Show Your Receipts

I recently heard a sermon titled No Receipts, No Respect. Without our receipts, our proof, we get no respect.

I grew up in a time when you were supposed to hide your crazy. Nobody talked about mental health, at least not openly. Talking about depression or anxiety was forbidden. You didn’t admit to taking medication either. Prozac was a dirty word. And I remember a time that if you were struggling with mental health your family would say “she’s in the bed” which stood for she can’t face the world today.

I’m not sure why mental health was ever hidden but today that’s a completely different story. Not only should we say what mental health issues we deal with or dealt with, but we should also talk about them openly and be proud of any we have overcome.

Talking about our wounds and scars is the same as showing a receipt. You know if you don’t show a receipt on an exchange or return you are very quickly dismissed and given no respect due to lack of proof. Without a receipt, you have no proof that it ever happened. Proof confirms that you have been there, done that, got the t-shirt, can tell the story, and help others. There is much respect in the proof of overcoming adversity especially when you are the only one to overcome in your family, your circle of friends, or broken a generational curse.

If you are dealing with mental health issues, I encourage you to talk openly about it with your safe people. It helps to talk about it and it helps others to know they are not alone. If you’ve overcome an eating disorder, depression, anxiety, or whatever it is, tell your story, show your scars. Surviving should always be considered an accomplishment and a jewel in everyone’s crown. Overcoming adversity is your receipt for the respect you’ve earned which becomes your trophy that you should be proud of achieving.