Thoughts on #WorldMentalHealthDay
It is #worldmentalhealthday … which, honestly, feels a bit odd to me since mental health has become such a fundamental part of my life, personally & professionally. There’s the obvious role that mental health plays in my conversations with clients 3 days a week & then there’s the subtle underscoring that mental health plays in an ongoing sense as both as a passion and a daily practice. I can still remember, about 5 years ago, when I first began to discover the difference that self-awareness could bring to my life & the commitment I made to cultivating a path forward where I could continue to grow the small “aha’s” planted at the time. Of course, back then, my self-work was often rooted in shame & perfectionism & I would make every mistake under the sun in the years following as I searched desperately for answers instead of questioning the questions … but it didn’t matter, the door was open, & it’s led to where I am now, which has been fairly ~in flow~ lately. I acknowledge even as I say that that I’m an absolute mess of a human with many mistakes to make & lessons to learn yet to come. Ironically, it’s in the acknowledgement of the mess that I am often able to stay in flow.
My favorite part about being a coach is getting to be a detective in the lives of others the way I’ve become a detective in my own life; helping them get curious about & create the context for what they’re noticing & then encouraging them to practice compassion as they work to build on what’s been noticed toward a life that’s in alignment with what they want. We’ve been in the midst of a mental health revolution for some time now & it’s an exciting time to be alive! I recognize that I am privileged to be able to say that “World Mental Health Day” feels odd to me, that not every one has the opportunity or the resources or the ability to infuse their lives with the mental health conversation in the way that I have. I consider how much I still struggle despite this privilege & my heart goes out to everyone as we all continue to deal with the inherent challenges of the culture we live in & the natural hardships that come with the human condition. I love all of you’s.
Originally posted on Instagram on October 10, 2022.
