Listen, I know that extraordinary people with extraordinary stories are- well- extraordinary.
Rags to riches.
Rising from the ashes.
Beating the odds.
Wow, that’s really something.
In fact, it’s extraordinary.
And I love reading those stories.
On one hand, they are a reminder that if a human can survive and thrive in spite of those unbelievable odds then surely I can do so with whatever odds I’m facing.
You, know the ordinary ones.
But if we’re being honest, there’s an “on the other hand” to glorifying extraordinary.
And in that hand extraordinary stories have the potential to make us think:
“Man, if they can survive and thrive in spite of those circumstances then I don’t have the right to complain about mine.”
So we might ignore our casual demons and bury our run of the mill hurts because they are low key regular and everyone has regular pain and everyone is seemingly managing. We resolve to figure out a way to just breathe through another day… until the overwhelming weight of unresolved trauma and untreated depression suffocates us.
And only when everything has crumbled around us and the world of those we love is irrevocably different do others feel safe enough to raise their hands and say “me too.”
Because it turns out- everyone has been struggling all along.
Ok, maybe not everyone but a lot of us.
The trauma I have experienced has happened to at least 1 in 3 people and the mental illness I battle is lived by 1 in 5 people. I don’t think it gets more ordinary than that. In fact, if you’re reading this then you are either a warrior or you know one.
And I don’t want to wait until your other shoe drops before I let you know that you aren’t alone.
Because really trauma – common as it is- isn’t ordinary.
It matters that you experienced it and it matters that it hurt you and it matters that you acknowledge it and most importantly it matters that you heal from it.
And really, battling the current of your brain chemicals to create new pathways every single day- that is extraordinary.
Keep going, warriors.
I promise, you will be glad you did.
If you liked this, then you’ll love my book: “Was I Not Supposed to Say That?”
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