Understand

They’re are so few people who get me. Who truly, undoubtedly get me. Just the other day my parents found out that I don’t like chicken very much. 

It’s not that I hide who I am, it’s that I don’t think that they’d understand. (Not that I don’t like chicken) They don’t understand my vulnerabilities that I keep so heavily guarded. If they knew half of what I thought on a daily basis I think they would be amazed at what runs through my mind. 

This is so off putting because of you meet me, you will say I am the bubbliest, happiest girl you have ever met. Yet often times that leads you to being taken advantage of. And I stay quiet about it, but I am not blind to it. I see what goes on. 

I just choose to take the higher road. When it is unbearably necessary then my bite is way harder than my bark. My bark is non existent but my bite will tear you apart. 

To have self respect, you must take a stand for yourself. You don’t have to be a squeaky wheel every single time one little thing goes wrong, but you have to set boundaries. 

I read this book ages ago that said don’t sweat the small stuff, and I don’t. And we all know the phrase keep calm and carry on, and I do. But by having boundaries you develop respect for yourself. You say when enough is enough. 

Having a mental illness blurs those lines. Personally, I always felt like everyone was better than me so I needed to respect their opinion. NO! We are all on an equal playing field. Everyone’s has crap that stinks. No one is perfect. 

I thought I should shrink down because I was an inferior or a second class citizen because I was handicapped or helpless. That is so far from the truth. 

Those of us with mental illness, we are powerful and we need to harness and embrace the uniqueness of our mental illness and find the strength in it and use it to our advantage to not be taken advantage of. 

Even if that means letting go of people

Boundaries are important to establish. You are not a second class citizen because of your disorder. Nor are you special. We are all alike. We are all one in the same living and walking this same journey called life