You are entitled to what you feel. It's alright if it consumes you from time to time. If it makes you seem irrational to others. Your pain, your anger, whatever it is you feel, is your own. Whether it's mental illness, recovery from a trauma, or something life has handed to you, you are allowed to feel whatever it is that comes to you. Emotions are not the enemy, and they are not something you aren't allowed to have. They are what makes us human in this world, and that is what we all are - human.
Sometimes life seems unfair, and it brings us misfortune. Sometimes we are born with a chemical imbalance that tells us lies. Sometimes people or events happen that leave us awake in the middle of the night. It's alright. I mean, it feels like it isn't. It feels all consuming and emotions take over and leave us exhausted, in pain, and the like, but it's alright to feel this. It's alright to get upset when things don't go as planned, when you're having a bad mental health day, when you're recovering from what's happened to you. It's your brain's way of healing. Feeling the emotions that comes through is a way of healing. Do not get angry with yourself for your "irrational" emotions. They come from your subconscious and they aren't meant to be rational. It's not some sign that you're "crazy" or "weak." In fact, it is quite the opposite.
Strength isn't about not letting things upset you, it's about handling when you get upset. Do you let it consume you forever, or do you lick your wounds and get back up? That's true strength - perseverance. You're allowed to feel what you feel, but still fight and do what it is that makes you happy, regardless of what others think and what they do to you along the way.
Working through the pain, letting yourself rest when you must, and trying to be happy, those are what make us strong. Opening up to people we can trust, allowing a moment to be vulnerable, this is strength. Strength isn't burying it inside. It isn't now showing emotions. It's not being strong because you're a man. It's not being "over-reacting" because you're a woman. It's not being "over-sensitive" because you're trans or non-binary and "that's just how the world works." It's allowing emotions to exist. It's not allowing anyone to take it away from you. It's allowing yourself the proper emotional clarity and healing that all people regardless of gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, religion, race, etc. are allowed to have in their lives. You are allowed to heal. You are allowed to feel. You're allowed this struggle. You're allowed to suffer if that's what you feel in this moment. Just know that there can be a light in this tunnel, if you fight through. If you find a person to help you out. If you manage to believe in your self and you emotions that one day you'll be genuinely happy. Don't let anyone convince you that your emotions are worthless, and that somehow struggling means your selfish or sensitive. It is a technique they use to hinder you from healing and communicating with yourself. It's used to dull the light in you eyes that you can one day find again. Don't let them take that from you. Don't let them take your light, your healing, your conversations with yourself. The world needs to be allowed to feel emotions. It needs to be allowed of what makes us - humans.
Finally, to all of you that are struggling. I'm here with you. I'm always supporting you. Rooting for you. We can get through this together. Whatever it is you are struggling with. I believe in you. I have seen what believing in someone you wouldn't expect can do to a person. I've lived it, and I want to say as genuinely as I can through an article. I believe in all of you. We can survive. We can feel and persevere. We are strong, and we will continue on.
