Lately I have been feeling so very lonely, unseen, and unheard. I decided that I wanted to start writing again, to really focus on my blog and to be authentic and vulnerable. I started being real, with myself and with those around me, telling how I really feel, and how my life really is. Do you know what happened? Once I put myself out there and started being authentic? Well let’s just say that I no longer feel so alone. I have people praying for me, coming up to me and asking how I am doing, and telling me to let them know how they can help, and so many have said to me, “me too!”. I’m not the only one who deals with life issues, with depression, anxiety, and chronic health issues. When I put myself out there and became real with those I interact with, not only do they feel seen and heard, but I feel seen and heard, and far less lonely. I feel seen and heard with just two small words, “me too”.
In writing this, I have realized that somewhere in my 42+ years of life I have learned to feel shame in reaching out for support and admitting that I am not ok. I was taught that admitting I’m not ok, in reaching out and asking for help, that I was attention seeking and selfish. It wasn’t until I saw a Facebook post that said we, as a society, need to learn to look at those reaching out and speaking about their issues, not as attention seeking but as support seeking, that I realized that I can talk about how I really am and that I can be authentic. Brene Brown, a shame researcher and licensed social worker, says that when we speak out about what we are ashamed of, will it begin to loosen its grip on us. Now hear me clearly here. I am not saying that we should go out and shout our lives from the rooftops and tell everybody everything. We must be prayerfully selective about what we share and who we share it to. There will be people who will take what I say and use it against me as ammunition if I’m not careful. And there are always those people who will say that I shouldn’t be talking about any of it. They believe that we should always appear perfect and put together. Newsflash! None of us or perfect or completely put together. These thoughts of keeping it all inside and never talking about it is detrimental to our health. It is silencing those who may be able to say “me too”, and it cuts off the relationships and support that we may have, and need desperately, that can help us through the tough times. Being authentic, being the person that God made me to be, taking off my mask and showing my real self, is extremely important, and it is extremely freeing. Don’t you realize how exhausting it is to constantly be wearing a mask?
Since I have decided to be more authentic in life I have realized that I feel so much better, both mentally/emotionally and physically. I’m still struggling, but it is so much better than it was when I was trying to pretend to be ok and wear my mask at all times. I feel so free, and I feel like I’m not alone anymore. I hope my words have encouraged you to take off your mask and be more authentic.
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