Introducing The Sunshine Project

Yellow has been my favourite colour for as long as I can remember. It symbolizes joy, good energy, happiness, and it reminds me of the warm light that the sun emits. I saw a post on Instagram once, and it has stuck with me ever since. It read, 'My goal in life is to be one of those people who are just light. You see them and you suddenly feel so warm inside.' My best friend Olivia was one of those people: lighting up any room she walked into and often being described as the human form of sunshine. When thinking of a name for my blog, I knew I wanted to honour her light and the warmth she made everyone feel.

Pictured above is my yellow room in Guelph.

Shortly after Olivia passed away in June of 2020, I moved to Guelph to get a fresh start. My new bedroom at the time was painted purple, and I knew this had to change. When I gave the painter my colour of choice, he texted me and said, "Are you sure? Won't you get sick of it?" I quickly replied, "No, it's my favourite colour," knowing in my heart that this colour would get me through some of my darkest days. When I arrived in Guelph, the four walls of my new bedroom were glowing. I called this my sunshine room for the next eight months.

I am someone who has always struggled with mental health. I received my first diagnosis in the hospital emergency room on my 16th birthday (more on that later). Two psychiatrists, five kinds of antidepressants, and six therapists brought me to where I am today. I am currently struggling with a difficult diagnosis of PTSD, anxiety disorder, and clinical depression. I hope to share my story with all of you and keep my best friends memory alive through these blog posts.

Open dialogue about mental health issues is crucial; thus, I want to create a safe space for these conversations to transpire. My aspiration for this project is that other individuals can refer to this in navigating the early stages of grief and trauma. I am looking forward to starting this project, and I hope you'll join me on this journey.

With love and light,

Gabby