☕ Coffee with Luke – “The Brew Beneath the Surface”
Let me start with a truth I used to be afraid to say out loud: mental health isn’t just something I care about—it’s something I live with every single day.
People often see me with a coffee in hand, a camera slung over my shoulder, maybe a cheeky grin on my face. But what they don’t see is the internal work, the quiet battles, and the courage it takes just to show up—sometimes even for the smallest things.
This episode’s not about a bench, or a walk, or a photo I took. It’s about what happens behind my eyes and under my skin. It’s about living with an invisible storm, and learning not just how to survive it, but how to grow inside it.
🧠 Diagnosis, but Not Definition
When I was officially diagnosed with an intellectual disability last year, it wasn’t a shock—but it was a moment. A moment where my whole life made a little more sense. The struggles, the overwhelm, the way my brain processes things a bit differently. The anxiety. The self-doubt. The noise that never really turns off.
But here’s the thing: a diagnosis doesn’t define me—it just gives me language for the journey. It gave me tools, support, and most importantly, it gave me permission to stop pretending everything was easy when it wasn’t.
I’ve had days where I couldn’t get out of bed. Days where even choosing what to wear felt like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces. And I’ve had days where I felt proud just for speaking up in a room where I used to stay silent.
That’s growth. And growth is messy.
🧘♂️ Therapy, Tears, and Tiny Wins
Working with Max and Jodi, my psychologist, has been like turning on a light in a room I didn’t know I was living in. She never rushes me. She never talks at me. She walks with me. Every session peels back a layer of shame or confusion or fear. And sometimes, it’s exhausting.
But it’s also freeing.
We talk about the pressure to “keep it together.” We talk about my thoughts spiraling when I feel misunderstood or overwhelmed. We talk about the weight of trying to mask things just to “fit in.”
And we celebrate the wins: saying how I really feel, letting myself cry, giving myself permission to rest, setting boundaries even when it’s awkward.
Sometimes, the biggest victory of the week is just saying “I need help” and not apologizing for it.
🧩 Piecing It Together
There’s this myth that people with disabilities are either inspirational heroes or helpless. But most of us live somewhere in between—we’re complex, resilient, emotional humans doing our best. And yes, that includes me.
I’m not here to say mental health is easy. It’s not. But I am here to say that it’s okay to talk about it, to ask questions, to take medication, to go to therapy, to not have it all together.
I’ve built a team around me—Amelia, George, Jodi, Dr. Hall, Travis, Jake—and every single one of them helps me hold the pieces when they feel too heavy on my own. That’s not weakness. That’s community. That’s bravery.
💬 Luke’s Thought of the Day
“You don’t have to be ‘fine’ to be worthy of love, respect, or belonging. You just have to be real. And that starts with being real with yourself.”
If your brain’s been noisy lately—if your heart feels tired—just know you’re not alone. Even if it feels like it. There’s nothing wrong with needing help. There’s nothing broken about you. There’s nothing weak about feeling things deeply.
So today, grab your coffee, sit with yourself a little longer, and try to be gentle. That’s the real work. That’s the real courage.
Until next time,
Luke ☕🧠💛
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