People Need People

“You’ll need coffee shops and sunsets and road trips. Airports and passports and new songs and old songs, but people more than anything else.” ~ Jamie Tworkowski

I was recently introduced to an author who changed my life. I know it might sound dramatic, but Jamie has impacted my life in a big way. In 2017, I began to notice a decline in my mental health. I would obsessed over every detail in a conversation. If someone changed the tone in their voice, I could think about it for hours. I would over-plan and overthink just about everything. The most difficult part for me, was trying to keep these feelings from my friends or family; I didn’t want to bother anyone else with the thoughts I was having. I would put my game face on everyday, and then the second I got home I would deal with my feelings on my own. It became exhausting.

During all of this, I bought the book “If You Feel Too Much”, by Jamie Tworkowski. The title seemed fitting given how I felt. Within the first 50 pages, I knew I had found something special. The words on the pages quickly began to feel like a friend giving me advice and much needed encouragement. Something you should know about me is, I am a perfectionist. I’m not saying I am perfect, but I expect the best from myself at all times. This book made me feel like it was okay not have it all together (which was a big deal for me!)

“That was the beginning of MY mental health journey.”

Now back to my favorite quote. Jamie says that “people need people”. People need people. I never wanted to bother my friends or family by talking about how I was feeling, but I was beginning to learn something important- people need people. I started off slow; I confided in one important person in my life. We designated five minutes each day to talk about ANYTHING, big or small, that I needed to get off my chest. It wasn’t easy to talk about my mental health to someone, but I started to realize it was okay. That was the beginning of MY mental health journey.

So, what’s the point? We all have our own journeys to take, stories to tell, and people to share them with. I am learning that it’s okay to need help sometimes; we do not need to figure it out by ourselves. People shouldn’t feel like they are walking through this life alone. The best news is that, each day is a new opportunity to live your journey the way YOU want to.

It is okay to take time to slow down, it is okay to need a break, it is okay to lean on the people around you.

“The best news is that, each day is a new opportunity to live your journey the way YOU want to.”