During my weekly two-hour phone call with my best friend, we talked about the holidays, our jobs and other various changes we’ve noticed in our friends and our country. She works as a yoga instructor, so she spends a good amount of time public speaking during her Vinyasa and restorative classes.
One class in particular seemed to resonate with her this week and not because of its positive influence on her, but it’s negative influence. She had an older student in class that positioned her mat in the back and continued to complain about not being able to hear my best friend.
“I can’t hear you!”
“What did you say?!”
“Please speak up!”
Now my friend has been teaching classes for a couple years now, and she’s a southern girl just like me. And us southern girls aren’t particularly quiet. My friend turned down the music to a whisper and finished the class by teaching from the back of the room, right by that student’s mat. After the class other students approached my friend thanking her for the class, and thanking her for her patience with the problematic student.
This yoga student was disrupting the entire class, because she refused to accept that she had a hearing problem. She refused to accept that she had a flaw that needed fixing.
This story really hit home for me, because recently I decided to finally go to the doctor to face a health issue I have been avoiding. It took me nearly an entire year to seek help. I am happy to know that I am officially diagnosed with PMDD, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
This disorder affects two to 10 percent of women where we experience hormonal and chemical imbalances a week or two weeks before menstruation. Due to these imbalances, I would suffer from depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts only a week every single month. Once I started menstruating, my mood would change, and I would feel normal once again.
After suffering from this for a year, I finally accepted that I couldn’t deal with the symptoms on my own. I needed help. My week of emotional hell literally made me feel like I was a werewolf, changing drastically once a month. I would degrade my husband. I would feel severe anxiety for no reason. I would feel utterly worthless and just wanted to end it all.
I finally went to my family doctor and am lucky enough for her to have known exactly what PMDD was and how to treat it. I am currently trying out birth control as a treatment. I got the answers and the help I needed all because I accepted the one thing I have been hiding away from. Acceptance was the first step to a new life for me. Acceptance brought me answers. Acceptance made me realize that I didn’t have to live this way.
If you are struggling with something in your life, whether it be an abusive or loveless relationship, a health problem, or even an addiction, it’s time to let yourself free. It’s time for acceptance. These three tips below helped me accept myself and my flaws, and I hope they do the same for you.
1. Remember That You are Worthy
You are worthy of a happy life. No one is perfect, including you. It is okay to get a divorce, to go to rehab, or to make a doctor’s appointment. I think we feel embarrassed when our life doesn’t seem perfect to others. But that’s okay. You have to realize that your happiness is yours, not anyone else’s.
2. Set a Goal
What do you want out of life? A happy relationship? A successful career? Or simply just to feel happy every day of the month? For me, I didn’t want to have the urge to hurt myself or to demean others. Set a goal for yourself and make a statement of change. When you make a statement, like ‘I don’t want to feel depressed ever again,” you can then move forward and find a solution to make your dream come true.
3. Take Action
You can tell yourself that you will stop smoking cigarettes or that you will leave your abusive partner, but when? How many cigarettes will you smoke until you actually quit? How much abuse will you take? How many yoga classes will you yell, ‘I can’t hear you!,’ until you actually get help for your hearing problem? Once you make your statement and decide your goal, take action! Book that doctor’s appointment! Refuse to buy another pack of cigarettes! It’s only through action will change actually occur.
As the New Year quickly approaches, it’s take time to reevaluate yourself, find acceptance and make a resolution. I hope I have inspired you to be the best you.
So what will your New Year’s resolution be? What have you been hiding from that finally needs some accepting?
Madison wore the Tree Organic Flow Pants
Hollie Ramsey
December 15, 2016 at 7:35 pm (8 years ago)Beautiful photos and wonderful post.