Hi, you.

Yes, you. I’m assuming you clicked on this article because you’re going through something difficult right now. Something shitty happened. Someone broke your heart. You’re just having a bad day.

Whatever it may be, listen up: it’s OK to not be ok.

You don’t need to put on a fake smile. You don’t need to repeat “I’m fine” to everyone who asks how you’re doing… because you’re not. Allow yourself to feel, allow yourself to hurt.

Don’t constrain yourself to neutral descriptions. We’re so conditioned to fake how we truly feel. We are conditioned to endure our struggles silently and play pretend.

You don’t need to play pretend.

Give yourself permission to embrace your truth, no matter what it may be. Concealing how you feel is exhausting, and the road to healing doesn’t start unless you allow yourself to experience whatever you’re going through.

More importantly, you don’t need to experience this alone. The next time someone asks you how you’re doing, tell them the truth. Let them know what’s really going on with you, and allow yourself to lean on the people who are there for you (they're there, trust me). Everyone goes through their own rough patches.

More importantly, that’s all this is—a patch. Know that your struggle is temporary. Pain is temporary. It sounds cliché, but there will be better days. Without times like this, the better ones wouldn’t exist.

Know that this will pass, and know that you matter. Trust in those phrases, even though I know it’s hard to right now. You’ll make it through, and I promise that when you do, you’ll be welcoming so much happiness into your life that it will seem as if this struggle never existed.

Right now, just do you. Do what you need. Take things step by step, day by day, moment by moment, breath by breath. Give yourself permission to feel, and forgive yourself for not being 100% right now.

Even though things aren't ok today, they will be someday. Tomorrow will be a little better and so will the next day... and the next, and the next and the next. You'll see.