I’m always looking for new ways of interacting with other bloggers and today, I came across a great post that is right up my street! I’m an avid lover of inspirational quotes so this really sparked my interest! So I obviously thought I’m joining in!
Inner Strength
In today’s world, with all the struggles we come across, each day gives us many challenges to face. We wake up to a new day with the fresh hope that it will go better than the day before. For some, it is a struggle to get up and know that today is the start of another fight, in loneliness with another long day to tackle and get through. The day can start well, routines go smoothly. The small tasks like breakfast, showering and getting dressed, sorting the children ready for school and getting out the house on time are a struggle but for now, it feels like time is on our side. We manage to get through the day and then Bam! A thought, feeling or memory will hit us straight in the face with an almighty slap and you’re transported back into the past, flashes of that memory that has changed your whole world.
You may stare off into space as the memory forces you to blink back tears, frustration, anger, ridicule, embarrassment and the paranoia that is the new life of anxiety. It makes you face things you don’t want to see. You have to carry on your day because people are relying on you and need you. You want to go into the safe house of your home where you want to stay forever to not have to go out and face the world because of the fear that people will ask how you are. Again, you smile and say “I’m really good. Thank you. How are you?” Your answer is a conversation stopper as you know that to admit your feelings will open the floodgates of tears, of sadness, struggles and trauma that no-one knows about. The admittance that you struggle, sometimes to even get up and face the day, get ready in the morning is a weakness. You do your best to avoid people. You walk with your head down, to avoid conversation. Sometimes, it’s just too hard to force yourself to face the reality.
With this in mind and all the other jumble of thoughts and feelings coursing through our mind, temporarily we get up and carry on. We know it is the only way to get through each day. Children need looking after the house needs tidying. We do our best to carry on, with the light switch to that part of our past turned off so we can continue the struggles of today and all we have to get through.
People don’t know!
They have no idea!
We choose to not tell them!
We don’t want to show our weaknesses!
We don’t want them to know our struggles!
We don’t tell them because we want to protect ourselves!
The issues we have dealt with or situations that have caused us to totally cut ourselves off from people when we used to be sociable is our business and to speak out is to admit we struggle. The hardest part is knowing that the people we can talk to have their own problems and to unburden ourselves would burden others! We don’t want sympathy, or pity as we feel to receive it reflects a weakness in us. We are strong! Always! We are still here and we are still fighting! All in all, it is our pasts and experiences that have made who we are today! We are strong because we have to be but most of all it’s the struggles that we faced that have made us strong! We have had to fight hard to continue each day in this world. We won’t give up because to give up will mean we failed and decided we no longer want to fight!
The reality is that people want to help, they want to be there to help us and to support us. They want us to unburden ourselves and to feel release from sharing what we keep as our inner most kept secrets.
In the hardship we face, the people who let us down repeatedly but we continue to expose ourselves to are the very people who weaken us. They are a disease that spreads wildly without us knowing it is happening. It happens silently until you realise it is too late and that realisation is the biggest shock you would ever feel and experience! You then have to come to terms that everything you ever did for that person was in kindness but they were only using you, making themselves appear weak and taking continually without an inch of conscience. They make everyone around them believe what they want them to think. They are cunning, deceitful but very clever. They can turn people against their inner belief and make you seem to be someone you’re not. Once you come face to face to your silent destroyer, someone you didn’t even realise was a threat to your life and someone you trusted impeccably you face life very differently. Everyone becomes the enemy because the paranoia takes over daily! It is inevitable that it will happen. However, not everyone is an enemy, but how do we realise who are? How do we realise who we can trust?. We don’t so we have to continue to go through daily experiences and exposing our delicate selves to new people. Sometimes you come across someone who was always there but you never realised how much they were there!
As Will Smith quoted:
“Never underestimate the pain of a person, because in all honesty, everyone is struggling, some people are just better at hiding it than others.” – Will Smith
It’s time to speak out! Share your inner thoughts of depression and anxiety. When you trust yourself, the only person you can truly rely on, you find a small piece of yourself becomes repaired tiny bit by tiny bit … continue to share and one day you will become whole again!
