The Mighty Events and April Writing Prompts

EDITOR'S NOTE: Our friends at The Mighty have a full slate of events this month, as well as, writing prompts to help you process how you feeling and dealing during these difficult times. Many of their events look thought-provoking and meet this moment in time in which we find ourselves. The writing prompts will allow you to reflect on life in 2021 living with a disability or diagnosis. Please consider taking a leap into this community to help yourself and others grow stronger. Community support is so vital to living a resilient life. You can find more on their website at http://www.themighty.com 

April 12 - April 17 WHICH MIGHTY EVENT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEK? Attending a new event for the first time can bring up a lot of emotions and if you’re prone to anxiety, you may be fearful of not knowing anyone, not knowing what to do or what to expect. Below this week’s events I ask a question in our Virtual Events community about what feelings come up in you.  Learning to Cope With a Diagnosis  Monday, April 12  2pm PT / 5pm ET Join Mighty Leader and Contributor Leslie A. Zukor as she discusses her experiences coming to terms with health conditions and shares some resources that may help you in your own journey.   RSVP NOW   Color & Chat  Monday, April 12  4pm PT / 7pm ET Join Mighty staffer Ashley Kristoff for an hour of coloring and chatting. Bring any type of art you'd like to do and use this hour to take your mind off stresses and fill it with color instead.   RSVP NOW   Ask A Bipolar Advocate  Tuesday, April 13  11am PT /  2pm ET Join speaker Gabe Howard and ask him anything about depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety and he will answer as many questions as he can!   WATCH LIVE   The Trauma-Illness Paradigm  Tuesday, April 13  1pm PT /  4pm ET Join co-hosts Cynthia Toussaint and John Garrett as they talk with "The Invisible Key" author Maria Socolof about how her early-life trauma led to chronic pain and how the body never forgets when it comes to trauma.   RSVP NOW   Clinical Trials: Is Your Family Ready?  Wednesday, April 14  3pm PT /  6pm ET Join Dr. Tracy Dixon-Salazar, Executive Director of the Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) Foundation, and Amy Brin, MSN, MA, PCNS-BC Executive Director of the Child Neurology Foundation for a discussion about clinical trials including topics around how to learn about clinical trials, what to expect, how to prepare for them and more.   RSVP NOW   Chronic Illness Support Group  Wednesday, April 14  4:30pm PT /  7:30pm ET Here you can connect with others who have gone through or are currently facing daily challenges due to a chronic condition. You can share what's going on in your life, listen to others, and ask for support as well as advice. Led by Stella Russotti.   RSVP NOW   Mental Health Happy Hour  Thursday, April 15  1pm PT / 4pm ET Join Camara and Light of the MentaliTea podcast as they talk about finding moments of joy and inspiration.   RSVP NOW   Journaling Workshop  Thursday, April 15  5pm PT /  8pm ET Join Mighty editor Sarah for a free journaling workshop. All you need is something to write with.   RSVP NOW   Suicide Awareness Vs. Prevention  Friday, April 16  1pm PT / 4pm ET Join AnnMarie Giannino and Gabriel Nathan for a discussion about the difference between the awareness and prevention side of talking about suicide.   RSVP NOW   Answer this prompt in the Virtual Events community about how you feel about attending new events. As we expand events we want to make sure you feel safe and know what to expect and what (if anything) is expected of you, have events that are relevant to you, attend events based on when you actually have time to and are getting the best experience possible.

 1. For National Autism Acceptance Month, explore a topic related to autism you wish more people were talking about. As autism acceptance gets more attention (which is great!) what are some conversations you still don’t see happening? Use your story to shine light on this topic.

2. For National Minority Health Month, share an anecdote that illustrates how being part of a marginalized group affects your healthcare. From doctors making racist comments, to specific stigmas in your community that make it hard to get help, tell us a story that illustrates how being part of a marginalized group impacts the quality of care you receive.

3. What’s something related to your health condition you had to learn the “hard way”? When you start experiencing a health challenge, or as you navigate life with a disability, there’s no manual to make sure you’re on the right track. Share something you learned the “hard way,” and use your story to help others on a similar path.

4. What are some fears you have as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted? While vaccine distribution and lifted COVID-19 restrictions seem like great news, are there any fears you still have as someone with a mental illness, chronic illness or disability? Write a piece exploring them, and offer some advice for people who can relate.

5. Write a response to something timely. A new song. An interview with a celebrity. A comment from a politician. If something in the news cycle strikes a nerve or leaves you inspired, let us know why. Make sure to mark your piece as timely when you submit!