My therapist told me during our session this week that once people learn their diagnoses or discover the childhood roots of their triggers, they tend to think their work is done. They figured out the why of their behaviors and their mental health woes.
But my therapist pointed out that these discoveries are only the beginning of a long journey of healing. She cautioned me against making my mental illnesses the core part of my personality, reminding me that once we understand the source of our behavior, it’s our responsibility to change our behavior. The point of coming out of therapy is to be new, to create a new identity beyond the pain in our past.
I write a lot through the lens of my depression, anxiety, and C-PTSD. I write about what I’m learning, what I’ve experienced that triggers me, how I’m healing. But I worry sometimes that I’m too weary and dreary, harping on and on about life and the chaos that’s in my mind.
I enjoy learning about and writing about how I’m coping with my depression. Journaling (and publishing my journaling) has helped me decompress and keep from spiraling. It’s helped me see the bigger picture and the impact of my depression. But I don’t want my depression to become my identity. There is so much more in my life and in my mind than my mental illness, and so much more to celebrate. As I’m learning and relearning about the tough times, I want to remember the good times.
In that spirit, here’s a list of all the good things that happened to me this week so far:
🃏 I learned how to play Tunk with liquor house card players
🥩 I ate some really great steak
⛪️ I went to church and got a good lesson about love (more on that to come)
👗 I wore a really cute new dress to church, too
🍲 I made soup and then had really good sex immediately after
💚 I published the first entry in my LOVE series
📝 I met with some colleagues and started planning my next writing workshop
⛏ I went axe throwing with friends I haven’t seen in a long time
📚 I started an interesting book (more on that later, too)
💸 I got paid for some editing work and then went shopping
👯♀️ My close friend and former roommate came to visit and we watched movies on the couch like old times <3
More good things are to come!
Every Friday during the month of November, I’ll be sharing a bonus article about whatever’s on my mind, whatever current events are happening, or whatever I feel needs to be said. No theme, just vibes. If you’d like to see more creative writing from me, be sure to follow along with the Finding the Right Words November LOVE Challenge.