Balance motivates me to give … just because: Meet @audriana

Member Spotlights feature interviews with fellow Connect members. Learn more about members you’ve connected with and some you haven’t met yet. Nominate a member you think should share the spotlight.

TERESA: What brought you to Mayo Clinic Connect? 

@audriana: in general, I rely on Mayo Clinic as a reliable resource for current and accurate information. For years, I've asked my behavioral health providers to establish a support group, unfortunately to no avail. So when I discovered Mayo Clinic Connect, it was serendipity.

TERESA: What motivates you to take part in the patient community?

@audriana: My motivation to participate in the community is based on the principle “birds of a feather flock together.” I find individuals who are supportive, empathetic, and knowledgeable.

There is a sense of integrity, confidentiality, and trust. I appreciate the positive feedback and, because the group is moderated, I don’t feel I’ll be verbally attacked if there is a disagreement.

I want to step out of the shadows, acknowledge that I have a myriad of disorders that affect my physical health and that of my brain's health. Yet, I am a good person, a compassionate person, a person with Time & Talent (TnT) and I want to interact with humanity and nature because God has given me a purpose to live.

TERESA: What groups do you participate in?

@audriana: I participate in the Neuropathy and Sleep Health support groups, but focus mainly on the Depression & Anxiety support group.

TERESA: Tell us about a meaningful moment on Mayo Clinic Connect. 

@audriana: I feel the moment that fellow member @clutch acknowledged that I had succeeded before and pointed out that I deserved to pursue overcoming the obstacles I was encountering was an important turning point for me and my mental health. When I had cancer in 2006, I had support from my family and friends. Getting that degree of support to treat my depression is just as important.

TERESA: What surprised you the most about Mayo Clinic Connect?

@audriana: I appreciate the variety of answers and comments are fair & balanced and sometimes unexpected, offering options that wouldn’t have occurred to me.

TERESA: What energizes you, or how do you find balance in your life?

@audriana: Balance is difficult for me to maintain because I have so many chronic health issues that affect my mental and physical wellness and my everyday life from pain, thinking, mood, chores, social-interactions. As my depression kicks in gradually, I can tell I’m shutting down and withdrawing. The balance of body, mind, and spirit are important to me. When I begin to experience a sense of “awakening,” I feel I have a moral obligation to take advantage of what energizes me. That often involves being creative, gardening, writing, learning, teaching, or advocacy work.

TERESA: Tell us about your favorite pastime or activity.

@audriana: I have a vast list of interests. I’d like to think I’m a Renaissance woman. My favorite activity is floral arranging. I used to participate in craft shows, so I still have a stash of craft supplies. My husband suggested that rather than “throwing your stuff away, make your decorations and give them away. That way, when you feel like making something, use up your stuff and give gifts just because.”

This past autumn, I decorated 12 cinnamon brooms, several wreaths, and a bunch of little arrangements. Plus, I really enjoy making miniature fairy gardens with succulents. They live forever.

TERESA: Do you have a favorite quote, life motto or personal mantra?

@audriana: It’s a tie between two favorite quotes:

“To thine ownself be true.” from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet
“This too shall pass.” Abraham Lincoln

TERESA: What food can you simply not resist?

@audriana: Dark chocolate-coated sponge candy.

TERESA: If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see cast as you?

@audriana: Bette Midler because she is musically inclined and full of “Hocus Pocus.” And in her words, “sometimes we share the wind beneath our wings.”

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