Sometimes even the strongest of us falter or have doubts in what we are doing or believe in. At the same time I would worry if we didn’t question our beliefs or actions to ensure we are correct or justified in our beliefs.
Sometimes the cause we believe in and are fighting for can overwhelm us. A few months ago rather than relying on social media to keep up on what was happening in the LGBT arena I added most of the popular new sites to my feedly feed. Day after day my feed was full of misery and despair and it started to get to me. In fact so badly I managed to undo all of the good work I’d done to keep my depression in check. I withdraw from the world, kept off social media and lost my drive at work helping UK EAGLE carry on the good work they do.
I’m back on form now, thanks to understanding friends and the little pills sadly.
That’s not to say that I now ignore the bad news that is happening around the world, but I now limit my exposure. For the moment at least, I’m not in a place mentally where I can cope with it.
Other friends worry how what they do will affect the others in their lives. By speaking up for what they believe in, they open themselves up to comment and criticism – however obtuse that critiscm may be. The expectation in how family or friends may react can derail even the noblest cause, and stop any good they may do. At the same time, by placing your head above the parapet, speaking up, you open yourself up to the general world and what ever views people may feel they have. Those views, if spoken loudly enough, can affect not only the person directly involved but all those around them.
For those people who can ignore the critics, can let any negative comment brush off their back – I honestly have the utmost respect for them, and hope someday I am able to do the same.