Just Kacie Things

All my life, I've been drawn to journals, notebooks, blank paper of any kind! There’s something so invigorating to me about a blank page. Sometimes it feels like the most exciting thing in the world: wide open, full of potential, ready for me to pour every thought and dream into it. Other times, it feels like it’s staring back at me, daring me to be brilliant, to prove that I’m “good enough” to fill it. For a long time, I let that second feeling win. I’d buy pretty journals, open new Google Docs, even start projects with enthusiasm… only to stop when I felt like what I wrote wasn’t “good enough.” That blank page became less of an invitation and more of a test I thought I was failing. But lately, I’ve been trying to see it differently. That's kind of what this blog has become for me, in a way. A blank page is not a test. It’s a reset button. It’s proof that the past doesn’t get the final say and that every time I show up, I get a fresh start. When I remind myself of that, t...

Illustration from Kevin McNamara Sometimes I think my brain missed its calling as a DJ because it insists on playing the same songs on repeat—except the “songs” are just all the ways I’ve been awkward, embarrassing, or catastrophic in the last 24 hours. Or the last 24 years. (Yes, I’m still haunted by middle and high school.) Anxiety really is the gift that keeps on giving. And giving. And giving. So today, I thought I’d share with you my personal Greatest Hits Album: Overthinking Edition. Maybe you’ll recognize a few of the tracks on your own playlist (because misery loves company, right?). Track 1: What Did They Really Mean By That Text? (Acoustic Version) 🎸 Ah yes, the timeless classic. Someone texts “k” and suddenly my brain is convinced I’ve ruined the friendship, disrespected their family, and possibly started an international incident. (All over one letter! Imagine the power I wield.) Clearly the only reasonable response is to analyze every possible tone behind that singl...

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how messy life can feel sometimes—like your brain is a tangled-up ball of thoughts that no matter how hard you try, never seems to untwist. And while therapy and self-care routines are the best option in my opinion, there’s something almost magical about stepping outside and letting the world do some of the work for you. I recently spent some time wandering through the mountains of Montana and Wyoming, and it hit me just how powerful nature can be for mental health. There’s something about the quiet rustle of leaves, the rhythm of footsteps on a trail, and the smell of fresh air that seems to unstick all the thoughts jammed in your brain. Even if just for a moment, your worries shrink down to the size of a pebble on the shore. Grand Teton Mountain Range and Lake Taggert I think it’s the combination of movement, sunlight, and being completely present in a place that doesn’t demand anything from you. Nature doesn’t ask for your deadlines or your t...

I've been in and out of therapy over the years and when I decided to start this blog, I combed through my box of endless notebooks that are barely full with years worth of therapy notes, quotes, etc. Each of them reflects a different point in my life, (and a reminder that I'm really bad about finishing notebooks!) but the overall theme has remained the same: How do I get through these rough patches? Of course, nothing I wrote is particularly groundbreaking, but I like to add some personal examples to each thought of things that have really helped me. For example, a thought from last year was: " With dealing with depression, joy can feel hard to find. On the toughest days, it might seem like happiness is out of reach, but small moments of light are still possible. " Underneath this thought, I wrote " Coffee, sunshine, laughter, community, cheering on friends." Most of these are small things we take for granted, while the community and friendship is something ...