Katie Simpson

I went on a date last week. We had drinks, we chatted — an overall good night. At the end he asked me, “Do you want to go somewhere?” I said “sure,” thinking it was just a walk.

A part of me gets it. If you’ve never had any mental illness, who wants to date a crazy person? Many people think of mental illness in extremes and stereotypes, i.e., depressed people never get out of bed or those with OCD will never leave the bathroom.

What about the almost 30% of Americans who aren’t Christian? Speaking as a Jew, it can be an awkward time, especially with school concerts, holiday parties, and all the ways Christmas permeates December.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness month. Unfortunately, you probably know someone who has been sexually assaulted. 1 out of 6 American women are survivors of attempted or completed rape. It’s not just women: 1 out of 33 men are survivors as well.

Easier said than done, and the statement is true: people are often very selfish or self-centered. They do things to prop themselves up or feel better about themselves. If we can take the time to step back, see that what’s going on isn’t about us. It’s really about them and their ego.

Yet cats are more than awesome companions: By nature, they show many great self-care tips, especially for women.