Be honest, have you ever blamed your mental health issues to stop you from growing and to keep yourself comfortable?
It's so tempting to stay comfortable. In comfortable clothes, in your comfort zone, add a few snacks and a warm blanket. But when growth doesn't happen your comfort zone can grow to be your own personal hell and you'll come to resent it. And we can't resent our safe haven now can we?
Often times, I've found myself making excuses for why I don't put myself out there and take more risks. And yes, it is true that my mental illnesses (particularly anxiety and a fear of everything that could go wrong and fear of rejection, success and failure...I could go on..) keep me way inside my head and less outward and action oriented. I've always been this way. There are many people I know who are constantly putting themselves out there without any issues and without even having a second thought about it. They do it for fun! But I'm not here to compare, I'm here to be aware of when I use my own mental health issues as a crutch or an excuse and take accountability for it.
It's tricky because often times when these issues are loud, I tend to them and tending to them usually means being quiet and gentle with yoga and some nice comedy shows and drinking lots of tea and water. Insert said blanket here. What I've found, is to be aware of when you are doing better than usual. When you're feeling balanced, good, hydrated, on top of your meditations. Extreme emotions as a result of mental illness ebb and flow. You will never ever truly feel ready to do something that scares you but it's easier to do it from a place of strength than say, right in the middle of a mental breakdown. Personally, these moments of strength usually come right AFTER a mental breakdown, once I've received clarity and messages from what it meant and how I can improve my life moving forward.
In the video above, (one of my favorite songs btw) Pharrell speaks the truest words, “the truth will set you free but first it will piss you off” and I couldn’t possibly relate to this more.
It’s a harsh realization when it finally sets in that you’re stagnant because you’re afraid of growing pains and change and not because your mental health issues are stopping you.
Make no mistake though, going through growing pains and change with mental illnesses is absolutely no picnic. It’s no picnic for anyone! But there’s a very big difference between pushing yourself past your comfort zone even while being afraid and struggling, and just staying the same and rotting away in your comfort zone.
The Universe favors those that take risks! And we've all heard it said that fortune favors the bold! I'm encouraging you to be brave so we can be brave together and create positive and long lasting change in our lives in order to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. Here's to new opportunities and thriving! Let's do it together.
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