If you are a busy person who cares for others and balances multiple responsibilities, this blog is for you. For the past few months I have had much more responsibility than usual. My husband underwent a serious medical procedure that required him to be hospitalized for nearly a month followed up by inpatient rehab. My husband was absent from our home for a little over 6 weeks. Once he came home, he was very limited in what he could do. We as a family had to adjust rather suddenly to our new normal. I found myself struggling to meet his needs, reassure our children and meet their needs, and manage my own emotions. I found myself repeating frequently I’m ok. Telling myself you’re ok as a personal reassurance that I could persevere. I consider myself a strong person. I have come through some difficult patches in life. I always manage to push through. I found myself in therapy sessions telling clients who struggle with anxiety, depression and feeling overwhelmed to practice self-care. The hypocrisy of my advice was stunning. I began to realize that my pushing through and self- motivating affirmations of you’re ok were not helping me see the root of my issue. My root issue was that I was not ok. I needed support. I needed to be honest with myself and take a moment to ask for help and get what I needed. I needed to admit that I am human and sometimes I cannot handle everything. I needed to ask my friends and family for help when I was overwhelmed. I needed to seek therapeutic support to help put my experiences in perspective. I needed to be real with myself and do a sincere self-check. My husband is improving and has grown more independent. He is assuming his previous responsibilities and life is slowly coming back to normal. This experience has opened my eyes to the importance of honest self -awareness. If you find yourself struggling to hold on it may be time for a self-check.
Author Alicia Lurry MA CRC LPC