Although I may be an optimistic person, I have a lot of days where I can’t find the strength to carry out the rest of the day. Some days, the only thing that I want to do is to just scream, run away, and drown my problems in another task or peaceful activity.

With so much going on from all different areas of my life right now, it’s a wonder that I’m even trying to be functional. It hasn’t been easy and it definitely isn’t going to get a lot easier, but there are a few things I try to remember whenever I’m going through a tough situation.

My first line of defense is to just shut down and go into self-destruct. I don’t like confrontation but I also hate being put on the spot about something, especially when I’m being put into an uncomfortable situation.

When that happens though, because trust me it has and it will again, I take a deep breath and try to calm the situation down or talk it out. If it’s an issue with a person, trying that more often than not doesn’t work out, but I try to keep my head held high and look at every aspect.

When the world seems like it’s crashing down, the one thing that always helps me is to point out all the good in my life to distract me from the problems going on.

Yeah, I might not be able to do certain things but I think about my really good and amazing friends who prove to me that no matter what I am going through, they will always be there for me.

They make me grateful every day for their kindness, generosity, laughter, and the ways they have to make me feel better. Without them, I would be an absolute wreck.

Another thing I do when an having issues, I try to make sure that I have quality time for myself. A little R and R is always an amazing cure for troubling times.

To me, there is nothing better than taking an hour or two and just doing whatever it is I want to do to relax. Usually, this means a nap for me, but I also love catching up on a show I was watching. I know how important it is to take care of yourself when you’re the most likely to be forgotten.

Staying strong is important. For me personally, it’s vital. I silently thank my mom every time she says that to me when I’m going through a hard time.

I need someone to remind me of that when I’m struggling because I forget to think about myself. Hearing that one simple thing always brings me back into reality. Being able to stay strong is something that I am going to try to keep doing, and hopefully I’ll be able to do it well.