A picture says a 1000 words! This comes up so often in my sessions and I think we’ve all been there on some level. So why do we say “we’re fine,” when we’re far from it? Why do we feel we have to act okay when there’s a demon lurking in the shadows? Is it b/c we fear the reaction if we tell someone we love that we’re feeling anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed? Or is it that maybe we are afraid to admit it to ourselves? Maybe on some level if we tell others we’re “fine,” then we’ll believe it more ourselves.
While we may not be ready to face our pain, I want to challenge the idea that we always HAVE to be “fine.” Sometimes we can feel afraid, anxious, worried, sad, embarrassed, and/or ashamed and it does not mean we are weak, incapable, or even worse that we are going to fall apart. Sometimes it can simply mean, we are struggling but are strong enough to get through it. So next time someone asks how you are, see if you can lean in and take a closer look. Remember self-compassion is the antidote to shame. 😊🌟