Am I normal?
Every week, we run a check-in on Instagram to ask the members of our community what they need help with.
We get hundreds of responses. You share what you're feeling and what you’re going through: 'I am struggling to let go,' 'I am heartbroken,' 'I feel lonely,' or 'I'm lost.'
When I reshare your stories, without fail, I get many messages all saying the same thing: "I read this, and now I don't feel so alone anymore."
It's so easy to forget, and so important to remember: you only have visibility into your insides and everyone else’s outsides.
This visibility trap can leave you with the mistaken perception that you are the only one who is having a hard time. Everyone else seems fine on the outside, but let me tell you what I see from my unique vantage point: we're all going through something — navigating our difficulties, coping with fear and confusion and pain and loneliness, and trying our best to figure life out day-by-day.
The next time you feel yourself caught in the visibility trap, use this phrase: "I may not be able to see it, but I am sure that I'm not alone."
It's a little gesture of compassion for yourself and others, one that can make all the difference.
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