I grew up in rural Wisconsin. Our home sat on eigh...

I grew up in rural Wisconsin. Our home sat on eight acres, a grassy island surrounded by cows and cornfields.

There were five outbuildings and a barn on the property, all fairly close to the house. Our parents gave us strict orders to stay out of all the buildings except one we could play in. Of course, that was the least interesting building.

The barn was so unsafe that my dad pulled it down. The stone walls of the foundation and base of the silo remained standing, covered in broken beams and bits of roof and walls we never got around to cleaning up.

I knew better than to play there, but since there was no longer the danger of a building falling on my head, off to the barn I usually went to play.

Months went by without incident. It was the ship where I sailed as captain, the mountain I was first to conquer, and the barrier wall of my kingdom. Those adventures inspired the stories I would write later.

My universe was fun and exciting until the day my foot met a long, rusty nail.

By the time I got my shoe off, my white tube sock was red. Tears fell down my face as I wondered if anyone from the house would hear me scream.

In that moment, with a salty wet face and a foot oozing warm liquid, I grew up a little. I had a problem, and I was the only one available to fix it. No one was coming to rescue me.

My encounter with the nail taught me a valuable lesson I later applied to my mental health. Just as I was responsible for my injury, I was the person responsible for my bipolar. I had to take care of me.

The same is true for you.

There’s a lot about mental illness no one else knows. You can smile, laugh, and tell jokes, all while planning your death or an episode of self-harm. Only you see the internal wound in its raw glory. Only you see what’s hiding under that tube sock. So it’s up to you to take care of you.

Until next time, keep fighting.
—
Learn to banish your negative thinking with the free 30 Days of Positivity Email Course. Link in bio.
—
#quotes #inspiration #motivation #motivational #lifequotes #quotesdaily #positivequotes #inspirational #positivity #mentallillness #bipolar #bpd #anxiety #depression #therapy #sadness #mentalhealth #bipolarclub