“I’m good.”
Many divorced dads say this, but are they really?
Anyone from the Midwest knows that “I’m good” is a loaded phrase.
It can mean, “Yeah life is good.” or “It’s ok but no need to complain.” or “I’m dying inside but don’t want to make things awkward by sharing how I really feel.”
The latter was the version I used frequently when I was going through my divorce.
I didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t want to put people in the awkward situation of trying to figure out what to say after I shared.
Eventually, I decided I would share if people asked but I would follow up with, “But it’s ok.”
But I wasn’t ok. I was dying inside.
You can only pretend to be good for so long before it will crush you.
It’s not a sign of weakness to show vulnerability by admitting you are not ok.
Dads, our kids need us to deal with our pain so we can be there for them.
To use a sports analogy; an injured player is not helpful to their team. They need to get healed so they can come back and help the team.
Do the work and become the best version of yourself so you can give your kids the love and care they need.