To the Women Who Keep Going:
A Mental Health Awareness Month Reflection

May is Mental Health Awareness Month — and at kismet + sage, we’re holding space for the women who carry so much and still manage to keep going.

We see you.  I see you.

We see the ones who fear they’ll never be able to run a business while carrying the weight of invisible struggles. The ones who decline invites or silently hope plans get canceled — not because you don’t care, but because simply leaving the house feels overwhelming and exhausting.

We see the women who want to feel beautiful, even when their mind tries to convince them otherwise.

This post is for you.

My Story with Mental Health

For me, mental health isn’t a trend or a hashtag — it’s a lifelong battle. I live with major depressive disorder, complex PTSD (C-PTSD), and AuDHD. And I’ve spent years pushing through the things most people never see:  the trauma, grief, overstimulation, and absolute self-hatred — due to a mind that told me I wasn't enough.

There were times when life felt like moving through a fog — everything heavy, dark, and numb.  And other times, it felt like quick sand.  Not just heavy, dark, and numb — Unable to escape the feeling that life would be whatever “normal” looks like.  I’ve healed from the weight of physical abuse, but I still carry the pain of losing my aunt to homicide. That kind of loss changes you forever.

Why I Created kismet + sage

This brand isn’t just about clothes.

kismet + sage is my way of reclaiming beauty, softness, and strength — after years of feeling broken. It’s a space for women like me — like you — to feel seen, supported, and safe.

kismet + sage isn’t just a lifelong dream. It’s my light.

It’s for the inner child, that little girl who was laughed at while standing at the chalkboard because she transposed numbers.

For the grown woman who believed she was stupid because no one ever explained her brain to her.

That woman — me — now runs a business on her own terms. And I’ve learned that just because my life looks different doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

Mental Health Doesn’t Always Look Like You Think

Sometimes, it looks like showing up with a smile when your heart is breaking.
Sometimes, it’s brushing your teeth — and calling that a win.
Sometimes, it’s chasing your dreams while carrying a weight that no one else can see.

I know what it feels like to move through a world that wasn’t built for your brain, your pace, or your pain — and to keep going anyway.  Sometimes with a clenched jaw barely able to breath.

To the Woman Reading This: You Are Not Alone

If you’ve ever felt like you’re too much or not enough…

If you’re doing your best to make it through the day…

If you’re healing from what no one else sees…

I see you.

You are NOT too much. You are NOT broken.

You are powerful, even on the days when you don’t feel like it.

Let’s Make Space — Together

This month — and every month — let’s make space for honesty, healing, and honoring our journeys in all their mess, strength, and truth.

Because feeling beautiful starts on the inside.

And at kismet + sage, we’re walking that journey right beside you. I will walk beside you.

Love + Light Always!

Warmly,

Lindsay