The strength in vulnerability

Check out the photos. Can you tell I’m on a higher vibe today than I was yesterday? 😊 Never underestimate the power of self care and a bit of lippy to lift your spirits 💋

Yesterday I took a walk on the darkside, a path I haven’t trodden for a very long time now. I can’t pinpoint what sparked it, a whole combination of things and yet nothing at the same time. Normally when I feel low (which thankfully isn’t that often now) I shake it off and distract myself. Yesterday however I had no energy to shake, the weight of the emotional treacle was just to heavy so I knew I had to sit in it for a while. Not push through it, not move round it, not sink into it either, just simply be in it.
I ignored my inbox, put my phone on silent and gave myself full permission to feel tired, overwhelmed and sad.

Then I had another unusual breakthrough. A good friend text me later in the day simply asking “how are you feeling today?” Part of me almost sprung into show mode. “Oh I’m fine, not a bother. How are you?” But I stopped myself and honestly replied. “I’m really struggling right now to be honest.”

Immediately my friend called me and despite the fact that I could barely talk through the tears and half of what I did manage to say, she couldn’t understand; she sat with me anyway. Not fixing or dishing out advice or clichés, just listening and allowing me space to feel.
Within minutes I felt lighter and shortly after we were having a giggle.

A beautiful reminder from a beautiful friend that asking for help is NOT a failure nor a weakness. It is in fact one of the biggest displays of strength we can ever witness. When someone can see you in the absolute depths, sit there with you then stretch out their hand and love you back to the surface. That is friendship in it’s purest form