Mental Health Motivation today courtesy of me and
@rondebarber.
So hereâs the deal gang, 5 years ago, I was stuck in one of the darkest, most painful periods of my life. The dark gray got so bad I wasnât thinking sensibly to the point where I would go to sleep at night hoping tomorrow wouldnât come. This was well before I ever talked publicly about my depression, anxiety and mental health issues or wrote my book Unbreakable about it.
So for the first time I did something I now implore alllll of us to do when we are hurting. For the first time⌠I FINALLY called my boys (my teammates in life) and told them how much pain I was in and that I needed help.
I was heading to Tampa for the Super Bowl and the day before I left I called this man, Ronde Barber and two of our other friends Ben Heldfund and Brian Rhattigan and told them I needed to meet up down there because I was going through something. At first they couldnât because they already had plans but then I communicated much more directly and said, âNo, guys I NEED to meet, I AM STRUGGLING⌠BADLY!!!â
All three immediately dropped their other plans and said, âWhat time and where? I got you!â
I GOT YOU
Their reaction changed everything for me that day. I think it was the first time I ever really truly told friends about my mental health battles in detail. I didnât hold back. Didnât try to wear a mask anymore and hide my pain behind the mask of a huge personality. I was real with them. Their reaction changed my life. Showed me the power of âI got you!â And showed me the power of opening up and leaning into my teammates.
Folks, since Iâve opened up itâs turned friends into brothers and sisters. And those bonds will be the same bonds there for us now, in 5 years, 15 years, 50 years.
Safety in Vulnerability was the greatest gift they could have given me.
So I want to implore ALL of you⌠LEAN INTO YOUR TEAMMATES!!! I will do ANYTHING for my teammates.
Ronde, Ben, Brian⌠thank you! I got you too!