If you’ve ever had the delight of seeing a covey of quail, you’ll know that they scurry from one place to another without pause. The young ones are truly adorable as their little bodies scurry so hard to keep pace with the adult leading the way.

Do you ever find yourself scurrying from one thing to the next? Or, burying yourself in something without time to check in with yourself—let alone letting yourself feel what you’re feeling?

Often times we delay the process of whatever we’re going through. We say things like, “I just can’t deal with that right now.” Or, “That’s too much to think about,” or “I can’t go down that road—it’s too painful.” We avoid our feelings and/or the truth of what we’re going through. The problem is that “wherever you go, there you are.”

We need support in our journey for many reasons; one being that so much of this avoidance is often done on an unconscious level. We get into unhealthy patterns, and this all feels very normal. We don’t even recognize the ways in which we do this to ourselves. Consciously or unconsciously, we do our best to avoid things or suppress them, but no matter how fast we scurry in an attempt to bury our feelings— they are still “there.” We can go a long time like this, but not without natural unpleasant consequences.

The longest relationship we will have is the one we have with our self. We can start and end: jobs, hobbies, and relationships; we can move from here to there, but wherever we go and whatever we do—“there we’ll be.” At some point, we pause. Or, in countless ways life forces us to pause. Then it happens—suppressed things rise up demanding attention.

It is wise to seek different forms of supportive help in our recovery journey so others can compassionately help us see ourselves, reflect to us, and offer ways to become more empowered. Recovery is one minute, one hour, one day at a time. As we become more empowered, and do the inner work around what needs attention, the nicer it will be to be “there,” with ourselves, wherever we go.

Cheri Thomas

Cheri works as a Peer Support Specialist for RI in Arizona. She has experienced loss and grief which has led her to write for the masses to bring voice to those in similar situations. Cheri possesses a deep passion to share with, encourage, and inspire others on what she calls the Journey of the Heart.