We live in a world of band-aids and aspirin, a culture obsessed with to-do lists and the belief that there is never enough time. Our inner wounds often scare us, forces us to turn the other way. And not because we are intentionally avoiding self-care, but rather because we are too busy. We comfort ourselves by believing everything will work itself out. So we deny our inner bleeding, we focus on life’s everyday problems. We learn to adapt and take on daily hurdles like mini jigsaw puzzles. Just another task for our lists, we say.
Because we aren’t sure how or when to address the bleeding. How long should it take? Is there a step-by-step guide or podcast to cure the pain? Should we seek professional help or confide in friends?
We’re already overbooked and exhausted, so we pretend everything is fine. We slap a band-aid on the wound and move along. Even as the blood seeps through, we check off tasks and bulldoze through the day like the Spartans we think we are. We’ve learned to ignore the agony in our souls and we avert eye contact from anyone who asks too many questions. We are all just fine.
Except we’re not. We’re losing sleep and we struggle with the most basic of tasks. The wine bottle has become our best and only friend. You’ve earned this glass, we tell ourselves, and then we pour another—and another. Sip, sip. We’re drowning, wandering lost in a sea of people who all seem just fine. It’s salt in the wound, a reminder that we just need more band-aids—or another glass of wine.
So here’s the truth—what we all need to hear: Let your wounds bleed.
You do not need band-aids or aspirin or wine or a self-help book. While none of these things are inherently bad, they won’t fix the hurting inside. They may offer various levels of comfort and allow you to live in temporary denial, but they won’t stop the bleeding—the deep, painful, necessary bleeding.
It doesn’t mean you’re weak. And giving space and time to your hurting heart doesn’t mean you’re broken. It actually makes you brave, self-aware, and a better human. It means acknowledging every season is different and sometimes life feels like walking through fire. By letting wounds bleed, you enter the healing process. By exposing your pain, you invite light to enter in. You need this time—we all do. To sit. To grieve. To process and mourn the sufferings in our souls. Only then can we move toward wholeness.
So let’s start there. Eventually, the bleeding will stop and scars will form. For now though, be brave. Strip off the bandaids and quit saying we are all just fine. We’re not—not yet. And all we can do right now is give our wounds permission to bleed.
Author: Kayti Christian
Email: [email protected]
Author Bio: Kayti Christian is a writer, storyteller, and self-care activist. With 30+ stamps in her passport, she feels most at home wandering the streets of faraway cities.
Link to social media or website: http://www.kaytichristian.com
https://www.instagram.com/kaytichristian/
