This audio is from the radio show “To The Best of My Knowledge” (aired locally on August 21, 2016). The guest, Jenny Lawson, begins by sharing some of her most awkward moments and the response she received from others; then related to similar experiences. She speaks of the sense of support and comradery she felt from such sharing. She then goes on to describe a similar experience when she began sharing about her struggles with mental illness (depression, suicidal ideations). My point, mental illness is usually hidden from others, but the sharing of one’s mental illness struggles, with the right audience, can facilitate building your own support system.
–Everyone can relate to it
–Because others shared, people felt it was now okay to share their similar situations
–Counters the societal message – look at me, oh so cool
–Awkwardness has an upside, brings us all together, reminds everyone we are all in this together. We feel a connection with others (through our moments of awkwardness or our mental illness).
–Points to the benefit of sharing about one’s mental illness in the right setting as a way of building our support system.
The link:
http://www.ttbook.org/book/upside-awkwardness