A curious phrase someone asked me to unpack, from an Innate Health perspective.
‘It’s ok to not be ok’ gets bandied around a lot in mental health circles, but what does it actually mean?
Well, the way I see it, it can mean whatever ‘you’ (i.e. the R.E.C. or Reader Ego Construct 📦) want it to mean.
And as always, this depends on where you’re coming from.
The Outside-In view
If you’re living in a world where it looks like your feelings (including those of ‘not being ok’) come from external circumstances, such as relationships, work, the news, world events or the weather, then my friend, you’re in for a rocky ride.
We don’t have any control over those things, so it’s going to look like you’re a victim of circumstance.
In this case, the state of ‘not being ok’ takes on semi-permanence and an air of self-defeat, and life’s going to look like quite the chore!
The Inside-Out view
If, however, you’ve seen that 100% of your feelings come from the thought-created reality that’s being brought to life by consciousness, moment to moment, then any feelings of ‘not being ok’ are transient and rooted in innocent misunderstanding.
Here, ‘it’s okay to not be okay’ is not about resigning to yourself to the general shitness-of-life, but about acknowledging that uncomfortable feelings are natural and temporary.
Our wellbeing, or Innate Health, is never at risk—it’s who we are and it’s untouchable!—therefore any feelings of ‘not ok’ are a fleeting reflection of ‘not ok’ thoughts, and they’ll pass.
In this case, the state of ‘not being ok’ is transient and fosters self-compassion and acceptance: you’re human, you get caught up in the mind’s stories from time to time, big deal, now are we having eggs for breakfast, or what?
🍳
The clue’s in the title
For me, the phrase ‘It’s ok to not be ok’ is a misnomer. It’s simply not possible to not be ok.
Being = OK.
They’re synonymous.
Maybe we should lobby for a change in the phrase, to ‘It’s ok to not feel ok.’
Who do I write to?
💟
Giles