Sometimes I believe that the more you talk about the healing and even imply what you’re healing from, the audience you have can shape who wants to engage with you beyond “likes” and “comments.” That’s assuming you’re connected to them on social platforms.

I have a good amount of those on multiple. It’s hard to tell who’s paying attention and appreciative, versus who’s waiting for an opening to talk about something outside of mental health topics.

And I admit to doing that with a small amount of others in the past, and likely the present unintentionally. But they’re often the ones that know I’m doing my best to be removed from that behavior.

Double respect for those that have given me a chance to speak, long before I had a voice to comfortably project and protect.

Being around the others that refuse to hear even one word of criticism can alter your voice, too. From that, you risk becoming the embodiment of their hurt. You learn how to kill someone’s spirit before their body fades.

But you can’t do it to the sources, no matter who they are. Your silence means more to them than your progress. Especially when that progress is to ultimately stay away from them.

If they cared about who you are, what you’re fighting, who you fought, and why, they’ll pay attention and listen without malice. And it takes time to learn who’s speaking from, and listening with compassion, or who’s speaking to seek, or regain control over you.

But if you stay quiet around the right people, you’ll know who are the best ones to keep around.

D.F