Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Courtney Dorsey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Courtney, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
I’ve learned that the more self-aware I am about my condition, the more it actually worries me when decision making. The more aware I am of God, the more I’ve learned to have grace for myself as well as discipline myself based on my needs.
Living with anxiety right now is really outside of my control. I’ve tried to pretend like it didn’t exist. I’ve tried to play it kool. I’ve tried to be anal about everything and everyone else around me. All of those were the wrong ways to handle anxiety as it pertains to me.
The best thing I could do first was to accept it and live with it. Then the next best thing was give it to God because all I was doing on my end was further screwing it up. I began to educate myself on targeted scripture pertaining to anxiety, and educated myself on how to better manage anxiety, which is and has always been a trial and error process. Then I was able to allow myself time to think before I acted, and understand that my schedule doesn’t have to be full to the max everyday. I learned how to use a planner efficiently, and started learning life skills that helped target the areas in my life that were fueling anxious thoughts; negativity, poor executive functioning, and loss of time.
If you are dealing with anxiety, you don’t have to suffer through it despite what others may encourage you to do or despite what you may witness others do. Talk to your doctor and a trained mental health professional. Do yourself a favor, and get the right help. You’ll be so happy you listened and advocated for yourself.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am an ambassador for the Most High. I try to represent that in every aspect of the works that I’m a part of.
I do a lot of things, but the best way to sum it all up without overstating is that I am a servant leader in the communities that I’m a part of. As a black woman, I blog to black women on my blog, Coe-mail, Monday Motivation topics geared towards self-awareness.
I am also a public school teacher, podcaster, life coach, and two-time Amazon best selling co-author of Women Connected in Wisdom Vol I & II.
My new project that I’m working on is a solo book discussing my journey to where I am today. It will mainly focus on my dating history, daddy issues, and how healing is on the other side with God! This one is for the singles! I am more than excited to share this with the world.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Recently, someone described me as audacious. I get that a lot or synonyms that match it: bold, courageous, etc. I think I became more authoritative when I realized that boldness or courage was not the absence of fear, but doing it despite being afraid. I’ve wasted time and opportunities in the past waiting to not be afraid (may have actually been caused by anxiety or induced more anxiety) or waiting for people to tell me that it was okay. Which leads to the next part…
Don’t allow others’ voices in your life to be louder than your own. I wanted validation from my mom, siblings, friends so bad that I forgot what it felt like to have my own complete thoughts. The more self-aware I became, the more some of their opinions stopped aligning with my own thoughts and views on more complex topics. God’s voice has to shut all others’ voices down. Which brings me to the third quality.
Get rid of those idols. Anything that replaces God in your life is an idol. He has to be first. He has to have your heart. He has to have your “yes.” Being on the fence and lukewarm will always have you in a place of imbalance; anxiety, anxious thoughts, fear, uncertainty, stuck, etc. He is the balance. Jesus is Lord. That is the journey, seeking and finding Him over and over and discovering a new life and purpose in every community you serve.
There’s always a new assignment with the same end goal, Christ Jesus is Lord.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played an important role in your development?
This may not be much of a shocker, but the Bible, but let me be more specific. I’ve been reading the Old Testament and learning more about the human journey. Exodus, Lamentations, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel have been pivotal in understanding more about humanity and divinity. Understanding the need for a Savior can possibly help a person understand why grace and mercy is important and necessary. As well as, help a person find freedom in spirituality versus the curse under religion. Open your heart to Jesus, and not just what you heard about Him.
He’s quite fascinating!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/lifecoachcoe
- Instagram: lifecoachcoe
Image Credits
Art Spirit Photography
