn’t always have to be some huge breakthrough moment. A lot of the time, it’s built through small daily habits and healthy outlets that quietly keep us going.

And those outlets are incredibly individual.

Some of the things that help me might also help you. Or what helps you could look completely different, and that’s okay too.

For someone else, it might be prayer. Surfing. Hiking. Dancing. Creativity. Faith. Rest. Time alone. Time with family. Or simply asking for help for the first time.

There’s no perfect formula for mental health.

The important thing is finding healthy outlets that genuinely support YOU and help you feel more connected to yourself and your life.

As May is Mental Health Awareness Month, I wanted to share this not because I have everything figured out, but because I know how important honest conversations around mental health truly are.

Especially in spaces where strength is often associated with silence.

I know how easy it is to look okay on the outside while struggling internally. I know how easy it is to keep performing while quietly feeling overwhelmed, anxious, disconnected, or exhausted.

And I also know how powerful it can be when we finally give ourselves permission to care for our minds the same way we care for our bodies.

Taking care of your mental health is not weakness. Resting is not weakness. Slowing down is not weakness. Asking for help is not weakness.

You deserve support. You deserve peace. You deserve care too.

And if there’s one thing I hope people take away from this, it’s this:

Find the outlets that help you feel like yourself again.

Protect them. Prioritize them. Make time for them.

Because your mental health matters.

Mahalo to Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages for continuing to create space for conversations around wellness, community, and mental health through thmission of the Kōkua Initiative. 

Aloha - Angela Lee Pucci, Founder, Fightstory

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