I saw this quote a while ago and the first thing I thought was, "Just @ me next time."

Then it started to resonate deeper because of how true it was. Sometimes we distract ourselves from going through the process of healing because the hurt was painful enough. We'd rather not confront it or acknowledge it. Because if we acknowledge it, then we have to handle it.

Pain in the smallest of forms to the biggest of them has to be checked. Unchecked pain can lead to voids to be filled by EVERYTHING and ANYTHING besides healing. Pain has a tricky way of hiding behind the bravado of ego. Pain is hard because it won't leave you until it is finished teaching you. The longer you take you to confront, the more room it leaves for it to grow.

Distraction from pain, heartache, abandonment, and fear does not make it go away because you refuse to take it head-on. Ego comes in and says, "You're fine! Why would you need to talk to someone? No. You can handle it yourself." See, being distracted and being healed can be confused for the same thing — on the outside. They both start off great, but one leaves you wanting more and the other leaves you content.

Analyze yourself, your situations, your relationships, and your entire life. Genuinely ask yourself, "Am I doing this because I value it or because it fills a void? Am in this relationship with this guy because I value him/myself or does he feel my voids? Am I in this career because I value it or does it fill the void of not being good enough for my parents? Am I pursuing my calling because I value it or am I doing it because I need to fill this void to feel and be important or acknowledged?"

Healing is a painful process but can be something so beautiful. The most pivotal moments in my life originated from a place of pain. If you never experience pain, how could you have context for true joy? Distracting yourself from the root of issues doesn't eliminate them but instead multiples it.

I heard this analogy once and I thought it was so powerful. Holding onto pain is like playing tug of war; you can pull as hard as you want because you want to hold onto it, but when you finally decide to let go, the cuts are skin deep. Sometimes out of fear we hold onto things, but all it does is make the cut that much deeper when it's time to let go.

Move your mountains, face your fears, and heal your heart.