CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Editor's note: Today's YouDay discusses involving a loss of desire to live. If you or a loved one are facing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, there is help readily available. You can call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or chat with them online. There are also resources in North Carolina available here and in South Carolina available here.
Today, masks are requirements. Everywhere we go we see people wearing them. But for many of us it has become a way of life, or at least it was for me. Not the physical mask required before entering the supermarket or restaurant, but the smile I wore hiding my pain and self-hatred.
I remember being a co-host on a live talk show here in Charlotte. I would get emails constantly from viewers who loved my motivation, interviews, and segments. What they didn't know was the guy that entertained them for 60 minutes would get into his car and cry on the way home. It was because I perfected wearing my mask, hiding my pain, and learning to live with a desire to die. This was normal to me. This is normal for many of us.
I know how it feels to live in a dark place, not wanting to get out of bed in the morning, wishing on some days we never even woke up. This is a reality for many of us, but it doesn't have to be. We can indeed face our darkness and come out of it.
One day I woke up and asked myself "is this really what I want for the rest of my life"? I knew deep down it wasn't! I knew I deserved more and my life deserved more. I know there are tough days. I know many of you are hurting-but remember that tomorrow is coming. What you face today can change tomorrow.
Keep going. Don't grow weary. Seek help. Talk. Vent. Do what you must do so that you can live the life God destined for you! You got this!