The other day I was having a bad day, so I posted on my Facebook feed:
I have had a bad day and a half and am therefore eating fudge ice cream for lunch. …If you’d like to join my support group, I’ll be doing this every day at lunchtime until I am no longer sad….
I was mostly joking, hoping someone would want to join my ice cream support group. I take care of my mental health, so I know my sad days are temporary. Still, we’re not very good at admitting our sadness to one another. And researchers have found that when you “put on a happy face” when you’re really sad, other people feel worse.
Like most people, I don’t like to admit I’m sad either. I’d rather appear as if I’m juggling my seven million obligations with no trouble—with a smile on my face. But research suggests we would all be a little better off if we were more honest with each other about how we’re feeling. So, my offer still stands. If you’re tired, if you’re lonely, if you’re grouchy, if you need to have a good cry, I’ll have the ice cream ready.
This message is excerpted from a Women of the ELCA blog by Sarah Carson. You can read it here.
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