Acknowledging Our Burdens Is Finding Relief
The power of sharing our genuine feelings to others and God.
I am a firm believer that we create the greatest self-care relationship within ourselves by accessing the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Recently, I’ve been thinking about how sharing our personal experiences can help carry one another’s burdens. I was thinking this when I was reading blogs on different platforms—and while I was reading them, I began to realize that sharing our challenges is not only a way to keep our covenants with God, but a gift that we can give as relief for others. (What do you even mean, Jae?)
When I say “sharing your challenges” I mean (appropriately) talking to someone or sharing on social media about experiences that demanded growth in some way shape or form. (Also, remembering how much we share is totally up to us depending on the personal boundaries we have on sharing our life details to the public).
In the past, I’ve shared how much I’ve gone through the cycle of deleting so many things I’ve shared online many times. I was very vulnerable and (frankly) very brave to share a lot of them publicly, even if some seemed like minuscule news. But, for me every single thing I created, I had loved so much—I put so much effort in them. Unfortunately, my poor mental health took over and my weakness to throw most of those creations in the trash was successful.
Because I didn’t yet have the tools to confront genuine feelings on my many unresolved traumas, I unconsciously betrayed myself over and over again (that meant destroying what made me feel validated—what made me feel less lonely—the creative talent that God gave me that made me feel so real.)
During that time, I didn’t even know that depression and anxiety was an actual sickness. Terminology such as “self-betrayal,” and “trauma-bonding” were something I was not aware of until the Lord paved the way for me to talk to my very first professional therapist.
I mean, I always knew therapists existed, but I was always (even remotely) taught that they were for “crazy,” “hopelessly insane,” people who really have no hope of becoming well again. “Institutionalized,” I thought. “Therapists are professionally trained to be patient enough to put up with them.” This was the mind of ignorant innocence. Please forgive me. Obviously, I did not know any better.
And I became fully aware of how much I didn’t know until my full-time mission. Until I experienced such an intense wavelength of heavy emotions. Before experiencing my mental illness in full awareness, I prayed to God often about having more empathy. I prayed to be able to connect with others in a deep way. I prayed for a weakness to become my strength. But I didn’t know that meant going through what I did (to become a highly sensitive empath I am now)—my mental health declined, I felt the depths of my powerful feelings ALL the time, and I cried and cried everyday.
I am much better now. There were so many things I had to go through in the journey of acknowledging my depression and anxiety. So, so much. Would you like to hear them?! Haha, I will share them soon. However, my hope is that this post can reach to your very being—to hold your hand and let you know that when you choose to acknowledge your feelings, the Lord is open to hearing all of them. To feel all of them with you. After all, because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, because He felt it all, and died for all—I can confidently say that He stands with our Father in Heaven as the Greatest Empaths we can ever behold.
He lives to grant me rich supply.
He lives to guide me with his eye.
He lives to comfort me when faint.
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears.
He lives to wipe away my tears.
He lives to calm my troubled heart.
He lives all blessings to impart.
I Know That My Redeemer Lives by Samuel Medley, Lewis D. Edwards
I invite you to consider sharing a challenge you have faced—a time that God manifested His power in your life—to social media or in a conversation with anyone you care for. Someone needs the creative gift the Lord has given you, even if it feels small, even if you feel like a beginner. I know that when you do this, God will give you the words to say and He will guide you in the work you need to do for Him—for His children. So, share your heart. Someone who feels alone at this moment will feel the warmth of God’s light because you decided to acknowledge and share that we are not meant to be alone in our trials—because of Jesus Christ.