The thing that stands between where we are and where we want to be is us, ourselves, being transparent and backing our ability to communicate messages about what we think and feel. Where we exist and are unable to do this, we cannot grow, we can’t thrive, and we will barely survive. But where we feel safe, where we are not concerned about how we will be received or perceived, is where we need to be in the long term. In safe places, we have room to grow and heal, to bloom into what we are to become.
In the world that struggles for authenticity, where more and more we may feel silenced or that we are unable to speak, it is all the more important that we speak up. This is for our own health. In a recent devotion I was asked to give on mental health (with a pandemic flavour), I felt compelled to share my own struggles through this period, including the story of a couple of really dark days, as a call to the people there to be open and transparent with the people they trust.
It’s never easy to be totally honest when it comes to our worst mental health days, because it involves tremendous vulnerability, because we wonder if it will shape people’s perceptions of us. It usually does, but not in bad ways. Notice as you look around your room where you are being honest, and you can see people are looking into themselves. In such moments, where we open up in safe spaces, people are not so much focused on us and our story; they are taking our story into themselves. It may look like they are having a deer-in-headlights moment, but in that moment, they are meeting themselves, and it is transformative for them.
Our worlds need us to be who we are, transparent and open, presuming we are in a safe place, because when we are transparent and open, others are emboldened to be transparent and open. As we are courageous, we give others the license to be courageous. As we are open and transparent about our journey, we open up space for others to share into. Not only do we, ourselves, prosper in being open and transparent, so we are heard, we give others permission to open up and be transparent with us, so they are heard. Just about nothing else is required for healing. Indeed, much of therapy is involved in being completely honest in a safe space, which presumes acceptance and care couched in wisdom and discernment.
A key reason our world needs us to be transparent and open is our world is made safer that way. As we are transparent and open, we say to our world, “you can be too.” The world is crying out for space to communicate what really needs to be said. None of this is a threat to anyone. Nobody ought to feel threatened about someone else’s honesty, about somebody else saying how they feel, and explaining the personal impact of things. If only we had a world that allowed everyone to share honestly, where everyone could be honest, where everyone was honest. Of course, not everyone wants to be honest, and for many it works against their aims for they prefer to be dishonest. But for those who desire to live in freedom, who desire a safe and beautiful world, it begins with us being able to communicate. As we communicate in truth, we create a culture where others wish to communicate, too. And collectively we are all better for it.
Photo by Andrew Robert Lauko on Unsplash
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