Author Archives: JOSHUA BRIDGES

Veterans Day looks simple from the outside—flags, parades, sales, “thank you for your service” posts. For a lot of veterans, it’s not that simple. It can be a day that stirs up pride and pain. Memories they don’t talk about. Faces they still see. Questions that never really got answers. If you’re a veteran andContinue reading “Veterans Day: Showing Up Matters”

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is nothing at all—just be there. Not with a speech prepared. Not with the “right” answers. Not with a five-step plan to fix their life. Just you. Breathing the same air. Sharing the same space. Letting them know, I’m not going anywhere. When someone’s hurting, presence beats perfectContinue reading “Showing Up: Why Presence Beats Perfect Advice When Someone’s Hurting”

I went to Bible study last night and walked out realizing something big: forgiveness isn’t just a “nice” thing to do – it’s a fight. We read Mark 11:22–25, where Jesus says to pray, believe, receive… and forgive. If we don’t forgive, our prayers hit a wall. Not because God is mad, but because unforgivenessContinue reading “Forgiveness Isn’t Weak – It’s Warfare”

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” — Galatians 6:9 (NLT) Life has a way of testing our patience and faith. Sometimes it feels like we’re doing all the right things — staying sober, praying,Continue reading “Verse of the Day: Don’t Give Up Doing Good”

There are days you don’t want to die, but you also don’t really want to be here. You’re breathing, but it feels like you’re fading. You’re not in crisis enough to call it an emergency… but you’re not okay either. This is for those days. Not a ten-step miracle cure. Just a handful of smallContinue reading “Self-Care: When You’re Trying Not to Disappear”

There comes a point in life when you have to stop letting people hurt you just because you care about them. It’s a painful truth, but one I’ve learned the hard way — toxic people will often see your boundaries as revenge, not as healing. When you finally start standing up for yourself, saying no,Continue reading “Setting Boundaries Isn’t Revenge — It’s Self-Respect”

There’s a certain kind of guilt that creeps in when you finally start saying no. It’s the kind that doesn’t come from doing something wrong—but from doing something right for the first time. That guilt you feel for setting boundaries isn’t a flaw in your character. It’s a wound. A wound that comes from yearsContinue reading “BOUNDARIES”

A boy is born, but a man is built. Manhood isn’t something that just comes with age — it’s something that’s forged through pain, shaped by failure, and strengthened through every heartbreak, rejection, and loss you face along the way. Some people think turning eighteen or hitting thirty automatically makes you a man. But theContinue reading “A Boy Is Born, But a Man Is Built”

I’ve been doing EMDR therapy again for a couple of months now, and even though it’s still fairly recent, this isn’t my first time going through it. A few years ago, I spent almost a full year doing EMDR with a different therapist — and that experience planted the first real seeds of healing inContinue reading “Healing Through EMDR”

Honesty used to scare me. Not the kind where you tell someone the truth about what you did, but the kind where you have to look yourself in the mirror and face the truth about who you are. That kind of honesty hits different — it’s raw, it’s uncomfortable, and it doesn’t come with applause.Continue reading “Honesty and Self-Love — What It Means to Me”

Life is too short to spend in arguments or anger. God didn’t bless us with another day so we could waste it on things that steal our peace. Instead, we’re called to love one another, forgive quickly, and live with gratitude in our hearts. Count your blessings — even the ones that seem small —Continue reading ““Make the Most of Every Day””

By Josh Bridges You ever meet someone who just makes the world feel a little lighter? The kind of person who doesn’t have to say much — their presence alone feels like peace. That’s what I call human medicine. You spend an hour with them, and suddenly your heart doesn’t feel as heavy, your thoughtsContinue reading “Some People Are Just Human Medicine”

By Josh Bridges Sometimes, the strongest thing you can do isn’t to stand tall—it’s to let someone stand beside you. Emotional support doesn’t always come with the perfect words or a grand gesture. Often, it’s found in the quiet presence of someone who simply cares enough to stay when life gets heavy. We all haveContinue reading “🌤 Thought for the Day: The Power of Emotional Support”

“Knowing my kids will have to heal from me because I was late healing myself… and I carry that deep in my chest.” That line stopped me cold. Because it’s real. It’s raw. And it’s me. As a parent in recovery, as someone who’s battled depression, addiction, and my own demons, I know what itContinue reading ““They’ll Have to Heal from Me””

Winning the Morning By Josh Bridges | YouRnotaLone.Life Every great day begins with a great start. When we wake up with intention — instead of chaos or stress — we set the tone for everything that follows. For many of us, mornings can feel overwhelming or rushed, especially when our minds are full or ourContinue reading ” “Winning the Morning with God: A Step-by-Step Routine for a Better Day””

The Strength in Self-Awareness and Asking for Help By Josh Bridges | YouRnotaLone.Life There’s a moment in every person’s life when they have to look in the mirror and face what’s really going on inside. Not the version we show to the world — the one that smiles and says, “I’m fine.” I’m talking aboutContinue reading “The Strength in Self-Awareness and Asking for Help”