After going through a struggle with her mental health, Lynn Rae discovered the seven things — she calls them the seven Fs — she said everyone needs in life.
The seven Fs are family, friends, fun, fitness, fulfillment, finances and faith.
“Years ago I realized we all need these Fs in our life,” said Rae, who is giving a presentation on Tuesday at the Newmarket Public Library. “I was struggling with a serious mental illness and once I got all these Fs in my life, my mental illness — it didn’t disappear but I learned to manage it.”
In 1996, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She said she struggled with it for about 10 years before things came together.
At first Rae said she didn't open up to people about her mental illnesses but over time she realized it's important to do that and get support wherever you can.
“When I was first diagnosed with depression when I was 30, I didn’t tell anybody. But then when I had a breakdown, I just started talking,” she said.
She also realized early on in her own journey that she wanted to help others.
“I knew from the first breakdown, when I got healthy, that I wanted to help other people,” she said.
Even when Rae's illness kept her from working full time, she would still go out and volunteer where she could.
“Volunteer work and helping others has always been in my blood,” she said.
As she began getting better, she started doing public speaking engagements to talk about her recovery. It was through that process that she first came up with the seven Fs. Originally she made a speech about them but then realized she could expand it to a book.
In 2007, Rae originally wrote The F Book and self-published it. She recently re-published it to make it an even better book. Her goal is to help people, whether they are dealing with mental health or not.
“I just want other people to know no matter what struggles they’re facing, they can overcome them,” she said.
She has also started working as a success coach. She has put together a nine-session program that follows her book and an added exercise book for participants to work through. They will also talk about how each F has impacted their life and changes they can make.
“My goal is to help them have a healthier, happier, more joy-filled life — just what I was looking for 15 years ago and I found it,” she said.
Working as a success coach is a big step for her and working full time at all is a big accomplishment. Rae said when she was struggling with her mental health, she had to take time off of work and two different psychiatrists told her she wouldn't ever be able to work full time.
“That was devastating,” she said. “I knew one day I would prove them wrong.”
She is offering a discount to the first client who signs up from sharing her story in NewmarketToday.
On Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m., Rae is giving a 40-minute inspirational talk, sharing her story and the seven Fs. The event is free and registration is not required.
Rae said she wants to book more speaking engagements in Newmarket, where she has lived for 24 years. She spent time in the town as a teenager and said after her marriage ended, she knew it was where she wanted to live, since she has a lot of happy memories here.
When she isn't focused on helping people, she said her other passion is her backyard vegetable garden.
