I learned a new lesson today. And it was one that I’ve learned before. My own Life Coach reminded me of it as she helped me work through something. But it’s new to me today because this is how this journey works. If there is one thing I have learned on my own mental health journey, it’s that I will never stop learning. I need to be reminded of or retaught past lessons because sometimes I forget what I’ve learned.
And this time round, the lesson I needed to hear today was one that, ironically, I had just published in a YouTube video the day before!
So I continue to learn and relearn lessons on a regular basis. Maybe it’s because I have missed out on some along the way. But I don’t think it’s that. I know what it is. A lot of lessons or messages that I’ve learned about myself are ones that I’ve picked up along the way and made part of my story. And maybe they weren’t meant to stick, but they did.
So I think that some of the ‘new’ lessons I am learning are really about unlearning these old lessons that I’ve included in my story. And I know that I need to unlearn them because I no longer need them. They no longer are useful. I like to think of them as being outdated. It’s time to get rid of them like you would old clothes.
And a big part of my journey is really about trying to unravel what is old and what is new. When I get rid of something old, something new always comes in. And that is the beauty of this work. I need to purge the old, the toxicity and the garbage in order to allow the new, the rewards and the gifts to come in.
But this exchange doesn’t come easily. I fight getting rid of the old. I want to hold on to it because that’s what is familiar to me. I know what’s on the other side if I choose to let it go, but I fear the journey to get there. When I shed the old, I am also allowing myself to experience my emotions. It means I have to feel. And it’s only in the feeling that I can bring in the new. But there is one thing I can do for myself that can help me with my fear.
And this is the lesson I relearned today. And it continues to be the one that I need daily reminders of because I’m having trouble getting it to stick! And that is because only I can choose to do it. No one can make me do it. It’s one that involves self-discipline and self-care. And it involves putting me first and choosing to matter to me!
I need to be reminded over and over that the number one lesson I need to learn and relearn throughout my journey is this:
Remember to have compassion for yourself for what you are working through.
Your journey to work through your mental health challenges is not an easy one. But choosing to practise self-compassion is the most beautiful gift you can give yourself every day. Allow it to come in as you shed the old!
