Yesterday at VOX, we held an event called Mind Matters, which was part of my personal project focused on raising awareness about the importance of mental health and well-being. During the event, we discussed different ways to take care of ourselves, the importance of being brave enough to ask for help, and how we can support people who are struggling with their mental health.
Before the event, I was really stressed about whether everything would go as planned. I knew how important and sensitive this topic was, and I really wanted to make sure that people could learn something valuable from it. But as soon as people started arriving, I suddenly felt a sense of relief, and I just knew that everything was going to be fine. I also received so much support from everyone, especially my ABS friends, which meant a lot to me.
Throughout the event, the participants were really engaged, and I could genuinely feel that they wanted to learn new things and take part in the discussions. We did several activities, including one where I asked everyone to write down one thing that helps them the most when they feel stressed or anxious. Then I collected all the sticky notes and put them on a flipchart, creating a big board full of different ideas and coping strategies. It was a simple activity, but it showed us how many different ways there are to deal with the same feelings and how much we can learn from one another.
One of my main goals was to encourage people to talk openly about mental health without feeling ashamed of it, and honestly, I feel like I achieved that. The participants were willing to share their thoughts and personal experiences with the whole group, and we had plenty of space for open discussions. Seeing people feel comfortable enough to speak up and listen to one another was one of the most rewarding parts of the event.
I really hope that everyone who joined us yesterday left with something valuable, whether it was a new perspective, a better understanding of themselves, or simply the feeling that they are not alone. And if, in some small way, this event helped even one person, then it was already worth it.
Because remember: you never truly know what someone else might be going through. :)
This article is created by Martyna Miera - participant in the ESC Project 2026-1-BG01-ESC51-VTJ-000401449 in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, co-funded by the Bulgarian National Agency of Erasmus+ Program Human Resource Development Centre.
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