by Joseph Reid | Executive Director Broken People 02/2021
Yeah, you read that right. It's not ok to not be ok.
Just like you, I've heard the phrase "It's ok to not be ok" going around the mental health community. What I won't say here is that the statement "It's ok to not be ok" is wrong. And for good reason. It's not. But I do have something that I think is important to add to the discussion.
Let me explain.
Most commonly, when people say "It's ok to not be ok," they are referring to the acceptance that sometimes you have bad days or don't feel emotionally well...and that that is ok. That not being ok is not the end of the world. You and I can survive it. It's ok to have days that you just feel like giving up...as long as you don't actually give up, that is!
But I'd like to talk about something that has been burning in my heart for a few months now. In the scheme of things, the larger picture of our existence, it really is not ok to not be ok.
So, here is the basic idea I'm trying to get across. It's actually quite simple. We should be less than satisfied with not feeling ok. It should drive us toward solution after solution after solution to try to find a way to actually feel ok.
The one danger of constantly repeating "It's ok to not be ok" is when people start accepting this as a life sentence. In the case of mental health, I want to encourage you to not give up your pursuit of peace of mind.There are so many great options out there to help you reach this goal. And you know what? Maybe you will always be battling for mental health. That is ok. I assure you it is a battle worth fighting! How do I know it is a battle worth fighting? Because I fight this battle every day. And the choices, the big ones, are healthy choices that will have multiple positive affects on your quality of life. So, yeah, It is ok to not be ok. And it's not ok to not be ok. But, it is also ok to be ok, ok?