Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Talena Handley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Talena, 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.
This is an interesting question because in general, I would say that my outlook is pretty positive. However, my little brother battled with chronic depression for the last 8 years. That’s right, if you caught it, that is in past tense. The reason being is because he told me that he found peace, and chose to end his life in February of 2022.
There are so many people that are affected by mental health issues. It never ONLY affects the person personally experiencing it.
How did I overcome the pain of losing my brother? In short….I didn’t. I don’t think anyone can overcome something of this magnitude. I live with it. I do my best to remember him positively everyday. I do my best to let my tears flow whenever they pop up (even in public). I attempt to accept empathy and reject pity. I am doing my best to positively impact millions of people with what I have (my lifetime).
I did take a break. A break from my business and from “real life”. In the beginning I spent time with family and completing the necessary tasks when someone passes away. Then I ran away. I traveled for a couple months hoping to find some internal meditative state where I could sort out what happened and how I was going to survive. I can’t say I ever found those deep internal conversations I was looking for….maybe I’m not ready. I had a really hard time convincing myself to come “home”. I had some obligations to fulfill and when I did, I realized a new support in a community that I had been previously growing.
With support, I started growing my business and that has kept my mind and body active and busy. On the daily, I do my best to take good care of myself by drinking water, eating healthy, and getting ample sleep. I had to make a list of things that make me happy, and I make a conscious effort to do those things more often. I also do my best to reach out to loved ones when I am thinking of them. A simple text is usually enough (depending on the age of the loved one in mind).
“Overcome” does not seem to be the right word, maybe “cope” or “find purpose” would be words to define how I move forward after facing challenges surrounding mental health issues. Remember that if you’re feeling lonely, you are never actually alone. Reach out, sometimes we get busy and forget that we are merely human.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In the middle of Covid, I launched a business called Girlie Garage. This is my passion. The mission is to make women feel safer and more confident on the road. We do that by empowering them with knowledge. Girlie Garage offers automotive education and consulting.
Educational courses are available in person and online and cover topics like: basic automotive safety, basic automotive maintenance, how to navigate a mechanic, and emergency situations.
Consulting could be anything from a general automotive question, to receiving a second opinion on a shop quote (over the phone) in order to save money and learn about the repairs being recommended. We also help unstick DIY projects!
The first online-only course is set to launch by June 1st, 2023 called “How to Save $$ At The Mechanic”. This course is designed to help anyone be a bit more savvy in order to save money when taking your car in for repairs and maintenance.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I live my life by 3 mantras. They are not 100% true 100% of the time, but in general they keep me out of trouble:
People make time for the things that they want. If they are making excuses or not showing up, it is because they do not want to.
People don’t change. In general, if someone shows you their true colors, just listen.
It will all work out in the end. If it hasn’t worked out, then it is not the end.
I would say that honest and direct communication has been the number one factor in moving me forward and formulating and keeping relationships. It’s super scary to have the hard conversations, but when you do, the right people only respect you more for it.
It’s important to think about what causes your emotions to run high. Rather than lashing out, ask yourself what is ACTUALLY making you upset, then ask yourself and the others involved for changes to overcome the root problem.
You never know what someone else is going through, so be kind.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Collaboration in a country with 356 million people seems vital. Out of those 356 million, 227 million of them are licenses drivers. Out of the 227 million, only 756,000 are licensed mechanics. I want to work with collaborators who are passionate about helping others, education, automotive, and rising tides that lift all boats. I am always looking for mentorship, and I believe in the power of networks, and connecting good people to good people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://girliegarage.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girliegarage/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GirlieGarage1/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/girlie-garage/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/girliegarage
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girliegarage
