Hello, hello, hello. Am I too close to the mic? I'm Lexi Lombard, your host of the

at Lexi Podcast, and thanks for tuning in to today's episode.

Let's all take a deep breath because that felt really good. I think we need it.

When do we not? When do we not need a breath, okay? We're going to breathe in for three, hold for three,

exhale for three. Ready, breathe in, hold, hold, exhale. Love that.

Last week's episode just went up and I haven't been able to read the feedback yet because it's been,

it hasn't been enough time, but it was the episode of the Lexi Lombard Book Club and I discuss a 24-hour

reading challenge that I'm participating in and discuss some of my favorite books and reading tips and how to

motivate yourself and what to do if you're in a reading slump. So if you're

someone that's interested in reading or books or want to be that could be a great episode for you

this week's episode is going to regard mental health a little bit more

specifically DEP-R-E-S-I- O N. That's the mental illness I'm most familiar with as I'm sure a lot of you guys are and it sucks. It sucks because it's not my fault, but it feels like it's my fault. When I get depressed I

blame myself because it's only me. The only one that's experiencing it is me.

Therefore, if I'm the one affected by it, I must be the cause of it.

That's incorrect, but that's what I have always felt.

And whenever I am depressed that in itself is already

annoying and frustrating and something to deal with and a bit of a chore and a responsibility

but then I'm also having to deal with me blaming myself for it,

which doesn't make anything better.

And you would think after all the therapy that I've been in

and endless amount of forms of self-expression

and communication that I've given myself that I would be able to deal with it.

...