Short Read

“Be Sure You Do Not Protect Yourself From Love”

Staying open to love with mental illness.

Let’s talk about love. It may feel like there’s not enough love in your world, but often there’s more than we realize. Focusing on that love keeps you positive.

Part of having a mental illness is building walls. We build some barriers to protect ourselves, usually because someone has hurt us in the past. Others we build because we think we have to protect those we love.

Negative stigmas about bipolar and other mental disorders make us think we have to hide part of ourselves. So we hide those parts behind another wall.

The only problem is that these barriers keep everything out — the bad and the good.

“When you protect yourself from pain, be sure you do not protect yourself from love.”

— Alan Cohen

Love is a wonderful thing. Loving someone gives you purpose and fulfillment. Being loved by someone is the warmest fuzzy you can get.

Take some time today to think about love. Who do you love? Who loves you? Let love provide your positivity for today.

Additional Reading: Listen for the silent “I Love You’s” — Not every “I love you” is verbal. Here are some other ways people may tell you how much they care without using words.

Until next time, keep fighting.

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