I wear my heart on my sleeve, to a fault

How do people smile through pain?
I wear my heart on my sleeve, to a fault. That simple question “how are you doing?” Is an invitation to vent my frustrations.

When I feel stressed I let it all out. I want to vent, not once but two or three times, to different people of course. When someone says they want the truth and not the polite answer, I want to pull up a chair and get comfortable.
I joke that they can send me their bill for the therapy session in the mail. It’s true, it is therapeutic to let it all out. Their reactions to my stories, complaints and stressors validate my feelings of frustration.

I think it’s ok to let people know, that not everything is ok all the time. I’ve bonded with many people over work, mommy life, mother in law, and spousal irritants. It’s nice to know you are not the only one struggling.
Everybody has a story, but not everyone wants to share it.

I saw this quote on Facebook. I do not have a source to reference it. If I could send a message to the original author, it would be a hug. This poor person is hurting, but doesn’t dare to show it.
Let it all out! Let people know what your needs are. You can’t keep on giving with an empty tank.

I have learned to understand what I have control over and what I do not. There are days I want to tell that rude person what I really think. But I don’t. They wouldn’t get it, then I’d get even more upset. So I take a breath, walk away and vent to someone later. I’m filling up my tank in ways that keep me in a good mood, so those triggers don’t get the best of me. I read, I write, I workout, sleep in and clearly you know I vent. It helps me turn the volume down on my stress levels, so the bad stuff doesn’t get to me as much. There are good and bad days, but I try to be good to myself first so I can be a better mom, wife and woman.