{just} Being Me

Full transparency. This post is terribly difficult for me to write at the moment. Being a (self-proclaimed) mental health/positivity advocate is not always an easy job, because even though I can paint a beautiful picture of my life on social media and for those passing by, it’s not necessarily always the truth.

I don’t feel to happy or positive at the moment. I feel low, anxious, and a bit unhappy. And the more and more I try to figure it out. To put a finger on the source. I can’t.

Do you ever feel that way, too? Sometimes something tugs at your heart, bringing it lower than it ought to be. But you can’t quite figure out what’s tugging at it?

And even though I’m doing all the right things – working out (and running now), eating healthy, maintaining a strong relationship with God, my family, my friends, and my boyfriend, and seeing a therapist regularly (yes, I’m a huge proponent of seeing a therapist regardless of whether or not you’re struggling with mental illness… that’s why I continue to go to therapy) – there’s still something missing.

Or maybe it’s the opposite and there’s too much? Maybe our lives are filled with too much activity. Too much work. Too much time on social media. Too much time talking. Too much stimulation. And not enough rest.

Or too much time focused on accomplishing goals and checking off to-do lists and not enough time enjoying the ride. And getting down on ourselves when we don’t get everything done.

Maybe the solution is simplification?

I’m not too sure.

But there’s a reason I’m sharing these not so positive thoughts and not so “rainbows and butterflies” moments.

There’s a new movement taking the world by storm.

The Being Me Movement

Ask yourself this question. How often do you use the word “just”?

I’m just a nurse. I’m just a student. I’m just not good at _______. It’s just that______. It’s just tough because _________. I just wanted to ask you a question. I was just hoping that ________.

I bet it’s far more than you realize.

The Being Me Movement is working to erase that word from your vocabulary, because deleting that word gives you the space you need to trade an apology for courage. No longer are you hiding behind a word that minimizes your potential.

No.

You’re living your life. You’re being you, because we need you. We need you to be you. We need you to share your love, your life, your beauty. Even the parts that don’t feel so beautiful, like the pain I shared above.

Life isn’t perfect. You aren’t perfect. But that doesn’t mean you can’t let the not-so-pretty parts of our life shine – the rawness and reality that makes you a living and breathing human being.

We need you.

We need you to be you, because there is no other you on this planet. Nor will there ever be another you.

This week we challenge you to erase the word just from your vocabulary. It’s helped me tremendously throughout the period I spent not running. I learned that I’m not just a runner. I’m so, so much more. Even if it isn’t pretty sometimes (okay, a lot of the time).

So let’s revel in our imperfection. Let’s relish in being our broken, not always positive, human selves!

Let’s just be us.

I’m beyond proud to be a Being Me ambassador. You can hear my little anecdote on what the movement means to me here:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKuYkvBeBto]