Category: Healing Not Healed

Trust the whispers of the body.

Question the yells of the mind.

Your body might whisper “sore legs” to which your mind might amplify to “TAKING THE WEEK OFF FROM EXERCISE!” Question the mind:“Is that really what sore legs means?” Listen to the body: “Sore legs—noted. Light stretching and upper body it is then.”

Before a public speech your mind might yell, “DANGER! RED ALERT! RUN!” while your body might be whispering, “you’re ready for this… you know this topic… stay calm.”

Or, after a hard breakup, your mind might be saying “GOOD RIDDANCE! WE DIDN’T NEED THEM! THEIR LOSS!” while your body might whisper, “that hurt.”

You see, the mind is in the business of seeking pleasure and avoiding pain which usually means staying inside of the comfort zone and fabricating situations to make them more—comfortable. But, that’s not what the body needs.

What the body needs is for the mind to respond properly to its signals; for the pain to be confronted, felt, and expressed; for the emotions and trauma to be seen and heard.

It needs for the mind to be a compassionate ear—an ally. Not a lazy megaphone that operates as an independent.

Hustle without mental health is self-hate.

Did that feel too aggressive?

If it did, then I’m speaking to you.

Because anyone who argues in favor of hustle at the expense of mental health is arguing for what exactly?

• Inclined feelings of sadness, anxiety, and helplessness?
• Confused thinking and reduced ability to concentrate?
• Exasperated feelings of fear, shame, or guilt?
• Constant exhaustion and low drive to get things done?
• A sense to withdraw from family, friends, and loved ones?
• Detachment from reality and inability to cope with problems/ stress?

And how exactly does any of that help with hustle?

It doesn’t.

More importantly, it doesn’t help anyone or anything that’s involved with that person’s life—least of all, the person themselves.

And by ignoring this—yes, they’re choosing to commit an act of self-hate. Because self-love doesn’t ignore signs/calls for help.

Take care of yourself, first. Spend time inspecting the state of your mental wellbeing. Listen to what your body is telling you—and respond.

Hustle can wait. Your mental health can’t.

Don’t fake being okay.

It’s okay to not be okay.

All of your feelings are valid.

You may screw up, but you’re not a screw up.

Asking for help isn’t quitting, it’s a sign of determination.

Expressing your feelings isn’t weakening—it’s empowering.

You deserve to get help, seek support, take days off, and get better.

Comparison is a killer—do the best you can with what you have, where you are.

You are more than your anxious thoughts, your past trauma, your mistakes, your flaws and your mental illness.

Cut yourself some slack. Don’t rush the process of healing. It’s okay to have off, unproductive, emotional days. It’s okay to rest.

You are not alone and you don’t have to fight your battles alone. There are people, just like you, who are seeking connection and support.

Always choose love and kindness—for others and especially for yourself.

Trauma comes from clinging.

Healing comes from letting go.

When you white-knuckle the trauma of your past, of course it’ll stay with you. You’re dragging it along with tightly clenched fists. It should be of no surprise that every time you turn around, there it is.

The first step towards healing, before you can move away from your trauma, is to loosen your grip and drop the weight of the baggage that you’ve been working so hard to carry. Baggage that was unfairly given to you—imposed upon you.

It’s not yours to carry. It was never yours to carry.

Once it’s dropped, check your state. Unclench your jaw. Drop your shoulders. Relax the muscles in your face. Take a deep breath in. And as you breath out, take a good hard look at everything you’ve been dragging behind. And not just the things at the top of the bag, but the things at the bottom of the bag, too. Confront it all.

You probably won’t be able to do this in one day, and that’s okay. Take whatever time you need. But make it (and keep it) a priority.

Then (and this is key) take from those bags only what’s of value. The lessons, the points of connection, the direction—whatever can be utilized—and leave the rest of that shit behind. If it has no practical use, then it has no use being in your bag.

When you repack your bags, pack light.

This is not the end of the journey for you.

This is but the beginning.