You're struggling. Hitting a wall. You feel exhausted; mentally and physically tired. You don't know how to verbalize what you're feeling, and you really don't want to. But you're at a point where it's bothering you enough to make you debate on letting it all out. You battle back and forth with saying what you're feeling to someone. You either don't want to bother someone or you don't feel it's worth saying. Saying something won't change anything, you assume.

Well, this is your wake up call. This article right here, no matter what led you to it, it was meant to find you, and you to find it. I hope this article is the sign you've been looking for.

Whatever you were taught growing up, or what society seems to expect of you, please understand that it is okay to reach out for help. Yes, you read that right! It is 110% okay to call up someone and say those three words, "I need help." It's okay to let someone know you need to talk. It's okay to tell someone you're having a rough day. It's okay to be upset. It's okay to be vulnerable. It's okay.

A lot of people are scared to ask for help, including myself. Through television, movies, and experiences growing up, I found it might be easier for me to just hold everything in and say nothing. Having a bad day? Put on a smile and deal with it. I did that for a really long while, but it started to weigh me down. Each time the emotions and stress just piled on, making me sink deeper and deeper. I did this until one day a friend told me that I needed to start vocalizing how I was feeling, or else it was going to consume me.

And, oh, it did.

From that moment on, I tried to practice opening up. Just telling a friend if I was in a mood. Telling someone they upset me. Standing up for my feelings and vocalizing when I needed a shoulder to lean on.

I hope you understand how important asking for help is. No matter what you know, understand that asking for help is completely okay. Also understand that asking for help does not mean you are weak in any way, shape, or form. Being in touch with your emotions and vocalizing that is probably one of the strongest characteristics one can have.

Remember that. Strong. Not weak.