15 Feb What if your Mental Illness was Actually Your Super Power
What if you and I are not actually broken or damaged?
What if God designed us perfectly to do His work? I’ve wrestled with this a lot over the years. What if God designed us uniquely and perfectly, flaws and all, for the specific purpose He has for each and every one of us?
In today’s age, personality differences may be labeled “mental illnesses” or something to be fixed. Over the years, I’ve been labeled emotional, anxious, an insomniac, a workaholic, a Type A personality, a 1 on the Enneagram chart, highly intelligent but quirky, eccentric, OCD, and I’m certain other labels I would rather not know about it. I’m also passionate, I love God, and I enjoy solving problems and helping people transform their lives from a financial standpoint. I love deeply and fiercely, and I fight until the end. I rarely give up. I go down swinging. I give life everything I have. I’m all in. It doesn’t matter what subject we’re on: parenting, my marriage, friendships, real estate transactions, businesses I own and manage, books I write, or other projects I entertain. I give life, my family, and my work everything I have, even when it affects my health.
The older I get, the more comfortable I am in my own skin.
What if we’re not actually broken or wired incorrectly? I used to wonder why I couldn’t sit still. Why was I never content with the status-quo? Why was I happiest when working on a project? Why did I have trouble sleeping at night but needed a nap during the day to function at my highest level?
I’ve been to therapists and physicians to figure out what is wrong with me.
You know what I’ve learned? This is me. And maybe it’s you too. My brain works overtime. I analyze everything. I’m honestly not afraid of trying new things if the potential reward justifies the risk. Sometimes things don’t work out. But sometimes they do! I love closing a deal, negotiating a transaction, and selling a dream. I come by some of these traits naturally. Nobody in my immediate family has a regular 9 to 5 job. It’s just not how we are wired. That doesn’t mean we don’t work hard. Trust me, we work extremely hard, and we have multiple projects and balls in the air at most times. We just have to be our own boss because we’re entrepreneurs by nature. It seems to be passed down from generation to generation in my family. Honestly, we’re all probably manic and great candidates for a psychological study. The good news is that it really doesn’t matter.
What if what we thought was our “crazy” was actually how God made us to do His work in such a time as this?
Maybe there’s nothing wrong with me at all. Maybe there’s nothing wrong with you either. Maybe you’re more even-keeled than I am. I admire you, and I know that you’re steady and exactly who God designed you to be. The body of Christ is made up of all kinds of personalities. I honestly believe that is His perfect design. There is such peace in knowing we are not designed by accident.
How would our lives change if we accepted ourselves and others exactly as we are?
I’ve been researching and studying this phenomenon more and more lately. It’s like when you buy a red car, and suddenly you see a red car everywhere you go. Entrepreneur magazine recently wrote an entire article about this exact subject. The article claims: “There is a dark brilliance of an entrepreneur’s brain. The exact qualities that label them as crazy allow them to persevere against all odds, to do amazing things in unique ways that end up changing the world.” Interesting, huh?
What if each type of “mental illness” had a positive side?
Another example of this phenomenon is dyslexia, which is classified as a mental disability. Dyslexia has also touched a member of my family. A teacher recently told me and a group of parents to stop asking God to change our child and take away his or her dyslexia. Instead, change your personal paradigm. Start seeing and believing that dyslexia is a gift. It’s how God wired your child and the very quality that will shape them into the human being that will go farther, higher, and wider than you ever thought possible.
Dyslexia causes a lot of problems when learning to read. However, it allows a person to see the world through a different lens. Dyslexic people are often entrepreneurs, engineers, inventors, and creative types that make a difference in the world that those of us who are not dyslexic will never get to experience. Interesting, huh? What could be seen as a disability is actually a superpower. Sometimes our ability to look at life from an upside-down and backwards perspective changes us and changes the world in a positive way.
What if your mental illness, disability or challenge was actually not an illness to be cured?
If you truly believed this, how would it change you? How would it change your family? How will it change the world? I would love to hear your thoughts today. If you have ever wrestled with wondering whether or not you were broken or “not quite right,” please know that you are not alone.
To illustrate my point further, Faithful Finance was born out of a place of “crazy.” To be honest, it was highly unlikely that anyone would take me seriously. You know what though, they did. It took a lot of time and a lot of work, but eventually a little East Coast publishing house called Zondervan Publishers took it very seriously.
I was and still am, a no-name, female, wife, mother, and Financial Advisor from Texas. However, I wrote a nationally published book explaining Modern Portfolio Theory, while simultaneously reminding people that a relationship with Jesus Christ is the best life insurance policy. More than likely, if God had designed me with a non-manic, more passive, even-keeled personality that slept better, I would never have entertained the idea of writing Faithful Finance. Please do not misunderstand me. I’m not bragging. I don’t take credit for God’s plan for my life. I’ve just tried to be obedient to the special purpose He has for me based on how he designed me in my mother’s womb. My personality has not changed since I was born. I want to encourage you to do the same. Figure out who you are and embrace it with passion and enthusiasm.
To learn more ways to achieve financial freedom according to Biblical principles, please grab a copy of my latest book: Faithful Finance: 10 Secrets to Move from Fearful Insecurity to Confident Control.
I’m also very excited to announce the launch of Faithful Finance LIVE, which is now streaming on PureFlix. They’re generously offering a FREE trial for 7 days so you can join me in my home. It’s a peaceful setting to talk about our hopes, dreams, and fears as it relates to money. I want to bless you by giving you more practical tools and tips so you can learn to manage your money, so it doesn’t end up managing you.
Please comment below and let me know what topics are important to you. What causes you to lie awake at night? I want to answer your questions and put your mind at
ease. #FaithfulFinance