A number is not always a number. A number is sometimes a clue … a trail of breadcrumbs through our childhood that can lead to an understanding of our lives today.
A number is sometimes small, but it can leave large scars and cause deep hurt.
A number is sometimes large, and really scary. But it doesn’t need to be. You can step past it, or embrace it, or take it apart and put it together again however you see fit.
A number can tell you where you have been and what has been done to you.
It cannot tell you where you are going or where you will take yourself.
A number is a story, and where that story leads is up to you.
It’s that time of year again, and I am sure you have noticed how fast the Holiday season is taking over stores. For some, this can trigger the body and create stress or dread….
I’ve lived with bipolar disorder for the last 13 years. Though the initial years were brutal, once I understood my triggers and what it takes to stay well, I’ve been privileged to have stayed healthy for much of the last decade. This included — to my relief — my first pregnancy and post-partum period and serving in high-intensity public health roles through the pandemic, as California’s Acting Surgeon General and previously the office’s first Chief Health Officer.
I love music. Recently, I was listening to a random playlist Spotify generated for me when a song titled “Before I Have A Daughter” by Bre Kennedy started playing. Bre Kennedy sings about building a garden that grows on the same ground where tears have fallen and hearts have also been broken. Her goal is to learn to tend to this garden so that it flourishes on both the good and bad days.
Support systems are essential all year round, especially during the holidays if you are experiencing triggers, sadness, grief, anger, etc.
