“I proposed to Yolanda Leak on October 26,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve only been together for a few months, but when you know, you just know. There’s no one else I need to date and no other waters that need to be tested. So getting engaged was the natural next step. I found my soulmate so… why wait? We will officially celebrate at the end of the month when I go out to Vegas to see her.”
On his future plans, he revealed, “My plans for the future include continuing to make my mental health Warrior @thigh_huggers for my followers. My Warrior silkies were borne from the simple idea that mental illness shouldn’t be something we hide from, but rather something we fight with our head held high.”
“Most of my social media followers follow me because I’ve been vocal about my struggles with anxiety over the years. My Warrior silkies make a bold statement that those of us struggling with mental illness aren’t victims, but warriors. And we are going to fight this disease every inch of the way,” he said.
For Seiter, quarantine was a time of self-reflection. “During quarantine, I learned so much about myself. I learned that I need to stop waiting for life to be perfect before I allow myself to be happy. And I learned that peace can be found in chaos. As someone who struggles with OCD and anxiety, I had an unhealthy tendency to obsessive about everything needing to be in perfect order,” he said.
He continued, “Trying to make everything perfect just breeds greater anxiety anytime anything goes wrong. And that’s not a realistic way to live. During the pandemic, I learned to let go, to stop trying to micromanage the future, and to trust that the universe had a beautiful plan for me. Even if I couldn’t see it.”
“A big part of my recovery came with the help of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and the daily necessities of the pandemic, like finding a routine, creating structure, spending time with family, etc. It forced me to be okay with things not being certain. It forced me to give up control. And it forced me to be present. And that was transformative for me,” he elaborated.
For people struggling with mental health issues, he said, “Always be open about your struggles. Not only is it a cathartic process to vocalize how you feel when you’re anxious or depressed, but it also allows you to find and connect with other people who are also struggling in the same way. Building a network of people dealing with similar issues is paramount to recovery.”
“The absolute worst thing you can do is try to fight this fight alone, or to keep your feelings bottled inside. Doing so simply creates anxiety, then more anxiety about our anxiety, and we quickly find ourselves in a catch 22. So be open. You’d be surprised how many other people are dealing with the exact same issues you are,” he said.
With Thanksgiving coming up, he opened about what he is most thankful for this season. “I am thankful that I have been so open about my struggles, and that I have connected with other people dealing with the same things I am. Because of this, I am finally managing my anxiety and depression for the first time in my life. And I’m the happiest I’ve ever been,” he said.
“I am also thankful for my small yet strong network of family and friends who are always there for me, keeping me on the straight and narrow when I’m tempted to stray. Most importantly though, I’m happy to just be alive. If 2020 taught us anything, I think it taught us that,” he added.
To learn more about Josh Seiter, follow him on Instagram.
