To those suffering today,

I am sorry that your anxiety and depression will not take a vacation this summer.

I am sorry that your eating disorder doesn't stop just because school does.

I am sorry that the sunshine doesn't change the fact that things aren't easy for you right now.

Mental illnesses do not take time off. There are no sick days, no breaks, and definitely no vacations. You can be attempting to do your day to day work and then all of sudden you feel disconnected. You feel lost and afraid and almost like everyone and everything is moving in slow motion. And that can really wear a person down.

Not everyone is going to understand this. Not everyone is going to understand you. They've never taken a walk in your shoes. They've never had to go through each day pretending like everything is okay when it's really just not.

But, just because you are struggling right now, that does not mean that you are failing.

You don't have to be perfect all of the time. When you feel happy or sad or angry, it's a reminder that we're human. We're not supposed to be perfect at ANY time. There are always ways that we can fix some things and improve and just become overall better versions of ourselves.

Take some time this summer to focus on things that support your emotional well being. Even something as small as talking about your feelings with someone you trust can help you out. If you're ready, you may need to reach out to someone for professional help. And that's okay.

It may be getting warmer and the sun may be shining, but that doesn't mean that your soul is. And that's also okay.

Just know that you have plenty of time to improve upon yourself. You're not alone. You can feel better. It's going to take time and patience. The freedom of summer may help you with that.

And if your summer is busy, acknowledge that those appointments and that job and that family reunion can all be put on hold. You need to be your most important priority. Shut the world out if you need to. Just know that the world is ready to love you when you do decide to let it back in.

Use the summertime to help yourself. You've deserved it for feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Love Always,

A Kind Heart

To talk to someone directly, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255.