This "Anxious Mama" Photo Series Is Sparking the Conversation We Need to Have

"I can see now that I'm just a Mom trying to be healthy for her family. Being on anxiety meds doesn't make you a failure. It makes you a human being who is trying to be the best she can be. Being a Mom is so hard. Sometimes you have to do hard things to be a better you. We have to stick together Mamas and know we aren't alone."

"Those are the hardest moments. It is amazing how much anxiety and fear can captivate your mind in those moments!! When I'm in the thick of an anxiety attack I have a very hard time seeing a brave, strong, great mom. And instead, I see weakness and disappointment. It is okay that I need to have Xanax every now and then. It is okay that I need daily anxiety medication right now. It is okay to be open, honest, and vulnerable about this season. It is okay to focus a lot on self love and self care.'I got this' means waking up, knowing however the day turns out that you are a great Mom. It means choosing grace and self love. It means believing in yourself!"

"I feel like I have held my kids back from incredible adventures. It's like I'm keeping them from experiencing things I know they would love because the fear of someone taking one of them is so overwhelming that it is often easier and safer to just stay at home . . . I think, as Moms, it is important to be honest and vocal about our needs. Expressing your needs helps those around you understand what you are going through and be there for you in ways you may need them. I choose things that I know I can handle, but what this experience taught me is that it is okay to ask for help in things I think I cannot handle."

"Lack of sleep is like a poison. Like all new moms the sleep deprivation kicked in hard when the triplets were born. It was a whole new level of exhaustion and the culprit of my postpartum depression and anxiety . . . I hated feeling like I needed help, like I couldn't be a mother on my own. But what I learned is that it takes a village to be a good mom. I needed to ask for help. I needed to go on meds to help me function. I needed a Mommy helper. I needed to do things that would help me get through such a hard season."

"We are all human and it is natural for us to get angry, upset, hurt, etc. But we can choose to respond in a way that doesn't make the situation worse for everyone. During my therapy I had to work through some rooted things from my childhood that were buried in my heart. Things I didn't want to face, but knew I had to because sometimes freedom is found in doing hard things. I had to learn grace because I am not perfect and I will fail. It's okay to step away so you can breathe normal and respond calmly."

"There was such a tug-a-war in my heart. I felt so ashamed and embarrassed because I didn't want to breastfeed anymore. Guilt can ruin you. When the babies were 3 months old I finally saw my Doctor to seek help for my postpartum anxiety and depression. It was one of the hardest steps, but the best thing I could have done for myself. I needed help. I was exhausted, in a depression, just not my normal self. The very first thing she suggested was to stop breastfeeding. She even wrote me a prescription that said 'stop breastfeeding.' I felt like she gave me permission to stop."

"Silently, quietly, privately, I grieved — which was usually the few minutes I had alone in the shower. I cried and I cried hard. It was a matter of time before my grief was crippling me. I started to have panic attacks every couple days. That's when I knew I needed help. Ultimately, it was my silent grief that was the culprit to this painfully difficult season I've been in the last several months. However, my silent grief also showed me how God is always at work in us, revealing and renewing our hearts. I have to choose to trust Him in the story He has created for my life, especially the fine print. And I don't know what our story holds, but I do know God is doing something good in me."

"Today our morning started off bad and it just got worse after Daddy left for work. Even my 'come to Jesus' moments in the bathroom weren't helping my attitude. I have a gym membership that offers childcare so I decided to take the kids to gym. I had no plans of exercising. I spent the entire hour and a half laying on the couch in their lobby. I didn't even feel guilty about it. I just needed a break. Be encouraged to do something for yourself. And find your hiding place to deep breathe, eat treats, and have your own 'come to Jesus' moments because sometimes that's just what is needed. After all, we are all just trying to raise good humans and sometimes that means taking a break because it helps us become a better Mom."

"There are many things we thrive for as a Mom, but honestly, we just need to survive. I did what I needed to to get though my postpartum journey. This meant admitting I was struggling, seeing a doctor, and going on meds. It meant getting help with overnights and hiring a Mommy Helper. It meant throwing my pride out the window and saying 'I cannot do this mom thing alone.' Little did I know it would take a full year before I could feel more like the me I once was. But truthfully, I will never be her again. I'm a better me. Being a Mother has brought on an anxiety that I have struggled with on and off since their birth. But here I am, nearly 3 years later, and I am surviving. I know how to help myself when the anxiety kicks in. I know the value of leaning on others. I know I can't do this without Jesus. And I am a damn good Mom."

