Hmmm, tough question. Is this answer supposed to be a yes or no response? Are you allowed to say what is actually going on in your life or do you simply reply with “Yea, I’m good. How about you?”
That response is EXTREMELY vague, but it’s subtly masked with a mysterious backstory. Sometimes to be a good listener we must be silent.
I’m going to LITERALLY blow your mind, if you have never come across this before.. I read this in a book & it was so cool !!
READY?
So, look at the letters in L-I-S-T-E-N & S-I-L-E-N-T
Noticed anything? WELL.. both use the same letters!!! How interestingly interesting!
Anywhoooo, back to the topic. Today is the day we are “officially” encouraged to ask those around us if they are okay. Well this is my question to you, and you can answer this internally to yourself (because obviously I’m not there):
- Are you okay?
Now if you are okay (whatever “okay” is defined as) you have the power to help others be “okay” too.
BUT for those that internally reflected and silently answered the question honestly with a ‘NO’,
then
- I say to you it’s okay to not feel okay.
Don’t feel like you need to feel happy and cheery 24/7 because that is impossible and if you do feel this way, can I have your number?
- Can you change the situation/ negative feelings you have?
Sometimes we stress and dwell about the emotions at the given time but that overshadows all the solutions that can be explored. One positive way to look at things is that feeling down means that you can climb back up. There IS that light out of that tunnel (classic saying but so true! Btw, I’m a sucker for clichés).
Trust me when I say I’ve been down that tunnel where the light appeared to have disappeared, but it never really goes… it’s just the thoughts that you generate which causes the lights to either brighten more or dull into nothingness
- If you can change your situation, why don’t you?
Now the ‘why’ is so hard to answer. It’s like saying “I want to lose weight, but I still want to eat pizza”. Why do you want to eat pizza? Well, pizza tastes good and that’s all we know. Similarly, when we feel shit and miserable, maybe at a subconscious level we ACTUALLY enjoy feeling low because we are so used to it and have become too familiar that any change causes us fear and change.
- Work on the “Why” like no tomorrow!
Once you know the “why” you’re halfway there. This may take you forever to figure out BUT if your miserable and stressing.. why not think about the “why”?
- & so many other questions I could ask you but let me rewind & to repeat: IT’S OKAY TO FEEL NOT OKAY!
Now.. you may tell me, “This does not relate to me at all”. Yeah you’re right because I don’t know you, and you know yourself better than anyone else. I’m not here to tell you what to do, even if it does sound like it.. it’s suggestions/ provoking thoughts etc., BUT …
Although it may not relate to you… remember people around you may need your ears so they can be listened to, and maybe they need to hear your soft, gentle voice to tell them.. “it’s okay not to be ok”
Remember, to LISTEN sometimes we may need to be SILENT for those that need us.
Take care my readers! If you reckon this can help others… share, share, share !
“The mind is everything. What you think you become” – Buddha
If anyone wants a chat, drop a comment down below. Do you have tips to overcome the tough times? What’s your favourite quote?
AtinaDreams 