It's okay not to be okay

Sometimes, it seems like nature just wants to step on your tail and one thing goes wrong after another. And another, and another...

Perhaps an unexpected challenge or an obstacle comes your way, and you find yourself stressing out, worrying and not knowing what to do. Perhaps some days, you have nothing. Zero motivation, no creativity, just zilch. All of a sudden, you are being plagued with self-doubt as you feel like you are the only one lost while everyone else seems to have places to be.

Here is the thing, you do not have to be strong all the time. You are allowed to cry, to admit that you are not alright.

It is okay not to be okay.

Do not resist these negative feelings just because it seems like you are the only one feeling lonely, lost, or unmotivated. Here is the secret that no one wants to admit to: you are not in this alone. So do not worry about what everyone else is doing, If you are feeling down, just remember that the majority of us know what it feels like to “not be okay”, even though we do not show it, or talk about it.

Breathe.

When we are overwhelmed, we always start going into overdrive and making up for the gaps by adding more tasks or busying ourselves so we forget about the problem at hand. Instead of engaging in counterproductive actions, it is important that we take the time to stop in our footsteps and reassess our situation. Close your eyes, catch your breath. Restart your gears rather than overheating them to ‘compensate’ for the negativity you are experiencing.

Write.

Sometimes it is hard to tell someone about our feelings. Perhaps we may have a hard time understanding and describing these feelings. This does not mean we should bottle it up though. “Books are our best friend”. We can freely pen down or draw our feelings when we cannot describe it. All of that and without fearing any sort of judgement that may befall unto you if you told someone else. Moreover, because we physically dump our emotions, it becomes easier to pull ourselves back together later on.

Yes, you have to take the effort to get better, but that does not mean that you should force it. Allow yourself to heal and learn to be patient with yourself.  Think of those bad days as if it is the passing rain; You might not see the Sun now, but you know that after the storm, it will most definitely shine brightly again.