Turning 40 came with a few realizations that made me begin to do a lot more heart searching. And I have come to realize just how helpful this has been for my mental health.
In the past four to five years, I have come to appreciate the importance of speaking up, having conversations, sharing my thoughts, and being able to identify and express what I feel. Sometimes, we do not even realize how much we carry within us until we find the courage to talk about it.
I have learned that keeping everything inside is not always strength. Sometimes, strength is admitting that something hurts. Sometimes, it is finding the words to explain how we feel. Sometimes, it is allowing another person to listen without feeling the need to have all the answers.
We all have moments when life feels overwhelming. Moments when we struggle to make sense of our feelings, when we have questions we cannot answer, and when even the simplest things seem difficult. I also realized that sometimes, the hardest part is not just what we are going through, but having no one to talk to about it.
On this World Mental Health Day, I want to remind someone that you are not alone. Even when it feels like nobody understands, even when you cannot find the words to explain what is happening within you, and even when you are struggling to find a reason to keep going, please do not give up on yourself.
If you have someone you can trust, talk to them. If you can, seek help. If you need to take a step back, breathe, and give yourself time to process what you are feeling, do that. You do not have to figure everything out in one day.
And to those who do not have anyone to talk to, those who are fighting silent battles, those who are trying so hard to hold themselves together, I pray that God will give you the grace to embrace whatever situation you are facing. May He give you strength for the days that feel too heavy, comfort in moments of loneliness, and the courage to seek the help and support you need.
Please keep on keeping on.
Mental health is just as important as physical health. We cannot separate the mind from the body and expect either to thrive while the other is neglected. We must learn to pay attention to ourselves, to listen to what is happening within us, and to understand that asking for help does not make us weak.
Sometimes, the beginning of healing is as simple as a conversation. At times it is an honest moment with ourselves. And then sometimes, it is simply deciding that, despite everything, we will give ourselves another chance.
You matter. Your feelings matter. Your mental health matters. And you do not have to carry everything alone.
Happy World Mental Health Day.
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