Thanks for reading!
Madison Ward 
Hi, and welcome! I am so glad you found us! What an amazing collaboration of thoughts you shared. I loved this: “The reality is that people want to help, they want to be there to help us and to support us. They want us to unburden ourselves and to feel release from sharing what we keep as our innermost kept secrets.” That is why we write! Well done. I hope to see you again. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Coleen. You will definitely see me here again!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent. We all try different writing venues each week. It really does help you to grow as a writer. See you next Wednesday! 😀
LikeLike
You did a very good job of writing about this. I have 2 blogs and I often write about this. We have the power to lift people up and the power to ruin their day out of thoughtlessness. Some people are stronger than others and can brush it off and in others it instills in them that they are failures.
One thing I want to comment on was where you were talking about people coming up and asking you how you are and you don’t tell them the truth. Yes, some people do care, but the majority use it as a greeting, “How are you?” They really don’t want to know and you don’t tell them because you know they really don’t want to know. It’s like a fake kiss on the cheek where all they do is brush the air. if you tried to tell them honestly how you are they would be looking for the fastest escape route. Your friends may want to know, for awhile, but if you told them too much they would consider you too needy and stay away. It is why, when someone is long term ill, friends eventually stop coming by. On my main blog on prison inmates, it is why they are forgotten by family and friends and they stop writing. People don’t want to be brought down by your problems. It takes a special person to put the needs of someone else before their own. Most people are pretty selfish and don’t want to be called upon to help.
But you are also very right – when we make the cause to help others, we help ourselves. The saying of you reap what you sow, the law of cause and effect, what goes around comes around etc., is very real. We change our own life when we help others change theirs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How are you is a common greeting and one reason it’s easy to skip the actual question. Half the time people ask out of politeness but don’t really care for an answer. I have close friends I can confine in luckily but so many others don’t unfortunately. Thank you for replying.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It takes many kinds of people to make the world go round. My mom has spent 5 months in a nursing home and is coming home on Sat. I have to walk the hallways of the lifers to get to her ward. They sit in the hallway or their door way looking at you expectantly, waiting for someone to ask them how they are. If they look me in the eye and know I’m there I always stop for at least a short minute and ask them how they are today. Some say, “No one has come to see me today.” Someone might have but they don’t remember because so many have dementia. But to them, no one has been their. For at least a minute I can make them happy. Tell a woman what a pretty blouse she has on. The gratefulness of being noticed is so obvious. After 5 months many of them know me by sight, but when I leave it is gone. it is such a sad way to end a life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s such a shame when they don’t have any visitors. I remember how sad my Mum used to be and how much she brightened when we visited. To know you have made someone smile is a wonderful gift.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Today we bring mom home. She is so glad this is happening. Now we’ll see what she manage and what she can’t.
LikeLike
I hope today goes well for you. Best wishes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It has been tiring. Her internet isn’t working and I haven’t even had time to straighten out why. I came home for a few hours to send out my newsletter and answer messages. I have never had to be someones caretaker and since there is so much she can’t do it is non stop. I’m sure we will develop a routine at some point.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, this post is wow! I can resonate with so much in there. And there are those people who say they’ll be there no matter what, to call any time day or night and when you eventually do… Don’t answer the phone. Don’t call back. I lost any hope in people really wanting to help. I count on myself and don’t get disappointed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it and you could relate.
Unfortunately we learn the hard way. One day I will make my blog public to my Family, Friends and my social media. When they read this post they will know!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not sure I’ll let my family and friends read my blog. I like the freedom to express myself without feeling judged lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get that, my mistake is I’ve put my photos of me on! Lmao! …One day I will be ready to go public… maybe one day you will too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hehe maybe one day we’ll publish it as a book of memories. Erm, no hahaha
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha!
LikeLiked by 1 person