191: There's More to Life— Choose to Live! with Charlene Madden

"We have this perception in society that we have to have it all together…. It's okay not to be okay. Give yourself grace to not be okay. But just know that you can take the steps to be okay." -Charlene Madden   Life can be a daunting journey. With each step we take, we are faced with trauma, pain, and adversities. And sometimes, ending it all seems the only way out. Still, we should never think of suicide as an option- not even once! It is a permanent solution for temporary problems, and it can leave our loved ones behind in despair and turmoil. Not everything is beautiful and rosy, but we can rise above the pain and trauma of life and show what's possible when we choose to live!    In this episode, Ted interviews mental health speaker and author, Charlene Madden on what her healing journey looks like. Charlene relates how her years of pain pushed her to almost make the worst decision of her life, and why she is thankful she didn't. They also talk about the impact a community can make on your healing journey and how self-love, gratitude, and purpose can help you turn your life around.    It's not easy. It's really hard. In fact, it may seem downright impossible some days. But if you're reading this, then you still have hope. And that is something incredibly powerful. Tune in! Connect with Ted:  Website Facebook  Twitter Instagram     LinkedIn YouTube Highlights:  02:11 Not Knowing What "Being Okay" Means 08:15 Guilt and Shame Piling Up 12:04 You Deserve Love 16:47 Finding Help 22:24 Finding Purpose 26:05 The Power of Community 30:10 What You Need to Heal is Available 33:40 Recap