Written by Trish
I was looking at the two questions on my laptop screen:
1. What do you value most?
2. What do you want?
It was over a year since my nervous breakdown and I was in psychosis. I didn’t know it at the time however; I thought the synchronistic messages from god, continuously writing formulas in my worn notebooks to save the world, feeling the benevolent touch of angels, and having my name softly spoken in my ear at night, were all signs my mental health was improving.
I thought my Dark Night of the Soul had ended in a spiritual awakening.
So when my alternative practitioner emailed me these two questions, I was beyond using the left-side of my brain to do any thinking and went with whatever popped into my head.
Years later I would realize that answering these questions saved my life.
So what were my actual answers? Funny you should ask…
But before I tell you, I want you to grab a piece of paper and a writing instrument.
Now, I want to ask YOU the same questions:
- What do you value most?
- What do you want?
Immediately write down what comes to mind. Don’t think. Don’t judge. There is no right or wrong here. Your answers are perfect.
Did you do it? Seriously—you have to do it now or reading the rest of this post will take the magic out of the process.
I’ll wait.
Now fold that piece of paper and store it in a safe place.
Further instructions are to follow (that sounds so “James Bond”, doesn’t it?)
An angel diva
I answered:
- Love
- Accept myself for who I am
Then I forgot about it and went on my merry way in delusional ambivalence. I do remember thinking “how do I value love more and accept myself?” but some shiny object must have fluttered by in my mind and I was off again.
Soon after, I remember lying in my bed in the pitch dark, curled in the fetal position and hugging myself around the shoulders. I was crying for I had never felt so alone. You know the kind of loneliness I am talking about–the isolation that comes with the knowing that you, and only you, can relate to what you are going through. You feel like a freak, separate from every single living thing on the planet.
Amongst my tears, I asked god to send me a sign that I was not alone. Then I cried myself to sleep.
I dreamt that I was in a maze. Everywhere I turned there was someone telling me where to go. Whenever I listened, I would end up at a door that opened to the outside with a zillion foot drop to the concrete below.
Eventually I stopped listening and tried to find my own way.
I came upon a circular control room surrounded by glass. By this time I was naked (of course) and I walked around the control room until I found the door. I was trying to cover my nakedness as I used all my weight to open the door.
Flamboyant by nature, the man across the room was dressed in a paisley blouse, cropped pants, sandals, and a pink boa. His hands fluttered around his face as if he was delicately shooing butterflies from landing on his cheeks. His smile could ignite rainbows and he had the grace of a leaf following the whisper of a summer breeze.
I sat down across from him and he swirled over to me with a black hoodie and draped it around my shoulders. I felt warm and protected.
He said “all you need to do is love yourself.”
Then I awoke convinced I had been visited by an angel. Again, I didn’t know how to love myself; I just knew it was important.
I quickly forgot about my dream and moved on to more pressing matters; like holding back the black force that was threatening to take over my mind if I let my guard down.
I was faltering.
The tribe
Shortly after, I turned to allopathic medicine, a psychiatrist and a therapist. It was very difficult in the beginning to get the right medication, but after a year we found a combination that enabled me to start functioning again. It wasn’t the cure I had hoped for and I was still determined to fix myself.
I signed up with a coach/therapist who specialized in working with Highly Sensitive People (HSP). I had been researching HSPs and sensitivity for a while and felt it explained my body sensations and sensory overstimulation as well as how I felt in certain situations. I thought I had finally found my tribe; the place where I fit in with all my “abnormalities” and would be accepted with open arms. I joined forums, signed up for newsletters from HSP web sites and spent a small fortune on buying books on the topic. When I hone into something that might fix me, I really get into it!
Yet the lonely feeling didn’t go away.
However my experience with the HSP coach was interesting.
She seriously thought I was not broken.
What? I had nothing to fix about myself? I had invested the last two and half years trying to “fix” my mental health and the effects of my trauma. What would I do with myself if I had nothing to fix?
She was determined that I was just right the way I was.
Now that was crazy talk! How could that be when I had all these problems, fears, and insecurities, and was nothing like the person I was before the trauma?
She encouraged me to do things I loved.
It was like she was speaking a foreign language. What was it that I loved to do? I had nothing in my life but my illness.
I had started meditating about 6 months prior and began using that time to consider what she was suggesting.
What if I was just right the way I was? What if I wasn’t broken? What would I do with my time if I had nothing about me to fix? What if it was okay to feel fear/sad/angry/isolated/vulnerable/overwhelmed?
Every night I pondered these questions until I was able to commit to three promises.
It had been a long time since I had committed to anything. I couldn’t forgive myself for letting everyone down by being sick, including myself. I didn’t want to disappoint or be disappointed anymore.
But somehow the need to accept myself was greater than my fear and I took the chance.
I committed to:
No more trying to fix myself. I would accept myself as I was and if that meant a crazy mental-case with weird sensations and a constant feeling of being unsafe then so-be-it (apparently I was still very judgmental at this stage).