"Over the last couple years I have walked hand in hand with shame. It has caused anxiety, fear, and extreme guilt. There came a point where I had to choose to not carry the shame. I am the perfect mom for my children. Being a Mother is not an easy task and I fail everyday. But my failures teach me to be a better mom. They allow me to grow and find strength. Our failures are not reasons to shame ourselves."

"Being on anxiety meds does not make me a failure. It doesn't mean I am not good enough or undeserving. It means I am doing what I need to to be the best I can be for my kids, my family. Our mental health journeys are all personal, heart breaking, and usually very difficult. Yet what I have seen more than anything birthed from my mental health journey is strength. I am strong and I'm fighting anxiety daily. I am learning more about myself and my needs as a Mom. A new found confidence has been placed in my heart. I am brave. And I am not alone. I am doing what I need to do to help me walk through this season of Motherhood. I am owning my journey and believing by sharing my story someone's heart is touched!"

"I have felt guilty for many things as a mom: my postpartum struggles, the desire for a break, for yelling, for considering grocery shopping quality time, for having "me" time. It's endless. The problem with guilt is that it can eat you alive. It is crippling and can be the culprit of how we function day to day.

My current struggle is the guilt I carry from the pool accident last week. On a day that was meant for summer fun, it quickly turned to pure terror. My daughter almost drowned. Her ocean blue lips are on repeat in my brain and I keep reliving the terrifying moments over and over again. In a matter of seconds, I almost lost my daughter and I took on a whole new form of mom guilt. . .

I cannot let this accident define me as a Mom because it doesn't. Accidents happen. Tragedies happen. They don't define who we are, they are apart of our story and it is up to us to how we navigate our way through them to find healing."

However, guilt is powerful. It manifests in many different ways. It will ruin you. I know all these things and yet, right now I am at war with my mind. I am fighting to stand firm to what God says about me as Mom and have to choose not to carry the blame for the fact that my daughter could have died. It is hard to do. But with the help of time, a whole lot of Jesus, therapy, and everyone around me, I will find healing."

"I'm hopeful that I will be able to learn more tools to help me work through my increase in anxiety and panic since this happened. And I believe getting therapy will help me walk out of this really hard life lesson so much stronger than I have ever been. This is a huge step forward in putting this accident behind me. I am proud of myself for choosing to get help because I know that I need it right now (and it's okay)."

"Charlize's accident was life altering. I have changed and I'm growing. Living in fear increases my anxiety and truly is crippling. I have to choose every single day (now more than ever) to not let fear hold me in captivity because it will ruin me. I have to be brave and know that we will be okay. Whatever storm you're in, put on your brave face and know you will be okay! You are strong and you are not alone. Together we will conquer."

"I was crying and couldn't breathe. I knew I needed to get it together. I was experiencing everything I normally do that leads to a panic attack. I didn't have my medication. I didn't have my husband with me (who is great at helping me through those moments) nor could I call him. I had to choose to breathe, to stop. I kept telling myself 'take a deep breath, or you're going to have a panic attack.' I blasted the Jesus music on the radio at the time and suddenly His peace came over me as 'It is Well' played on the radio. Anxiety creeped it's way in, but I was okay. I am okay. Everything is going to be okay."

"We have all heard The Motto: Happy Mama, Happy kids. It took me awhile to really realize how true this statement is and how important it really is to make sure Mama is happy!

This motto certainly is not something I am great at achieving all the time. I struggle a lot to put myself first and really care for myself in the ways I would like to. It is really easy to get lost in ourselves as Mothers. Have you ever felt that way? I got lost in my postpartum depression. And I still sometimes struggle to find myself in my anxiety. I have seen the mood that fills up a room when my anxiety is high and when I lose my temper. I see how it effects my husband and my kids. I have learned there is so much value in self care. It is necessary to do things for yourself that make you happy as a Mom. I have to make it a point to self care, to do things that fill up my love cup and refresh my heart."