Sarah Gilman Instagram – Feelings demand to be felt, even if you’re accepting an award during a nationally-televised broadcast…A few weeks ago, I was invited by @didihirsch to attend the #NotAloneSummit in Las Vegas, an event being held by @inspiringchildren. Didi Hirsch CEO, Lyn Morris and I, founder/chair of Didi Hirsch’s Next Gen Advisory Council, were asked to accept an award on behalf of Didi Hirsch for their impactful 80 year legacy, and to speak on a panel about the role of the a crisis hotline.
There are a number of takeaways I want to share in other posts about this summit. But I want to dedicate this one to the acceptance of the award–because that’s the memory that burns most brightly for me. Music was an integral part of this event and awards ceremony and a number of amazing musicians gave beautiful performances before every award. A man with a guitar walked up to the microphone to give the performance directly ahead of our award acceptance: @jonforeman from @switchfoot. I’ve heard a few of their songs–mostly from the movie “A Walk to Remember”–but only one affects me at a core level. And that’s the one he played: I Dare You to Move.
I spend a good deal of my time intellectualizing my emotions. Because I’m afraid of them. So if I think my way through them, I don’t have to feel them. And if I don’t have to feel them, then I won’t be overwhelmed by them; I won’t lose control. These are the tricks we try and play on ourselves.
I started self-harming when I was younger as a way to circumvent emotional pain and expression. But here’s a difficult truth: pain–and the process of learning to exist with it–is what changes us. It’s what makes us get up and move. Grow. So when you tamp down that pain–whether it’s with self-harm or drugs or alcohol or eating disorders, etc.–you stop growing. You stop building resilience as a skill. I self-harmed for 17 years. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this year, the first full year I haven’t used any self-destructive coping mechanisms, is the first year I feel my mental health toolkit is full. I’m learning to be resilient (because it’s never too late to learn)….[CAPTION CONTINUED IN COMMENTS] | Posted on 17/Dec/2025 05:49:44
