Hope Boulevard by J. Hope Suis

  It has been said that most of our life experiences have ended up as a country song. Being someone who likes country music, I find that statement somewhat true. Being someone who likes Kenny Chesney, I found his latest song hit right on the mark with how I feel about the world, in general, these days. There have been several songs released in all musical genres to try and capture an artist’s view of today’s events. I have no idea when this song was actually written, but today, my advice for you comes straight from the lyrics of his song. Don’t Look Too Long In The Rear View Some find it in the scripture or a Polaroid picture Or flip a coin, heads, you're goin' to Tucson, Arizona But it sure ain't in the lookin' back on the stuff you never did Sometimes you're gonna feel that, but life is better when Life is better when you don’t look back. Your life now is a product of the decisions you have made so far. The good ones enriched you, and the bad ones edu

We have all dated someone we later called ‘crazy’. Whether that was a true reflection of their mental health issues (probably not) or a random statement regarding our personal feelings about the relationship (most likely), chances are you will again meet and date someone who suffers from a mental disorder. The truth is 1 in 10 of us will have a mental health issue in our lifetime. My personal feeling is that number is higher, but there is still so much stigma and shame surrounding the term that many suffer in silence. And while it is true that some mental illness is severe and not conducive to a sustainable relationship, those are not necessarily the norm. It is possible to have a loving, fun, and successful relationship with someone who is actively working on and treating their mental illness. There are still unique challenges to making a go of it and I’ll try to address some of them here. Were They Honest About Their Condition? Some people live in denial about their situa