A Message for my DBTers

Six days ago, I had brain surgery for a chronic headache I have had for the last two and a half years. I made it through surgery with flying colors and was able to come home within 4 days!  It feels really good to say that now, because yesterday morning I had a little pity party all by myself. While I lay in bed recovering, I struggled with this extreme dialectic of physically feeling like absolute hell, and being so grateful for having this pain because it means healing, and in the future, likely no pain.
On one hand, I wanted to crawl into a little ball of misery, and cry, and scream, all at the same time.  On the other hand,  I wanted to feel better and at peace. Not very far into this back and forth struggle, I realized it was Monday: the day I co-lead my DBT group. I was flooded with the images of group members who have shared their own dialectical struggles, and who continue to come each week to find the skills necessary to overcome life's obstacles. Then I was struck with just how human we all are. In the challenges life throws at us, regardless of how they manifest for us individually, we are all still human. And with that, I sent an email to my co-leader with a message for my DBTers...

Tell the DBTers that I'm practicing every skill I can today...Radical Acceptance, PLEASE skills,  EVERY mindfulness skill, over and over and over. I thought about the pros and cons of even practicing skills because I was feeling so cranky and vulnerable.
And then I remembered how everyone in our group has at some point motivated me in their own moments, that seem too challenging to be skillful, or to be effective, or it just feels overwhelming and like too much effort to even try. And that somehow,  in the midst of all that turmoil,  each one of our group members  (and staff too!) have been able to access Wise Mind, make a choice to move towards Wise Mind, and move toward their Life Worth Living Goals. 
I'm taking mindful baby steps. Tell everyone they are motivating me from afar... even if they don't know it! (...and that's a Skill!😉)