The Hunger

This morning I was scrolling through Linked In posts and found this quote “Sometimes it’s not about who has more talent. It’s about who is hungrier.” I would assume the author is not referring to hunger for a plate of pasta carbanara—although that does sound delicious doesn’t it?

All joking aside though– I was struck by this quote. If I apply this to my own life… I am Starving. I have a hunger inside of me that is almost indescribable. However, I will do my best to put it into words so you might understand. I have a hunger for my Life. The one that you might not see that I fight for every day that I open my eyes. I have a thirst for parts of myself that I am not sure I will ever get back.  I have a hunger to walk in a room again with total confidence- I want my outsides to match my insides. I have a hunger to keep growing into this woman I haven’t met yet. I wonder what she will be like?

I want to drink in the sunlight and spit out the shadows that linger behind me. A hunger to find true joy again within myself. I welcome silliness and more laughter. I believe that we all have talent – but it’s up to us what we choose to do with it. What good is talent without the fire behind it? The hunger helps us all grow into our best selves. I had made the choice after being diagnosed that I no longer wanted to pursue mental health therapy as a profession. I let that part of myself go, and do not regret it. In essence I am now trying to create something from nothing. I may not have the X number of years to show a prospective employer, but I do have that hunger in my belly that will never cease.

In this current moment my health is stable. This is something I never take for granted. I have survived so much already and know there is more to come in my future. As time moves us all on though, I think this hunger has morphed into different things for me. At one time, I wanted a life that I no longer know anymore. Another time, I just wanted to survive and make it out alive. At this current time I want to feed my desires for more in life, whatever that may be. Many times, I have felt like I have nothing left to give, the pain gets to be too much. Time and time again we get up and fight.

 A quick note regarding job rejection emails – the template always says something like “ we regret to inform you that you were not chosen at this time.”

In response to this I think the following: “I regret to inform you that I will keep going, and ultimately life tends to unfold as it should.”

Whoever might need to hear this… keep holding on my friend. You are not alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you…have a job yet?

Do you…have a relationship yet?

My answer to these questions should not determine my worth. You may think that I don’t hear the dissatisfaction in your tone of voice, but I do. You may think that I can’t see the look of disappointment in your eyes, but I do. You may think you know how I should live my life…but here’s the thing…only I do. Just because I get a job, a relationship, or am out on my own does not change who I am at my very core. From the outside it would be easy to think or say that I am not doing enough, or moving at the pace you would like. The pressure, the subtle comments that you think I don’t notice…I do. Success is subjective. My idea of success may look very different than yours but that does not mean you have the right to look down on me and think that you can tell me I am less than.

I am successful because I am alive. I am in a whole different arena than you. I was given this challenge, and it was demanded of me to go deeper. To explore parts of myself that I never knew could be there and to nourish those parts. So, you may not know where I am going or what I am doing…but I do. I am building this new pathway for myself, laying down each little grain of support beneath my two feet. Going through this very unique journey can be very lonely and isolating. We need support. We need you to listen, to lift us up. So instead of looking over in my lane to see what I am doing, please turn your focus inward, because this is what I have been doing. I am turning inward healing my bruises that I so often hide from you. Healing mentally and physically, making myself stronger for what the future may hold. 

Please be kind. We go through so much more than what you may see on the surface. It is not my job to appease everyone and get a pat on the back at the end of the day. It is my job to get myself through the day and be at peace with myself.

Do I have a job yet? Yes, I volunteer my time to help other patients in multiple organizations which will some day turn into a meaningful career and also write this blog to connect with my fellow patients.

Do I have a relationship yet? Yes, I have a relationship with myself. I have been building a solid foundation… and by the way we are pretty serious!!

You are Enough.

Much Love & Support,

Sarah