Bloggers Corner: Q&A with Connie @ EssentiallyBroken.com

|Welcome to the Bloggers Corner which is a focus for all of the incredibly talented online bloggers I have had the pleasure of meeting along my own blogging journey so far. As a therapist, I am always curious to hear about the experiences and journey that has led a person to become who they are today, and so far I have found that each blogger has a unique story to tell of their own.

​I would like to introduce Connie from EssentiallyBroken.com who writes about her own experiences of grief and loss and her journey of helping others focusing on suicide prevention.

Name: Connie Hulsart
​Niche: Mental health with a holistic twist
Blog: www.essentiallybroken.com
Favourite post: Devastation to Driven After My Sisters Suicide
​Social media: Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter

​Connie: I lost my sister, Jessie, to suicide in 2015.  I was broken for a while but then I started learning about essential oils and it revitalized me.  Recently, after hearing of numerous youth suicides, I’ve decided to change the way suicide is talked about in schools and homes.  I want to promote real change in the ways school look at suicide prevention programs.  Taking the “it won’t happen here” stance is no longer acceptable.

Q1. What first inspired you to start blogging?
I was thinking and thinking about all these feelings I had locked inside me about my sister and her death.  I started reading a couple of blogs from Pinterest and I signed up for an email course about how to start a blog.  Lena @ whatmommydoes.com asked in one of her emails to reply to her about our “story.”  When I told her mine, she wrote me back that she got chills and that I should go for it….so I did and essentiallybroken.com was born.
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"My audience is just about anyone who has ever felt alone, broken, and wanting to pick the pieces up. 

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​Q2. Tell us a bit about your blog, who your audience is, and your purpose for writing?
My blog is a mix of serious posts about suicide, postpartum depression, grief and essential oil recipe posts.  After writing my article on youth suicide, I’m seriously considering writing my own national suicide prevention program.  A lot of school districts take the stance of, “it won’t happen in our community,” and then the worst happens.  With all the anti-bullying and anti-drug programs out there, I truly believe that a formal suicide prevention program should go hand in hand with the other programs.  

My audience is just about anyone who has ever felt alone, broken, and wanting to pick the pieces up.  I also hope that parents and families are reading about ways to prevent suicide.  I have to be honest, my purpose for writing wasn’t very clear in the beginning, but I have a true purpose now.  My purpose for writing is to raise awareness of risk factors, signs, and prevention of suicide.

Q3. What’s your favourite blogging ‘tool’?
Definitely Canva, I wouldn’t be able to blog without it.  It helps to create all my images.

Q4. What helps you stay motivated and focused to keep up with the demands of blogging?
Scheduling everything, writing to do lists, and having a very supportive family who knows when I’m working.

​Q5. How has your life changed since starting your blog?
I feel freer, like a load has been lifted off my back.  I have a fire in me now to make a real change in this world

Q6. What is the best piece of advice you could give to someone who is considering starting their own blog?   
The hardest part is staying motivated and the technical side but don’t give up. Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint.

Q7. What are your short-term (next few months) and long-term (1-3 years) goals for your blog?
Short-term is to keep raising awareness and pumping out quality content.  Long-term would be to write a national suicide prevention program, book, and run the blog as a portion of my life coaching website, where I would help families in need.

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Q8. Do you have a particular motto that you live by or a favourite quote? 
“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone” by Harriet Beecher Stowe. 

​When my Nan died suddenly, I tattooed that quote on my arm.  When Jessie died, my tattoo artist designed a beautiful piece for me and my sister with her name.  I’ve never been driven or passionate about anything in my life besides my kids.  Now I feel like I have to fight for every kid in this country.  To realize their worth and self love, these qualities will help you through the day.

Thank you so much Heather for letting me tell my story!!!

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Thank you for sharing your story, Connie! I appreciate your ability to share the losses you have endured but also the inspiration you have gained through these experiences to help others through your own blog. We definitely share the same passion for wanting to help others, especially those who are going through really tough struggles and may not feel able to reach out for help. 

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If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties related to mental health or feeling as though you may harm yourself or others, please reach out for more help. There are lots of resources in local communities as well as professional supports available so that you don't have to be alone with these concerns. 

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