What I Wish I'd Known: Tell Your Story

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Tell Your Story

An important part of healing from your grief is to tell your story. Over and over again..Because if you were really able to fully grasp the magnitude of what happened, you would most likely not be able to survive.
It's just too much.
So, your spirit, your mind, and your body protects you by allowing the truth to sink in slowly over time. At a pace you can live with.
And it's in telling the story of what happened over and over again that you are able to see and come to deal with the truth of what happened.
It's important to comb through the details, relive the sights and sounds. Go ahead and ask, "What if and Why didn't I and If only?"
Nothing is off limits. Turn over every scenario so that no part of the experience is locked behind a closed door. It's painful at first. But keep on telling your story. Because telling the story is a path to healing. And one day you discover that you can't tell it. Not one more time.You just can't do it.
This is what healing feels like!

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My Story

My husband Bill was a bodybuilder who outwardly seemed like he had the perfect life. He was 6'2", 250 pounds, he had this perfect physique. He watched what he ate. He exercised. So when he talked about taking his life, it was beyond my comprehension. I was very naive. I didn't understand how sick he was, and I honestly didn't take it seriously.
After Bill's death, I became a certified grief recovery specialist from the Grief Recovery Institute. I want my story and my pain to make a difference in someone else's life. I was an everyday person who was completely unaware, and my story is something that happens to others. If we can continue to have a conversation around mental illness then maybe it'll inspire someone else out there to get the help they need.