Vulnerable

Isn’t it scary how you feel your most vulnerable when opening up your heart, or allowing the heavens of your mind to open up and pour down your cheek? It’s quite terrifying to tell someone how we feel, but it’s only human, yet for some reason, it can sometimes feel wrong and almost out of character, especially for those who try to paint this picture perfect image, or for those who have too much pride? 

I find it interesting how as humans, we can put up the most powerful and deceitful fronts, to just go home to our reality and crumble at a single thought. We’ve all been in the position where we’ve bottled up more than enough, and we take it out in many different forms; crying, screaming, hitting, self-harming, the list is endless. The worst thing about this vulnerability we show when we’re feeling the way we do, is the stigma and self judgement associated with it. 

I’m not sure if I speak only for myself when I say this, but when I cry, there’s that underlying feeling of instant regret/shame, yet an overpowering sigh of relief. Typically, pride gets in the way of us conveying our true emotion, more so for the men who suffer with mental illness; probably because society often misconstrues male mental health issues as a sign of weakness, OR, just generally society doesn’t give men enough credit in when it comes to mental health, as many of them suffer in silence, and often alone too. 

Society will always be a hub that thrives off judgement and using others’ weaknesses to have a ‘hold’ over them, or belittle them; however, the only way we will overcome this toxic stigma is by speaking out, and creating an environment which understands that mental health in general, regardless of gender, is one of the most deadliest, and soul crushing illnesses to exist. When we acknowledge the true power mental illness can have on a person, we may, as a society, be more inclined to want to help one another, rather than tearing each other down, or judging one another. 

In life we will encounter a number of situations that bring out a variety of different emotions in us. We’re human; emotion is what separates us from all other species, it’s what makes us, US. But what we need to realise and understand is that it’s OKAY to show emotion, and it’s even more OKAY to cry. If you want to sit there and cry for hours, do it. Crying is a physical release of the way we feel. It’s our bodies way of letting go of everything we’ve been bottling up for far too long, and there should be no shame or stigma associated with it. 

Un-questionably, this post was inspired by a spark in negative emotion. Sometimes you don’t realise how much emotion you’ve built up over the past, until you’re sat, unable to breathe because the tears are so heavy; the emotion is so strong. It’s at that moment you realise you’ve been running from your problems, rather than facing them head on; something we’re all guilty of doing from time to time. 

Besides from me venting about the importance of showing this emotion, I want this post to serve another purpose. I want this post to remind you to check in on yourself and face your issues, bit by bit, day by day. I want this to be your reminder that it’s okay to share how you feel, it’s okay to not be okay, and it’s okay to CRY, no matter who you are, no matter how strong you want to seem; CRYING DOES NOT INDICATE WEAKNESS, it Indicates HUMANITY and HEALING. And, seeking help is NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF, EVER! If you had a life threatening Illness, would you be ashamed to take the medication the doctors are prescribing? Exactly; so please treat mental illness the same we would any other life threatening disease. Just because we can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not killing you. 

When things get tough, do not run from the problem, or ignore it. Do not allow these emotions to build up and come out in a way you don’t want them to. Deal with your emotions as they come at you. The way you’re feeling right now is valid, and it’s necessary to FEEL; you must go through it to get over it.

To put this into more of a perspective; if tennis balls were continuously being thrown at you, would you catch them to minimise the impact, or would you let them hit you at full force? 

Now imagine these tennis balls were your emotions. If you were to catch them as they’re thrown in your direction, the damage to you would be significantly minimal compared to if you were to let them hit you repeatedly, right? 

Just remember, the obstacles in your way are there to be jumped over and learned from, not pushed aside and ignored. 

It’s okay to cry. 

It’s okay to be sad.

It’s okay to vent.

It’s okay to open up. 

But most importantly, it’s okay to be VULNERABLE.