My wife, Marsha, was very excited to visit her alma mater, Central Kings Rural High for their special Wellness Day this week, and it was a beautiful “full-circle” moment to see her to return as a teacher.
As someone who struggles with chronic anxiety, I know that the first rule of anxiety-club is that you don’t talk about anxiety-club. We tend to feed off each other, reinforcing each other’s fears, so we only discussed the topic briefly before transitioning to the practical exercise. At its core, “anxiety” is simply “distrust,” so I can’t cure anxiety. I can, however, provide a safe, affirming environment where you’re free to stretch yourself as far as you’d like, without fear or judgement… and we saw some AMAZING acts of courage on this outing! As I face some of my most anxious moments, it’s YOUR courage that inspires me to push through it! ❤
One young lady was particularly inspiring. She worked so hard to hold a snake, shivering with nerves… but she pushed through it and held Wilson, one of my largest ball pythons. As if that wasn’t courageous enough, as I was taking Wilson away from her, Marsha asked if she could hold him again for a photo… AND SHE DID! My hope is that the empowering experience of confronting and overcoming anxiety is a feeling they’ll chase in all aspects of their lives, because the only thing holding us back is fear.
I’ve come to understand that our weaknesses are part of us, but they do not define us. To the contrary, they are stepping-stones to finding our strengths! I’m still finding my own way through fear but your courage has been an enormous source of strength for me. HUGE thanks to the staff and student at CK for a fantastic day focused on all aspects of wellness & self-care! We’re so grateful for the opportunity to share these amazing experiences with you!
