Becoming Unsinkable
When I started struggling with my mental health in 2013, Unsinkable did not exist. When I had my first major panic attack, I thought I had lost my mind forever. I had no idea what to do. I was terrified. Completely consumed in darkness. A prisoner in my own mind. I had severe anxiety every single moment of the day for 6 months. Even when the constant panic became less frequent, I lived in fear of the next panic attack. I searched the internet for answers, determined to figure out “what was wrong with me”. It wouldn’t be until 2020 that I figured out there was nothing wrong with me.
In 2018, during maternity leave with my second daughter, I met Silken Laumann. We began working on an idea to connect and empower humans through the power of story – to find a way to share the incredible experiences of everyday people. Our creative chemistry was like a firecracker. Her dream of creating digital impact on the mental health of people across the country quickly became my dream as well. And so, we dreamt; we drew, we plotted, we riffed, we scrapped bad ideas for better ones, we scrapped better ideas for phenomenal ones.
And in 2019, we launched Unsinkable.
An organization that would reach over 40 million people across the globe in just two years.
But the numbers aren’t what’s important to me. What’s important to me is the change I’ve seen in the lives of people we’ve worked with. Including my own. I came to Unsinkable full of heart; eager to change lives, help people, and build something amazing. But I also came to Unsinkable with a big dark hole that I could never seem to fill. Not with accomplishments, with possessions, with praise, or even with love from the people in my life. I was ashamed of my past. Where I came from. I had a difficult childhood and for my entire life, I felt like that defined me. I was afraid for people to find out. For people to really see me. For them to see me differently.
It wasn’t until I started working with the community at Unsinkable that I started to feel like maybe there was nothing wrong with me. That I would be OK. Unsinkable was my catalyst for change. The people, the stories, and Silken. They all inspired me to own my story. To stand proudly in my adversity. To wear it like a badge. To do my work. Go to therapy. Be accountable for myself. Be curious about my behaviours. Accept my flaws. Fly with my strengths.
I haven’t had a panic attack in over two years. I still go to therapy. I probably always will. I hope I always will. Creating, building, launching, running, and growing Unsinkable has taught me more than I could ever explain. It’s changed my entire life. It’s changed how I raise my children and how they will raise their children. We are talking generational evolution here, people. I have learned that it doesn’t matter where we come from – it matters where we decide we want to go. It matters that we show up. For ourselves and for the people we love.
I have learned that people who struggle with their mental health are fucking amazing. Truly, the people I’ve had the honour of working with here are some of the most inspiring, badass people this world has in it. You know who you are. Your stories have helped me become the version of myself that was hiding underneath the pain. A version of myself that I can sit comfortably with. A version of myself that I actually love and LIKE a lot. A version of myself that I am proud of. A version of myself that is ENOUGH.
I did not come to Unsinkable as this version of myself. And as I prepare to leave my role at Unsinkable, I am solid. This was never just a job to me; it was a way of life. Unsinkable was the blood in my veins and the magic in my soul for four years. But as I move on, I know that it will always be a part of me. Your stories will always be a part of me. Intertwined in my story. In how I changed the course of my life and the lives of future generations.
This is not goodbye. It’s saying hello to a new chapter. A new chapter with one incredibly sturdy foundation made from the best healing ingredients a human could ask for. I look forward to continuing to grow and evolve with this community. Sharing stories, connecting over pain, and learning from our collective resilience.
With eternal gratitude, Christine Bays
Unsinkable Storytelling Author: Christine Bays