No matter what I felt, it was okay. I could feel and not have my world come to a halt until I “managed” my feelings. I could be anxious and do it anyway. I could feel vulnerable and be there anyway. I could feel love and express it without hesitation.
I would do what I loved. I would draw. I would write. I would cuddle with my cats every chance I had.
A year later, I was able to start this blog. It was my vehicle to explore my stigma towards my mental illness. I felt sharing my story would make a difference somehow.
Then magic happened.
Terrified, I wrote a post with my first cartoon and published it on the blog. Insecure and feeling fraudulent in my ability to create anything that could connect with others, I had only shown my work to two people prior to that post. Now I was making it available to the world. I was so anxious; this action kept me overstimulated for a week!
Then I started to get feedback… on the post, my artwork, and the benefits of the blog (thank you!)
People were willing to support me.
I had found my tribe. This blog was a place where I could freely express every part of me and be received by people… my people.
Your people.
Our tribe.
I am not alone anymore.
The last instructions
Your final instructions are to forget about your answers to those questions and continue your life with as much love for yourself as you can.
By forgetting (or letting go) you allow the Universe to work its magic.
I know this means placing your trust in something, and most of the time that is really hard for us to do.
Please take the chance.
And someday you might find that piece of paper with your answers and realize it was your soul’s map to your life all along.
If you wish to share the answers to these two questions, or an experience or feedback which this post has awakened in you, I encourage you to do so in the comments.
Thank you to Kat and Face 2 Face Movie for inspiring part of this post.
My wonderful HSP coach is a past Superhero guest blogger. Read Ane’s post here.
Image credit: Trish Hurtubise
Hi. I’m Trish, the founder, curator and an editor for Mental Health Talk. You may view all my posts here.
Ane Axford
Tricia,
What a gift!
This is just what I needed to read today. It is an honor to see you own your power, your self, and share it so courageously and truthfully.
It can be easy to forget to focus on what you want and doing what you want, and instead focus on all the things that seem to be crappy. For me today, that is my dog vomiting…and all the tension from the hurricane, the crazy weather and changes in air pressure…”I am so SICK of being so sensitive!!!” Yup, those words crossed my lips 😉
When I look at what I value most, it is peace. And, what I want is connection. Thank you for reminding me to focus there and make it happen.
What an experience of something coming full circle, to see the value of sharing one self to the benefit of us all in so many ways. I am so grateful to have the honor of sharing my self with your self so that I get the reciprocal.
Namaste seems the appropriate sentiment here. I bow to your utmost self as I honor mine as well, they are the same.
Much love and gratitude,
Ane
Trish
Thank you Ane–you always know what to say. I am so happy that this post gave you something in return for all that you have given me! It’s my pleasure to work with you.
David T
Great post Trcia,
I did the excercise. I too, answered love for what I value most. After reading your post I felt that what I wanted was superficial compared to what your answer was. But as you say there is no wrong answer. I put down respect. I have decided to live with that answer, for now.
Thanks Tricia, I inspired by how you find strength through your vunerabilies. I will try to do the same with mine.
David T
Trish
Thank you David for sharing your answers and for your kind words. You have always been such a big supporter of everything I do.
It has always been my intention to inspire. With your comment, I now know I have done it. Thank you for allowing me to fulfill my intention!
Lots of love to you!
NB
What an inspiring story Trish. Shows that you should never give up even if you are only taking baby steps. Good job.
Trish
Thank you NB!!!!!! I always appreciate your feedback.
Brent MacKinnon
Hi Tricia,
My first spontaneous answer was love and love.
A few hours later, I calmed down and realized what I value the most was a feeling I have when I’ve discovered something about myself or about what I’m working on. The two (me and what I’m working on) are entwined so it’s deeply personal and also like taking a quantum leap to a new place of being and understanding. I’ve had that moment many times and sometimes it was there when you and I where in conversation. it feels like freedom and openness…kind of hard to describe.
I look forward to hearing what your next expression will be Tricia,
all the best, your pal Brent
Trish
So nice to hear from you Brent. Thank you for articulating your answers to the two questions so wonderfully. I am so glad that I could be there with you to witness your feeling of self-discovery and knowledge.
Don’t be a stranger. I would love to hear your thoughts on any of the posts on this blog!
Love,
Trish
Alain
My immediate Answers:
1. You
2. Health and Happiness
Trish
Ahhhh pookey bear! Thank you. I love you.
Voice-Over
I simply needed to tell you thanks a lot for this post and give a shout out to my peeps on the other end.
Trish
Thank you for your comment. Though using the name Voice-over looks like spam, I did a check and it seems legit. Happy to have legit comments!
Marie
I value my HEALTH the most and want to have GOOD HEALTH. Thanks for the Tweet that got me here.
Trish
Thank you for sharing Marie. I wish you good heath!
Sara
Hi Trish,
I loved your post – very uplifting!
Trish
Thank you Sara!!!!! So nice to hear from you. I hope all is well. Stop by again soon! xo
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