Conversations with the Inspiring Brittany Joseph

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Joseph.

Brittany, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It’s actually a funny story. I’ve had anxiety for as long as I can remember and it slowed me down in a lot of ways. I started and stopped college a few times, it took me a while to get my degree but I eventually did. I graduated with an English degree and a writing concentration. Once I moved from Boston to Denver, I began freelance writing, while bartending and serving on the side. Eventually, I stopped freelancing and I think it scared me a little bit. I felt like I had to keep my foot in the door or else I’d never get another writing job again. I suffered from severe anxiety over this for quite a bit of time. Writing has always been a major outlet for me when I’m experiencing any kind of mental issue. So, I wrote a story about a young fish who had anxiety, without realizing it was a story about myself at the time but in the form of a fish. That was how the children’s book ‘Anxious Little Pishy’ came to be. I sent a copy over to my brother who is an amazing artist and he illustrated the entire thing. It started off as something we were just doing for fun. Once we realized we could actually help young children and make a difference, we put our full effort into getting it into the public eye and into the hands of children everywhere.

Has it been a smooth road?
It most certainly has not been the smoothest road. We have luckily had major support from friends and family but hearing the word “no” has become pretty commonplace. Our book is either looked at as a huge milestone in the world of mental health or as too niche. Right now, it doesn’t seem like there is an in-between. It leaves you with the realization that if you believe in the message you’re trying to get across, you really have to keep on trying. I think I relate to this feeling closely because it happened to me as a kid and if there had been a book like this, I know for a fact I would have felt less alone in my struggle. There are absolutely moments where you feel discouraged and want to stop. I don’t think I’m in any position to give advice because I feel like I’m constantly continuing to learn what I need to do in order to make this book succeed. The only advice I can confidently give any woman, especially young women, is to start as soon as you have an idea you believe in. Keep knocking on the door, no matter how many times it’s closed in your face or not opened at all. If you’re feeling exhausted and you need to take a break for a few days, take the break! Everyone needs to put the dream down for a day or two, just as long as you pick it back up.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Anxious Little Pishy story. Tell us more about it.
Well, I guess you can say I’m a children’s book author! Anxious Little Pishy is my first book but I am so proud of it and the message it carries. I am most proud of the fact that this book can provide an outlet for children who struggle with anxiety. Some of the reviews have brought me to tears. One little girl sleeps with it under her pillow, another told her mom she would be brave like Little Pishy, the list goes on. I think what sets us apart from other books is how relatable the character is but how uncommon the theme of the book is. She is a young fish who has to cope with day to day life and a lot of those regular, daily, activities make her feel uneasy. Usually, kids’ books focus on major events they have to deal with, but Little Pishy focuses on simple things like raising your hand in class or even having to stand at the bus stop alone. The amount of children suffering from the same feeling is astronomical and not enough people are paying attention to it. I think we’re breaking into a world that makes a lot of adults uncomfortable and it’s forcing them to look at the world from their children’s eyes. It’s making them ask themselves “Okay, how can I help my child feel more comfortable in their own skin and communicate with me?” This book helps open up the conversation about feelings, any and all of them. I’ve noticed it myself when I’m doing readings. During the readings, when we get to a particular part in the book, asking questions like “Do you ever feel like Little Pishy?” or “How does that make you feel?” can be major eye-openers for kids and the adults in their life. I’m just happy I can open a door for that bond to be shaped between a parent and their child, or a teacher and their pupil, or even friends who have read the book.

Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
Absolutely. Just growing up with severe anxiety, in general, has taught me so many things. It really is something that can either take you out at the knees, or you can stand up and fight it. Some days were, and are harder than others but because I had to climb a mental wall almost every day as a young girl, I have become a much more confident, compassionate, and logical person overall. Anxiety feels like your mind is playing tricks on you and you have to calm yourself down and be your own hero. Whether that means walking through a classroom door or simply having an uncomfortable conversation with someone, you learn about yourself in a way no one else can teach you.

Pricing:

• Anxious Little Pishy paperback $11.99
• Anxious Little Pishy hardcover $19.99
• Anxious Little Pishy on Kindle $8.99
• Available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Contact Info:

• Website: WWW.Anxiouslittlepishy.com
• Phone: 720.503.6697
• Email: Chris@TheMischiefTheory.com
• Instagram: @anxious_little_pishy
• Facebook: @littlepishy

Image Credit:
Daniel Ferg

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