Even strong people need support sometimes.
I remember a time when I was going through so much that I truly thought I would break. We had gone through our 4th or 5th failed adoption, and we had to put our beloved dog of 16 years to sleep due to an extremely fast-growing cancer that gave us just days to figure out what to do (and there was no treatment possible).
I am a person who tries to always see the bright side of things. I always look for the lesson. I always believe that even bad things are leading me to something better.
But, in that moment, I hit rock bottom. My faith shattered. My heart was broken in a way I felt was permanent. I had picked myself up and brushed myself off so many times, and I truly felt in that moment that I could not do it again. The weight of the sorrow of all of that loss was overwhelming.
Life is rough sometimes. You can still find happiness.
Let's just be real; choosing happiness can seem like a tall order, given the state of the world right now. So, when I talk about choosing happiness, let me be clear: what I mean is that you are choosing to find moments of joy, love, acceptance, and peace inside yourself, even with everything going on.
Believe me, I get myself in knots over all the pain in the world. I speak up on injustice when I see it. I worry over the wellbeing of literally everyone in the whole world. I bet you do, too.
It's seriously overwhelming. And, if I didn't take a moment to pull back, to disconnect, to recenter myself into my own reality, I would be completely burnt out (and I know of what I speak, because I've done it).
Toxic Spirituality: Why "Forgive and Forget" Can be the Worst Kind of Gaslighting
Have you been told that you should just “be nicer” to someone who was abusive to you? Or that you are a bad person if you don’t want to accept someone back into your life after they’ve made decisions that were hurtful to you?
I’m over it. You should have healthy boundaries. People should be held accountable for the harm they have done. You are a good person if you can’t forgive someone.
Creating Your Mental Survival Kit: Getting Through a Crisis and Staying Strong, Positive, and Increasing Your Immune Response Through Happiness and Connection
You’ve got your toilet paper. You’ve got your groceries. You’re (hopefully) in a safe place. You are doing social distancing and washing your hands. You’ve done what you can for your physical survival.
But have you thought about how you get through this pandemic mentally? Have you considered what you need to be able to stay positive, focused, and emotionally well?
Here is my seven-step guide to creating your Mental Survival Kit to get through any crisis - even a pandemic - and come out stronger, happier, and more well.