Harvesting Healing Through Blogging
As humans we have daily struggles and it is our struggles that make us human.
~ Karen Esbenshade
Airing My Dirty Laundry
So you are wondering “who would air their dirty laundry on social media?” – well, funny you should ask. It is not beneath me to share my intimate struggles to the public.
Airing our “dirty laundry” refers to sharing personal matters, which should remain private.
“Why would someone do that?” – you might ask. After eighteen months of soul searching I have learned the good, bad, and ugly about myself (and am still learning). I was able to reveal traits that did not serve me. Sadly, there are more to be exposed. If I can successfully illustrate to you the bad traits I have conquered or am still struggling to overcome, then maybe, just maybe I can encourage you to avenge your bad character traits, putting them to rest.
“Why would we want to do that?” – another great question. As humans many of our traits are inherently formed by our interactions with others. These traits may be glaringly obvious to others, but we choose to be ignorant of them. Offering us a false sense of security. These traits keep us from being our best.
“How will sharing my bad traits help me better myself?” – obviously, I must be crazy! Sharing with others has been helpful for my recovery. When I write about a trait I struggle with, it brings the trait to life. I can hold myself accountable for my actions brought on by these traits.
“How will my sharing help you?” – there’s got to be more to it. If I can help one friend unearth a flawed trait within them through sharing, then they will know they do not need to struggle alone. Once the trait is acknowledged and dealt with, they will find how freeing it is to put that trait to rest.
“What am I willing to share?” – piquing your curiosity. When deciding what to discuss in my blog post I will strive to use discernment. The definition of “discernment” per vocabulary.com is the trait of judging wisely and objectively. I will only share a personal trait which has impacted my recovery. And, I will not share any information which is damaging or defamatory to myself, my family or another.
When I struggle with my own judgment I will refer to God for His guidance. Biblical Discernment is the ability to decide between truth and error, right and wrong. Through prayer I will decide what will be beneficial to you, my reader.
I will not be “letting anyone out to dry!”
“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”
James 1:5 NLT
As an imperfect human my growth has been spurred on by a life catastrophe, because I chose to ignore my struggles. Instead of choosing to look inward and identify the source of the problem, which was ME, I placed blame on the society around me. The end result was to numb my discomfort and quell my anxieties with that one glass of wine. By the grace of God I was able to seek forgiveness and unearth my flaws. Through sharing with others I was able to accept my flawed self and learn I did not need to suffer alone. The result peace, from a loving God, not the spirit in the bottle.
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