Due to my own issues that caused my mental health to decline, I learned so much about myself and others.

One thing I learned was how to be in-touch with my emotions.

Anything you feel is valid. No one can invalidate what you feel. You feel whatever you feel. But it is important that your emotions do not let get the best of you but it is important to be aware of them in case they are affecting your overall daily life.

In most of society, women are usually expected to be the emotional ones and men usually are supposed to hide them because it makes them weak. Being in-touch with your emotions does NOT make you weak but rather makes you stronger.

Regardless of what gender you may choose to identify as, it is SO healthy to be in-touch with yourself and how you are feeling.

I have met many people who lack being in-touch with their emotions and they are spiraling into using unhealthy coping mechanisms because they refuse to recognize what they feel and why they feel this way. They pretend to be okay and keep to themselves when they are obviously not okay. Many of them have been cisgender males and I blame toxic masculinity for enabling this mindset and behavior. It hurts to see especially those around me who are afraid to talk about feeling sad to even their friends.

But please talk it out.

It doesn't make you any less perfect if you don't feel 100% okay. Nobody's perfect. Hannah Montana even said so.

You are NOT expected to be happy and amazing all the time. You can be sad, you can cry, you should be able to vent these emotions to someone. You don't need to be a cry for help but if you do not want to dump your problems onto those around you, get professional help. Professional help is there to benefit you and to help you grow.

Your mental health should be a priority as it affects your overall health. Be in tune with yourself because you know yourself best. Find healthy coping mechanisms because drinking and drugs can make it worse. TRUST ME. I would binge drink to cope with the shitty things happening in my life that I didn't want to face and my emotions were all over the place that I was numb to feel anything. Once I faced them and was in tune with everything that I was feeling, I began to grow into a better person and I began to heal.

Being in-touch with your emotions can be intimidating and you might have to get out of your comfort zone but once you reach out, you will feel so much better. If you need a push to do it, do it by reaching out and talking to a friend, a family member, or even a professional. Be vulnerable for your own sake.