Sometimes all it takes is another video addressing it being Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month to give someone like me pause in anything else I was doing.

The short answer I gave is that every day is a constant dance between glimmers and triggers in my life. Sometimes the triggers win a bit more, but nowhere near making a permanent choice you can’t come back from.

Not anymore, anyway.

There are a series of changes that will be coming to my own work environment soon, which tie into several things that I have control of. The other ones that I don’t yet part of me thinks I should, that sticks sometimes.

It’s gone as far as thinking to my current class and whether I’m taking it as a distraction from coming back to writing like I used to? I’ve confirmed that each has their time and place that I can give them, because I deserve the down time.

I am filled with reminders of how I have become more aware of my highs and lows.

My drives and commitments.

My energy and who deserves it.

So there will be lulls in writing as there have been in recent months. But I love that after coming here for over a year when I can’t speak to a professional or a trusted friend until a certain time, I have this.

An open record of proof that that I’m doing and have done my best, and will only go up from here.

• Kingston Priest