Meet Amber Lambda

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amber Lambda a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Amber, sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

Unrealistic worries and paranoia. Racing thoughts. Breathing difficulties. Breaking down at the idea of interacting with people, when I just want to combust into a puddle on the floor.

From chilhood through adult life, I didn’t always have the words to explain it, but it’s always been there in different ways. My nemesis and yet somehow a part of me I couldn’t shake.

Anxiety.

Handling debilitating anxiety, especially in a home where others experience also experience various mental struggles and you want to help them too, isn’t easy. But throughout the years I’ve worked on understanding more about myself, signs that a panic attack are about to happen, and the things that most help me through.

One of the biggest distinctions I’ve held onto is that though I may have worries and panic, I am not made of worries and panic. This idea that separates me from the label is so important, and so powerful that oftentimes people don’t believe that I have this mental issue because of my optimism and bright personality. I’ve been compared to the human version of sunshine, and sunshine can’t be cloudy, right? And I think that’s why I’ve grown a compassion for speaking about mental illness, sharing what helps gives me this hope and sunshine, and encouraging others because I believe they can also overcome and overshadow their mental struggles.

Here are the top two things that have made the most impact in my anxiety-battling journey:

1. Jesus.

I cannot emphasize how much faith in Jesus has lifted me up from just becoming that pile of anxiety goo I could easily become. He holds my hand through all the storms, even the ones that I know seem like simple obstacles to others. He’s there to talk to, write to, sing to–however my feelings and words are coming out, I know He finds them beautiful. Knowing that He loves me and cares about every aspect of my life, down to each individual hair on my head is equally amazing and overwhelming in the best way. So even though my anxiety is big, especially some days more than others, I can rest in the fact that my Jesus is always bigger.

2. Writing.

This is the one that brought me here, and gives me the most space to encourage others while also fighting the battle myself. I’ve always been a writer–but I never really thought of it as being something besides a hobby until a few years ago. As a teenager I created comics and characters with angsty struggles and big hearts. They were a found family who lifted one another up and healed a little at a time, and I wasn’t sure if it was awesome or kinda crazy how much I loved them and how they healed me a little at a time, too.

Now, as a writer with an even bigger cast of characters, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s both awesome and crazy! As I write it’s funny how my characters’ stories still teach me things about myself, and how beautiful lessons and life parallels just sort of come together in ways that I didn’t even mean to write. And ironically it’s the anxiety and the imposter syndrome that keep me writing, because I know that there are readers out there who struggle with the same things I have and who need my characters’ stories, too.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Once I realized writing was my “thing” and followed that destiny, it still took me a while to find my niche in the writing world and what that really meant. I went from writing random short stories with silly lessons, to realizing more and more that what I really wanted to write were those same types of stories and characters that I needed as a teenager. Now I write about fictional young adults facing real-life situations like social anxiety, depression, changing friendships and family dynamics, and reality not turning into the original dreams they hoped for–always finding hope and light, and usually a little whimsy and kissing along the way.

I currently have two original novels available, as well as a collaborative novella I wrote with five author friends–because finding community in the writing realm is another way this writing adventure has helped me overcome different facets of anxiety.

Additionally, I am an editor and love to help other authors find the heart of their stories and their writing voice. I offer developmental (big picture) edits and line editing, and will be launching a line-editing course this winter,

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Three skills that have helped me along the way in both my anxiety and writing, have been knowing when to take a mental break, knowing when to keep pressing on despite not feeling it, and how to ask for help when you need it. Some things that have helped me grow in these skills are journaling my feelings, keeping to-do lists and goals, taking time for self-care, and keeping in touch with close friends who I know I can confide in and who will check in with me if I don’t seem like myself.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

My mom has always been my biggest supporter, fan, and hero. Even when she doesn’t understand or know what I might be feeling or going through, she’s always there to lend a shoulder and encourage me, buy my books, and tell everyone else about them!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/amberlambda
• Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/amberlambdawrites