Part One: What I learned from finding mold in our apartment

story time… PART ONE of what I learned from finding mold in our apartment.

last month we found mold in the AC vents of our apartment. 🤢🤢🤢 we were forced to move out for a month while they did repairs.

for most this would be a minor yet annoying inconvenience. but for me, it sent me spiraling.

🌪 where are we going to stay?

🌪 what are we going to do with our stuff?

🌪 what about our dog?

🌪 how will I run Brave the Label?

🌪 what if it takes longer than a month?

🌪 how long have we been breathing toxic mold?

all these anxious thoughts + more after the break...

after a few days of frantically looking for a place to relocate, the leasing office called... and I lost it.

🤬 I screamed at this human on the other end of phone. as the words came out of my mouth + the heat swelled in my cheeks, I realized that anxiety was in full effect. 😤 but it was too late, there was no stopping. I regretted the words as they poured out but I didn’t care.

✨ trauma alters our body + the way we respond to stress. ✨ a minor inconvenience mixed with just the right amount of stress = major anxiety attack.

I handed my boyfriend the phone to finish the call. my heart racing. my eyes overflowing. my breath shallow. my face burning. 🥵

🙅🏻‍♀️ this is not a “normal” reaction. this is the body’s response to stress after trauma. this is trauma being triggered.

understanding how trauma physically impacts our mind + body’s reactions to stress can help us realize what is really going on.

💫 for me, it was about stability. my privacy being encroached upon. my safe place invaded. the one place I feel most safe + in control of my surroundings: home. and it felt like that was being taken from me.

stay tuned for PART TWO…