Anxiety Meets Awesome

About Anxious But Awesome

Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. Mental illness hit me in my twenties like a freight train I didn't see coming. One day I'm living my life, the next day my brain's writing scripts I never auditioned for. Voices, paranoia, the whole damn package. And the worst part? Nobody talks about it. Everybody wants to whisper about mental illness like it's contagious or something.

So I went to therapy. Got on meds. Did the work. And somewhere between "am I losing my mind?" and "okay, I can manage this," I realized something: if I can laugh about it, I can live with it. And if I'm living with it, I might as well make some t-shirts about it.

That's how Anxious But Awesome was born. This isn't your typical "inspiration porn" mental health brand with sunsets and butterflies. This is for people who get it. People who've sat in a psychiatrist's office. People who know what it's like when your brain becomes your worst enemy. People who need to laugh because sometimes that's the only thing keeping you sane—or whatever version of sane we're working with today.

Every design here comes from a real place. The dark humor? That's survival. The witty one-liners? That's coping. The honest truth? That's solidarity. Because if you're wearing one of these shirts, you're part of a community that doesn't judge, doesn't whisper, and sure as hell doesn't pretend everything's fine when it's not.

Here's the other thing: I believe in putting money where my mouth is. A portion of every purchase goes to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), an organization that's been fighting for people like us since 1979. They do the real work—education, advocacy, support groups—the stuff that actually saves lives. Their values align with mine: normalize the conversation, provide resources, and make sure nobody fights this fight alone.

So when you buy a shirt from Anxious But Awesome, you're not just getting a damn good piece of apparel. You're supporting someone who's been in the trenches. You're funding real mental health programs. And you're telling the world, "Yeah, I struggle. And I'm awesome anyway."

Because you are. We are. Even on the days it doesn't feel like it.

Welcome to the club nobody wanted to join but everybody needs.

— Kris
Founder, Anxious But Awesome
Medicated. Motivated. Making a difference.