Most of the time, I don't feel like a strong person.
But, you know, I've overcome a lot. I fight a lot of it every single day.
This isn't always a good thing.
I've nearly perfected pressing down and ignoring things I don't want to deal with immediately...or at all. It's a lot of work.
Recently, something came up and I finally decided to acknowledge it instead of putting it back in my emotional closet. (Okay okay...I was "strongly encouraged" to deal with it by those close to me.)
So for the last several days I've been down. Okay, for the last almost a week I've been feeling down.
Really down.
No appetite, lay in bed all day, cry at random levels of down.
Basically, I spent a few days letting my depression win. At first, the guilt started to creep in...How can I tell people to #AlwaysKeepFighting if I give up?
So I reframed my thinking.
I took a rest day.
Any good exercise plan, from bodybuilding to marathon training, will include a rest day. Taking time to rest is when your muscles heal.
After years upon years of repressing and fighting, I needed a rest day. I needed to stop showing how strong I am and just feel for a change.
I'll be honest: It sucked. It still sucks. It hurts and it's hard. I've had to go back to fighting and repressing because, frankly, I still have to function.
I tell you this semi-personal story (do I even have those anymore?) to let you know it's okay to take time to feel things. You're going to feel weak. You're going to feel stupid. (Or maybe that's just me?) But it's okay. No one is 100% strong 100% of the time. Even competitive bodybuilders take rest days.
But, you know, I've overcome a lot. I fight a lot of it every single day.
This isn't always a good thing.
I've nearly perfected pressing down and ignoring things I don't want to deal with immediately...or at all. It's a lot of work.
Recently, something came up and I finally decided to acknowledge it instead of putting it back in my emotional closet. (Okay okay...I was "strongly encouraged" to deal with it by those close to me.)
So for the last several days I've been down. Okay, for the last almost a week I've been feeling down.
Really down.
No appetite, lay in bed all day, cry at random levels of down.
Basically, I spent a few days letting my depression win. At first, the guilt started to creep in...How can I tell people to #AlwaysKeepFighting if I give up?
So I reframed my thinking.
I took a rest day.
Any good exercise plan, from bodybuilding to marathon training, will include a rest day. Taking time to rest is when your muscles heal.
After years upon years of repressing and fighting, I needed a rest day. I needed to stop showing how strong I am and just feel for a change.
I'll be honest: It sucked. It still sucks. It hurts and it's hard. I've had to go back to fighting and repressing because, frankly, I still have to function.
I tell you this semi-personal story (do I even have those anymore?) to let you know it's okay to take time to feel things. You're going to feel weak. You're going to feel stupid. (Or maybe that's just me?) But it's okay. No one is 100% strong 100% of the time. Even competitive bodybuilders take rest days.
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