Hey! I’ve not written anything in a while. Busy life and things get shelved don’t they?
I had a conversation with a friend earlier this week that was really poignant and made me think, a lot, and I’m still thinking.
We spoke our wellbeing and mental health, not in a ‘let’s sit down and talk about our feelings’ type of way, just natural conversation.
Life has ups and downs, we all know this but it’s bloody difficult to realise and accept that when your feeling up or down. When things are going well it can be quite hard to imagine that life will not always be this way. Why wouldn’t it? Works going well, home life is going well, social circle is ace, finances are looking steady. Plus who wants to doomsday plan?
Equally when we aren’t feeling our best, it’s so difficult to that it will ever change, that we could ever feel well. We cannot imagine that, as the amazing Maya Angelou said ‘every storm runs out of rain’.
One thing that really stands out for me is that 3 years ago I was in a really dark place for a long time. It felt like all the issues I felt I had and never spoke about came to the surface quite violently all at the same time. A shit storm of epic proportions. To get back from there was the biggest battle I’ve ever had to face and without the support of my wife and family, I don’t know if I would of been able to fight it. That’s not taking away from how hard I fought, it was ME that made decisions to change MY life, it was ME that put out there, it had to come from me.
So when you’ve been in that place, and fought so hard for so long it really does add perspective to feeling well. I don’t take it for granted. I am thankful for every day I wake up and feel happy. I know that it could change tomorrow. But when it does start to change and I start to feel stressed, anxious…whatever it may be, it’s really difficult to accept that and know how to deal with it. Without intention my story has become a huge part of my life, especially with LoveFootball. My story is why LoveFootball exists.
The difficult part is thinking that my positive story drives it all. That’s not the case.
Being honest and open is the driving force. Being able to say, ‘you know what, I’m alright but I’ve been better’ before it all becomes too much again.
Life has ups and downs and always will and that is OK! Reach out when you need to, support those that need it when you can and look after yourself as a priority. Without you being well you can’t do all those things you want to do.
I know I have lots of caring friends who will no doubt send me a message after reading this checking in on me. I’m doing good, life just gets busy in those ebbs and flows.
Dan
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