Historical encouragement post

Puddles of Pure Pride

Originally written by Coach Rai on August 16, 2018

It’s monsoon season where I live which means it dumps rain in the middle of the afternoon almost every day of the week until the season comes to an end.

As the clouds were building at work a few days ago, I was chipping away at the defensive driving course I had to take. This course was approximately 3 hours long and consisted of crash scene photos, car accident simulations, and statistics on seat belt vs non seat belt wearer deaths.

It didn’t take but one smashed in windshield to send me on a walk around the office trying to deal with the weight bearing down on my chest at the thought of our car accident.

I quickly reached for the metaphorical tools I’ve gathered from attending EMDR sessions. I was able to use the pouring rain to ease my anxiety one drop at a time.

Today I shared this experience with a friend and reflected on the progress I’ve made since December 2016. Each time I talk about that progress, my heart aches for the people who are in need of encouragement.

If that person is you or someone you know:

Don’t give up.

You are completely capable of conquering whatever it is that’s bringing you down.

You’re not alone.

There are options.

You are significantly stronger than you think especially because of your softness.

Even in the hard times, there is so so much to be thankful for.

Put in the effort because your mental health and happiness is worth it.

You’ll look back one day and be able to appreciate the traumatic experiences that shaped you because you’ll have gained a whole new, humble perspective of life.

Trust me, you’ve got this.

Rock the rest of your day! 🌞