Rising Stars: Meet Emily Davis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Davis.

Hi Emily, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am the founder and host of The Wondering Mind Podcast, a mental health podcast that was launched in February of 2020, The Wondering Mind CO. a mental health merchandise line, and I am also the President of MiNDFEST which is a mental health festival coming to Louisville, KY in May of 2022.

How did my mental health brand and advocacy come to be?

My entire life, I have struggled with my mental health. I suffer with anxiety, depression and ADHD. All the way up until my late 20’s, I neglected myself and my mental health. I chose to fight against my feelings in order to be “normal.” I chose to party my way through my problems. I found myself in toxic relationship after toxic relationship until finally hitting one of the lowest points within my life in 2018. At the time, I was with someone who gave me an ultimatum, they said if I didn’t get my shit together soon, then we were going to break up in six months. As you can tell, that relationship was unhealthy from the get go, but at the time, I felt it was on me to save it. So in an attempt to save the relationship and in order to dig myself out of the dark hole I had fallen into, I began seeing a therapist, working out regularly, improved my diet and took up some new hobbies. Needless to say, the relationship still didn’t work out, but I learned that I was far better off without it.

I came to the realization that I was far stronger and way more capable than I gave myself credit for and that I didn’t need to be saved, I was perfectly capable of saving myself. I continued to work on myself from that point on and in 2019, I got an idea to start a podcast. I just couldn’t believe how much my mental state had improved, how much I had grown, how good it felt to live with such a healthy mindset. I wanted to let others know that they aren’t the only ones who struggle with their mental health. I wanted folx to know that it’s possible to learn how to navigate through your mental health struggles. So in February of 2020, the podcast was born. Since then, I have interviewed over 50 people, released almost 70 episodes, I have appeared on numerous mental health podcasts and the advocacy doesn’t stop there. The mission to normalize speaking up about mental health is ongoing. In an attempt to amplify this message, myself and a team of 8 other incredible human beings are currently working on bringing a mental health festival to Louisville, Ky in hopes to bring awareness, break stigmas and make learning about mental health a fun experience.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Trying to accomplish normal tasks with ADHD, depression and anxiety alone is a challenge in itself, but add into the mix trying to become an entrepreneur. Having to continuously work on being self-aware managing your emotions all while trying to accomplish your dreams is tough enough as is, but for me, it’s as though I keep hitting a mental roadblock every single month. It turns out I have PMDD which is premenstrual dysphoric disorder. A disorder that affects women around the time of their cycle. The Psychological symptoms include:

Irritability
Nervousness
Lack of control
Agitation
Anger
Insomnia
Difficulty in concentrating
Depression
Severe fatigue
Anxiety
Confusion
Forgetfulness
Poor self-image
Paranoia
Emotional sensitivity
Crying spells
Moodiness
Trouble sleeping

Not to mention the other effects it can have regarding your neurological, physical, and gastrointestinal plus more parts of one’s body. The most frustrating thing about dealing with this every month is the lack of consistency I am able to give towards things within my life. It makes you feel as though you’re not doing enough, not good enough like you’re falling behind or running on a never ending hamster wheel. It’s physically and emotionally exhausting. All I can do at this point are work on the things I can control. Such as seeking professional help getting on medication, learning more about ADHD, depression, anxiety and PMDD, and showing myself grace whenever my mental health starts to decline. Just do what I can, and take things one day at a time.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
It has been two years since I launched The Wondering Mind- A Mental Health Podcast. Slowly but surely, this show is becoming known within my community, which is extremely exciting. The podcast is my passion project and hopefully one day soon, it will become my full-time job. The Wondering Mind was started in hopes to build a community, provide a safe space for people to come and talk about their mental health struggles and to show others that they’re not the only one’s that struggle with their mental health. The podcast is definitely something I am extremely proud of because it’s something I never thought I was capable of doing, but more than that, I’m proud of myself. I’m proud of the fact that despite the mental roadblocks and challenges, I continue to keep pushing forward. Trust me, there have been days, weeks even, where I thought that this was a pointless venture, that I wasn’t doing enough, that nobody cared. But I realized each time that it is simply the negative self-talk speaking. Even if the show, the festival (MiNDFEST). Helps just one person, that’s enough for me. Because helping people, at the end of the day, is the goal, it’s not just about me. I feel as though that perspective is what sets me apart. The drive, the empathy, the willingness to continue to keep going and to make sure I’m able to help others feel less alone that’s where I differ from others.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.mindfestlou.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewonderingmindpodcast/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewonderingmindpodcast
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWMPODCAST_
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wondering-mind/id1513841558

Image Credits
Mindfest logo design by: LS Designs Media Group (@lsdmg)