Mentally-STRONG

12/18/2025

Does the "most wonderful time of the year" ever feel like the most exhausting time of the year? Between the endless to-do lists, family dynamics, and the pressure to make everything "perfect," it’s easy to let your mental health take a backseat.

But being mentally strong isn't about powering through the burnout—it’s about managing your energy so you can actually enjoy the moments that matter.

Using the Think, Organize, Choose framework, you can reclaim your peace this season:

🧠 THINK: Challenge those "perfectionist" thoughts. 📅 ORGANIZE: Set boundaries and schedule your rest. ✨ CHOOSE: Act on your values, not your guilt.

Swipe through to see how you can apply the Mentally Strong method to your holiday season! ➡️

Which one of these do you need to focus on most this week? Let’s talk in the comments! 👇

12/17/2025

The holidays aren’t always "merry and bright" for everyone. Whether it’s your first year without a loved one, a recent life change, or a feeling you can’t quite put into words—your grief is valid. 🤍 It’s okay to not be okay right now. Be gentle with yourself.

12/17/2025

Are You Accidentally Trapping Yourself in "Hard Mode" Life? 🗝️

If "Why is life so hard?" is your constant background thought, it's time for a harsh truth: sometimes, how we think is the biggest obstacle.

Stress, anxiety, grief, and trauma don't just happen to us; our response often locks us into a cycle of struggle. But what if you could break free with a simple, actionable blueprint?

Introducing the Mentally STRONG 3-Step Framework—your escape route from overwhelm. This method isn't about wishful thinking; it's a cognitive-behavioral approach to:

THINK: Learn to decode your thoughts instead of letting them run wild.

ORGANIZE: Master the art of mental decluttering, fast.

CHOOSE: Make powerful micro-choices that shift your entire trajectory.

Stop passively enduring. Start actively creating the mental strength you deserve.

UNLOCK YOUR ESCAPE PLAN NOW: https://mentallystrong.com/why-is-life-so-hard-mentally-strong/

12/16/2025

🎄✨ CHRISTMAS DOOR CONTEST — WE NEED YOUR HELP! ✨🎄
Our doors are dressed up for Christmas, and now it’s time for the community to decide the winner!

🎅 Vote by liking your favorite door photo 👍

🏆 The door with the most likes wins!
Spread some holiday cheer and help us crown the best Christmas door! ❤️🎄

12/14/2025

45 Days of Grief: Day 45. My man, Bundy. ❤️

Today, the 45-day documentary ends, but my commitment to my husband, Bundy, and our family continues. We talked about his jersey, number 45, and the different kind of pain he faces—anticipatory grief. You can't "win" against DRPLA, but you can approach it with respect.

Bundy is my constant. He is a really good man, loyal, faithful, and an excellent father. I know he would take a bullet for me. That is the definition of love and commitment that sustains me.

Thank you for following this raw journey. What was your biggest takeaway from the past 45 days?

12/14/2025

The Day My Professional Mask Shattered

As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, I was trained to be in control. I had the clinical answers, the framework, the doctorate. I was the one who was supposed to be prepared.
When my family adopted three siblings, I thought, "I can do this. We're prepared for this." But as I share in my new documentary, that was the arrogance talking. We had no idea what we were doing.
For 15 years, I lived in fight-or-flight mode. I fought to find a cure for my children's rare disease. I fought to save my son Reggie, even refusing hospice. I fought to be the "in control" professional... until the day I found my daughter Maya, and a sound came out of me I didn't know a human could make.
In that moment, I wasn't Dr. Bundukamara. I was just a mother, completely broken. My professional mask didn't just crack; it shattered. And in that shattering, the real work began. I had to stop being a "professional" and start being a human who needed to heal.

My new documentary, "Strength in Vulnerability," tells the full story of this breaking point. It’s for every professional, every leader, every parent who feels like they have to hold it all together.

Watch the full story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqIfc1bh7eA

12/12/2025

I’m learning tools to manage the pain and decrease its intensity, but sometimes you need a permanent physical reminder that they are always with you. On Day 44, I got an ashes piercing. This pretty rare thing means a small piece of my children's ashes is now permanently set in a dermal piercing.

I believe we will always feel this pain, but I am determined to not allow that grief to ruin the rest of my life. This is my way of keeping them close while I fight to move forward.

12/11/2025

When the world keeps spinning but yours has completely stopped, the disorientation is overwhelming.

If you are currently in the thick of the shock, please know this: You do not have to "look on the bright side" today. You do not need to have a plan. You do not need to "heal" right now.

Your only job today is to exist.

If you feel like you are underwater, this is your permission slip to stop trying to swim. Just float for a moment. 🤍

Swipe through for a gentle reminder for the earliest, hardest days. 👉

12/09/2025

Grief Relapse is NOT Failure! ➡️ Getting Back Up (Days 37-42) 💪

I melted into a deep grief relapse, but I got myself out in just two days! That's the power of having tools. The intensity of the pain is always there, but I'm learning how to manage the pain and decrease its intensity.

It's important to stop beating ourselves up when we have a bad day. We will always feel this pain, but now I'm focusing on active processing (Reiki, Cupping) to shorten those relapse days. The goal is progress, not perfection.

12/08/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO1KkJ2hqqA

Holiday depression is a real thing, and if you feel like there’s a heavy cloud over you right now, please know you aren't alone. This is my first holiday season without my husband, and after losing three of my children, I understand deeply how the crushing weight of grief clashes with the pressure to be "joyful."

In this video, I want to share three specific words—three "G's"—that help me survive the holidays and find small moments of peace. We’re going to talk honestly about the reality of grief, the burden of family expectations, and why it is absolutely okay if you can't show up 100% this year. Whether you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, family conflict, or just a general sense of sadness, I hope these words help you navigate the season with a little more kindness toward yourself.

If this resonated with you, please let me know in the comments how you are coping this season. Subscribe to the channel if you need a safe space to talk about mental health, trauma, and healing. We are in this together.

🧠💪Start Healing with This Powerful Self-Reflection Tool: https://mentallystrong.ac-page.com/thinkorganizechooseHoliday depression is a real thing, and if y...

12/07/2025

GRIEF RELAPSE: I hit the wall. 🛑 (Days 32-34)

After weeks of progress, I had a day where I felt absolutely heavy. It was a full-blown grief relapse. I felt like I was back to the beginning, thinking: "I can't do this. I don't wanna go on."

It's easy to beat yourself up when this happens. But I'm sharing this to say: Relapse is part of the healing process, not a sign of failure. The key is recognizing it and having the tools to get back out faster than before.

I’m taking a moment to breathe, remembering all the progress I have made, and getting back on my path. You can too. ❤️