Ever since we were young, we have always been expected to be happy. We've been taught that everyone is happy all the time. Your teachers were always happy, parents always seemed happy, as did those around us. It wasn't until later in life that we learn that happiness isn't constant. That first time your heart breaks, when plans don't go as you expected, or when life simply seems unfair, those are painful reminders that we can't possibly be happy all the time. In those times of darkness, it's important to remember that the sadness is just as inconsistent as the happiness. Emotions are a cycle that we must understand in order to conquer.
It's unfair to blame ourselves when we fall apart because all we've ever known is that we must stay happy all the time. We are all human, we don't only feel happiness, and trying to force happiness can do the most damage. We constantly remind ourselves that we must remain happy because going down the road to sadness isn't worth it.
We tell ourselves, "Suck it up," in hopes that our brain can shove whatever the problem is into the darkest crevice. When we can't seem to rid ourselves of the problem, we're forced to accept that this is where we must let the idea of absolute happiness go. It can't be forgotten though, that the cycle will circle back again.
It was always believed that one can go from extreme happiness to the deepest of sadness in the blink of an eye, and vice versa. However, there is so much learning that takes place in between the opposite emotions. One can't possibly skip over all of the emotions in between and expect the same results. To reach the opposite emotions we must experience grief, anger, acceptance, and calm, but they don't always happen in the order we would expect. We need to allow ourselves to experience every emotion to fully be happy and be human.
There is a saying that goes: without the rain there would never be rainbows. As cliché as it may seem, it's true. Hitting your low allows the motivation to bounce back and be right up top. Sometimes it may seem more complex than that. When you can't seem to get out from under the rain, remember the last time you felt this way, how did you overcome it? Reminding yourself that you've climbed this mountain before is one of the best remedies for a sad heart. Life is full of lessons, and some of the biggest lessons we learn are ones when we have to fight to regain happiness back. Without letting ourselves learn the lesson the first time, we may struggle more when we hit the bottom the next time.
We can't be afraid to succumb to emotions opposite of happiness. We must welcome happiness like a new friend on the first day of school, but we must also welcome sadness, knowing that we can only go up from this point. Appreciate that sadness is there to help you see clearly and gain a new understanding. We need sadness to see the beauty in life, and the beauty in happiness.
