Hi, I’m Brenna.
I’m a full-time retail supervisor and part-time music teacher. I graduated with a degree in Vocal Performance after exploring studies in Performing Arts Prep and yep…you guessed it…Psychology!
Although I wish my years of psychology electives, my half a year of being a psych major and my PhD-holding Father were enough to make me an expert, I am simply far from it. I can't guarantee that my ideas and offerings of advice are perfect, but I can guarantee that they come from a place of authenticity and honesty.
I remember always feeling like there was something wrong with me compared to others. Why did I have trouble talking to new people? Why was I so shy? How come other people can do things that to me are terrifying? It was in grade 12 when I was taking Advanced Placement Psychology and we were learning about abnormal psychology that it started to dawn on me. We were talking about anxiety and its symptoms and in my head I went “Hmm…that all sounds a little familiar…” The more I learned the more I realized that I wasn’t just “painfully shy” - I had anxiety. It was an actual illness that has been there ever since I was a kid crying to go home at sleepovers.
The older I got the more I explored it and learned about it. I’ve seen 7 different counsellors/therapists and finally landed on a good fit. I am constantly learning new things about myself and trying to find what brings me joy. Sometimes being myself feels like a bit of a roller coaster and I’m trying to learn how to ride that wave - because the waves will come whether I like it or not, and the best I can do is learn how to roll with it instead of break myself trying to stop it.
Will you ride the wave with me?
About This Blog.
(This blog is a safe space for LGBTQ+)
This blog started its roots in 2014. I had just been dumped by my first boyfriend. I was 21 and on summer break back home (Toronto). I took some time to be sad, and then I was tired of that feeling. I didn’t want to feel sad anymore. I wanted to refocus my life on more positive things. I was big into Tumblr at the time and let that site hold a lot of my thoughts and reflections. There was a “100 Days of Happy” challenge going around in which people would post one photo every day that made you happy, for 100 days consecutively. I decided to make my own challenge and called it “100 Days of Positivity”. Every day I took photos to document the positive things that happened that day and wrote about it at the end of the night. The 100 Days of Positivity started as a way to train myself to be more open to the good things during a difficult time, and has now inspired my holiday “blogmas” called 24 Days of Joy which has been "popular” (I use quotes because 9 out of 13 people is what I’m calling popular), for 3 years.
Fast forward to 2015 when Okay, Panic! went live and when I really started digging deep and exploring my anxiety. It has since grown into a little community and place that I turn to express my thoughts. Sometimes it’s scary, but my goal is to educate and share. Not just for people who are already experiencing it, but for people who have no idea what it is or how it works. Or maybe you’re just looking for a little extra joy.
The blog is divided into two main sections: An Open Heart and The Panic Room. An Open Heart is where I open up and write about personal or more reflective pieces. The Panic Room is meant to be the place you go when you need answers and now! If you’re experiencing high anxiety, panic or just having a bad day and want some actionable items…that’s the space for you. From GIFs, to To-Do Lists, to Daily Routines…it’s all there.
My goal for this blog is to create a safe space for all people regardless of all the amazing human variables. A place to learn and a place to share. What started as me wanting to write about something I’m passionate about has also turned into a way for me to work out my own challenges. Sometimes I just need a place to reflect on my own sh*t. Sometimes reading that someone else is going through something similar is enough to bring you a little more calm in your life for the moment.
I am always working to adapt and evolve the blog to work for everyone and have a lot of dreams for how to grow the community. If you have some too, or have some questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Why the name? I’m glad you asked. One of the least helpful things for someone experiencing anxiety or panic is to say “Don’t panic!” so I wanted to flip that on its head. Maybe if we tell ourselves that it’s okay to feel panicked sometimes, we might have an easier time working through it. So…yeah it’s okay, panic!
Like the artwork or photography you see?
Contact me.
Let me know what you need, what worked, what didn’t…your thoughts are valued and I want to make this a great space for you.
