Sailor Brinkley Cook didn’t always understand how her mom stayed so positive.

In a recent interview with Westlake Malibu Lifestyle, the 28-year-old model spoke about experiencing anxiety and depression as a teenager and young adult. Back then, Christie Brinkley’s upbeat outlook felt very different from her own. Now that she’s older, Sailor has a better understanding of what her mom went through — and how hard she worked to find happiness.

“Mom has taught me that so clearly because she has this superpower of being able to take some of her darkest times and turn them into light through her own strength and tenacity,” she said.


Sailor Didn’t Always Understand Her Mom’s Optimism

Growing up, Sailor thought she and her mom were just different — Christie was naturally happy, and she wasn’t. While she was trying to make sense of her own feelings, her mother seemed to have it figured out.

“My mom’s absolute joy and joie de vivre made me think, how is she so happy all the time?” she recalled. “I thought that I was dealt a different set of cards and that I simply wasn’t as joyful as she was.”

That changed as Sailor got older and learned how difficult it could be to stay hopeful herself. She and Christie have grown closer, and she now credits her mom for something she couldn’t see as a child: making a good life even when things went wrong.

“She wasn’t this lucky girl for whom everything went right,” she said. “Lots of things didn’t go her way but she created this beautiful life from the ground up, and she persevered through the storms.”

Sailor also remembers how much other people’s kindness helped when she was struggling. Those interactions didn’t have to be big to matter, and they made her want to do the same for someone else.

“When I was having a terrible day, small acts of compassion would change the trajectory of my entire day,” she said. “I would absorb the kindness around me, and in turn, simply smile at someone.”

How Sailor Found Support for Depression and Anxiety

Sailor didn’t get through those years on her own. Along with the encouragement she got from family and friends, she had help from a psychiatrist — a part of her story she made sure to mention.

“I am so deeply grateful that I have the family, friends, the psychiatrist, and the support system that pulled me out of the dark place,” she said.

She’s also learned what helps her on a difficult day. Her “toolbox” includes simple routines, like getting outside for a walk or picking up coffee at her favorite neighborhood spot. Having a few familiar things to turn to is important to her, especially when life isn’t going as planned.

“When you need self-soothing, you go to it, especially during the tough times,” she explained.

Sailor said turning 28 brought a sense of relief she wants other young people to know is possible. Celebrating her birthday with Christie in France, she realized she was starting to feel more like herself. “I want to scream out from the rooftops to every young person growing up to HOLD ON – and get through the fire,” she said. “We are figuring things out in our 20s, but there is relief around the corner.”



Source link