I've always been very prone to depresive thinking and thought patterns. By nature, I've always been fairly negative and cynical, though I try to keep those traits at bay and channel them into being discerning and analytical. One thing I've noticed about myself, as well as other people, is that when people are down, stressed, worried, or else, one thing that always seems to help is validation. I know with me, I always try to brush off things that are going on as no big deal. Sometimes this works, but not usually. Someone telling me that it's okay to be upset at what's going on, is golden!
Now, I can't necessarily say that everyone else is like that, but I would venture to say that a lot, if not most women, are. Men, I know handle things like that differently and I haven't quite cracked what helps them in times like that. But knowing that it's okay to be upset/angry/stressed/sad about stuff helps a lot. It also helps when people tell me they are praying for me and offer me encouragement. If someone is like me, they aren't very good at offering encouragement. If you can't be encouraging verbally, however - touch works WONDERS!
One night this week I was really upset, and one of my friends texted my mom to tell her. She knew I was upset but didn't realize the degree. I was going to bed but called me in her room and I lied down on the bed with her for a while, and she curled up closer to me and started rubbing my back and head. Just the touch was probably as helpful as anything she said, and my mom has a gift of encouraging people!
So yeah, if you know someone (particularly a woman, and particularly me, I guess!) if you see that she is upset, listen to her, and be honest, but let her know it's okay to be upset. Touch her arm or her back. I find light back rubs and head massages to be some of the most relaxing and comforting things someone can do! Pray for me. Pray with me if you can.
Kind of a random post, but I was thinking about it a lot over the past few days and just wanted to get it out.
No comments:
Post a Comment