It's Halloween, and yes there will be adorable princesses and fun animals and Disney characters, but there will also of course be demons and monsters and zombies and other scary things.
With all of the dark frightening things around lately, I wanted to press an important point:
Your life should not be one of them.
You might not be aware, but there are SO MANY people who face every day as if it was literally a decent into Hades where they face their own personal terrifying demons.
If you are one of these people, please listen to me:
You do not have to feel this way.
If you are not one of these people, please listen to me:
They honestly do feel this way and it is not their fault.
Yes, all those Halloween creatures are scary, and yes I get scared at just about anything (I jumped so hard the other night from my husband just walking into the room that I bruised myself on our refrigerator), but I am dead serious when I say this:
The scariest thing I can possibly imagine is a person stuck in an awful dark place with no clue that there is a way out.
If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, body image, self harm, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, or anything else please hear these few truths:
1) YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
There are hotlines. There are counselors. There are compassionate friends. There are others who have struggled or are struggling with your same problems. There are family members. There are support groups. There are therapists. There are properly prescribed medications. There are books written by people who have beaten this and who want you to do the same.
And most importantly, there is a Savior who KNOWS you, better than you know yourself, and whose only wish is for you to realize your divine potential and be happy forever. AND He knows exactly how to make that happen for you, if you'll just ask Him and act in faith.
2) THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT.
If any other organ in your body was severely malfunctioning, you would take whatever steps necessary to fix the problem, right? Well, newsflash: your brain is an organ. That means mental illnesses are the same as appendicitis, IBS, asthma, and any other problem with any other organ. They are real, they are not your fault, and they can be and must be treated properly. Do not beat yourself up for being sick. Do not put yourself down for feeling down. Do not make your dark place darker by loading unnecessary guilt on your shoulders for things you have done or for how you feel. This is not your fault.
3) YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STAY HERE.
Please please please please please do not lock yourself inside your dark hole and assume you deserve to be there or that there is no way out. THERE IS. I PROMISE YOU THERE IS. And it is worth the fight it takes to get out. I cannot tell you enough how loved you are, how badly this world needs you, and how there are unimaginable wonderful joys in your future if you will just believe in them and seek them. It may be fun to get all dark and scary for Halloween, but please do not make the darkness a year-round haunt.
I know this post is a lot more wordy and less cutesy-quotesy than some other ones, but I also think it is one of the most important posts I have ever done, and I ask you to share it so that as many people who feel stuck in their dark scary place can see it as possible. Let's help ourselves and our loved ones see that there is a way out.
These are wordy, but they hit on some of the points I've tried to make and address some of the same beliefs I have regarding those people who feel stuck in their dark places, so I hope you will take the few seconds to read through them:
I know life can be scary and dark and cruel and hard. I know it can seem like your own personal hell sometimes. But please, leave the darkness in the night of October 31st where it belongs. Choose to start today to fight through it. Find that light that exists all around you. Believe that a happy life is completely within your reach. Turn to those people and resources that can help you.
And leave your monsters in Halloween.
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