Do Not Suffer in Silence

Be open about your hardships. Others may be able to help you and you may be able to help others.

Silence helps no one.

Putting yourself out there is scary and I'm not suggesting that you "cast your pearls before swine," but if there's any chance your selective words could uplift or strengthen someone in need, it's worth it to open your mouth. 

Being "open" does not mean to needlessly complain; it means to be more honest and real about your struggles or how you're feeling. However, do NOT aimlessly talk about your hardships; instead, DO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE to survive and conquer them.

I'm deeply grateful for the several individuals who courageously reached out to my husband and I, after our baby girl passed away, to share their personal understanding of our grief, after losing children of their own. I'm so grateful they didn't keep their thoughts on the matter to themselves. Their encouraging words of hope and understanding brought a great amount of comfort. Simply knowing that we weren't alone in our heartbreak was helpful. It was helpful to know that if needed, there was someone whom we could turn to for advice as to how to get through it. They had "been there, done that," and they are still standing. If they survived it, perhaps we can too...

Although I am generally a reserved person, I feel strongly that I should begin being more open. It is my hope that there is someone in the world, even if it's just one person, who might be able to benefit from me sharing my personal experiences and coping strategies. Being open is mutually beneficial because if my experiences help someone else, I am given the opportunity to transform my trial into a blessing for either me or someone else, or for both of us. This process gives my challenges more purpose and positive results, instead of just scars.