It's okay to not be okay... it is okay to be scared, lonely, desperate, or in whatever state you currently find yourself. It is also okay to enjoy being happy without guilt, remorse, or shame!
Letting ourselves be exactly where we are in each moment is one of the most challenging lessons of daily living. We are really good at distracted ourselves; we are really good at filling the voids within ourselves or not allowing ourselves to move past them. I am nowhere near mastery, but I do know that I want to work to lean more intentionally into these dark spaces and fill them with light and hope.
In my own life, I often find myself desperately searching for ways to fill the void I feel inside through shopping, binge watching the latest episode of the bachelor, shifting my attention to romance or intrigue, or busying myself with to-do lists and activities. I seek to fill the void I feel without ever allowing myself to truly sit in the empty space and build intimacy with my own struggles. For me it is easier to try to stuff down my existential fear of being alone than to sit and face it head on.
This week, I am challenging myself to feel the void and to sit with myself in these empty spaces without resorting to distractions. It is not easy... and I catch myself slipping into old habits where comfort exists, but, right now it is more important to make progress than to experience perfection. The point is that I am trying, and I am remaining open. I am challenging myself to sit with the painful emotions and build a deeper relationship with my own inner spaces. I offer you the opportunity to do the same!
Feelings of loneliness, fear, inadequacy, and anxiety tend to come back when we ignore them... that is until we release our feelings from their shameful hiding spaces and trust in our own inner strength and resilience. We have strength and power beyond our own understanding. Trust in that, and together, we can learn to feel our voids, so that our lives are filled with more radiance, authenticity, and genuine joy rooted in a deep sense of intimacy and trust in ourselves.
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