Real Talk: The Shell of a Person

Hey Bright Belles! This is the first official #TheBrightBelleRealTalk, and it’s about going back to where this all started.

If you’ve read my story, you know that this whole business was born out of me feeling like a total shell of a person. That phrase—a shell of a person—it’s always stuck with me because it perfectly described that deep, exhausting flatness.

It wasn't just sadness; it was like the colour had been drained from my life. I was going through the motions of studying, nursing, and being the "big sister," but I was running on empty. My mental health was tanking, and then the constant anaphylactic reactions from my auto-immune condition (idiopathic anaphylaxis) just stripped away any sense of safety and control.

I felt like a freak. I was ready to call it quits on life because I was so tired of fighting my own body. Honestly, that day I told my mum I couldn't do it anymore was one of the lowest points.

But here’s the thing about hitting rock bottom: there’s only one way left to look, and that's up.

That shell I felt trapped in? I realised that even a shell can protect something valuable. I might not be fully bright every single day, but I decided I could be a little brighter, for a little longer. And that’s what I want this community to be: a place where we acknowledge the "shell" days but actively search for the light anyway.

Real Talk Question for you:

What is one phrase, feeling, or struggle that perfectly sums up your 'shell of a person' moment? Share it below (no judgement, ever) and let's start dissolving those shells together.

#TheBrightBelle #RealTalk #MentalHealthMatters #VulnerabilityIsStrength #FindTheLight #YouAreNotAlone #ADHDLife #ChronicIllnessAwareness