Mindfully With 'Tunmise

Permission to Pause: Walking Through Pain, Not Around It

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May 06, 2025 4:00am

32m

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Have you ever had life tap you on the shoulder—or shake you by the shoulders? That jarring moment when your body stops cooperating, your mind goes quiet, and suddenly the world demands you pay attention?

After running out of medications and experiencing mix-ups with my treatment plan, my typically stable blood pressure skyrocketed to dangerous heights. For someone living with bipolar affective disorder who advocates mental health awareness through this podcast, the irony wasn't lost on me—I had stopped practising what I preached. My body staged a rebellion, and perhaps more terrifying, my words disappeared. The woman who processes life through language could no longer articulate her thoughts.

This episode is a raw, honest account of what happened during my three-week hiatus. It's about the humbling journey of turning inward, confronting the shame of needing medication again, and reconnecting with my five-year-old self,  the child in the blue dress riding a three-wheel bicycle with a wild smile. Through this unexpected pause, I discovered profound lessons: that knowing your baseline vitals (both physical and mental) can save your life, that following what Paulo Coelho calls "the omens" leads to better choices, and most importantly, that "you will not find your way by escaping the pain. You will find your way only by walking through it mindfully."

I'm returning to you changed—a little softer, a little slower, but infinitely more certain that there is wisdom, not weakness, in stepping back. As we begin Season 6 of Mindfully with Tunmise, I invite you to join me in exploring mental health with renewed curiosity and compassion. Perhaps my story can permit you to pause when your body and soul demand attention. After all, "My body remembers, my soul remembers, and healing begins when I listen."

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