Just snap out of it....

Everyone's well intended words.....just snap out of it. It's not that easy, and if it was no one would suffer from a mental illness. The last words you say to someone who is struggling is just snap out of it!  There have been many things over the past few months that have made me want to pull the covers over my head and call it a day before 8:00 am.  Life is hard for everyone whether they want to admit it or not. Everyone struggles and life isn't perfect.  I've been reminded of this in sad ways the past month. In the book we read in small group, we read about gratitude. About being specific with our gratitude,  being grateful in good times and in bad times.  I truly believe we are better equipped to handle the small problems when we face the bigger problems with a sense of gratitude. There is always something to be thankful for.  Some of the hardest times for me are when I am struggling and I tend to get in the mindframe of why me? Enough is enough or I'm not strong enough. That is the devil talking. While I would be the first in line to cure my mental illness, that is not possible so I choose to give thanks. I thankful for Sean who has learned to be a caretaker and whose constant and steadfast love has never waivered. I'm thankful for our children who think I'm great and funny on good and bad days. Our children are more loving and accepting because of this. I'm thankful for our village for without them our family wouldn't function.  I'm thankful for my best friend who wants to know everything- the good, the bad and the ugly- and she shoots me straight and always has the right thing to say. Most of all, I'm thankful for the strength I have found by sharing my story. Putting myself out there and sharing my most personal struggles was very hard, but I am so thankful I did because I have had at least a dozen women reach out to me to tell me they too suffer but do so in silence. I'm thankful because I have a great opportunity to make a change- change the way people look at mental illness and change the lives of other women by sharing my struggles and offering hope.  So,  I guess you could say I am thankful for my mental illness. It has shown me a strength I never knew I had and it has given me a platform to raise awareness, provide support and make a change.  Most of all I am ankful that God has put the right doctors, therapist and medicines in place that has made it possible for me to be on the road to remission!

"Give thanks in all circumstance for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18-19

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