Depression is a difficult battle that millions of people in the world deal with on a daily basis. I am one of those people. While I am in a pretty good place in my life right now, I still have my rough days. These days are fewer and farther in between for me as time progresses; I've dealt with depression for years now and am starting to get the hang of living a fruitful life despite this extra challenge that I have on my plate. I still have my days in which I struggle to get out of bed, days in which it feels like a storm cloud lingers over my head and constantly follows me around. On those days, I need affection from my loved ones, someplace to go that is not my room, and a pair of headphones to listen to my music. This is my playlist for those days.

1. "Be As You Are" by Mike Posner

"You don't always have to speak so loud. Just be as you are."

A reminder that I don't need to scream to be heard. If I feel like I have to, those are not the right people for me to be interacting with in that moment, or maybe even ever. I highly value conversation and being heard - anyone who knows me or cares about me, even a little bit, should know that.

2. "Bird Set Free" by Sia

"I don't care if I sing off-key. I find myself in my melodies."

A reminder that I don't need to do things to please other people. I am in charge of my life, my actions, and my satisfaction. My actions, my decisions, my life as a whole - they all need to be up to my own standards and not those of absolutely anybody else.

3. "Chicken Fried" by Zac Brown Band

"It's funny how it's the little things in life that mean the most; not where you live, what you drive, or the price tag on your clothes."

A reminder that I don't need things to make me happy. I need moments to make me happy, and good people to share those moments with.

4. "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus (Sundance Head Cover)

"It's always gonna be an uphill battle. Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose."

A reminder that I can't win them all. It is going to be hard. Depression is an uphill battle. Some days, depression is going to win. These days I am not going to get out of bed and I am going to feel defeated. But the important thing here is that I will get through that day and keep on fighting through the next rough one. These days have become fewer and further in between for me, but I need this reminder on my weakest days that sometimes I'm gonna have to lose. And that is okay.

5. "Copenhague" by Ventusta Morla

"Llueve en el canal, la corriente enseña el camino hacia el mar."

Translates from Spanish to, "it rains in the canal, the current shows the way to the sea."

A reminder that all rainy days that may make my feet muddy, and strong currents that may push me around will ultimately lead me to a beautiful sea. Something good will come out of my pain.

6. "Fix You" by Coldplay

"Lights will guide you home and ignite your bones."

A reminder that I have many lovely homes. Because homes are people, not places. I have a big family full of people who love me and an amazing best friend who has proven to be just like family. I will always have a home in their arms. I am not alone.

7. "Glitter & Gold" by Rebecca Ferguson

"Take care of your soul."

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A reminder that I am allowed to step back and do whatever the hell I want to without having to justify it to anyone. I am allowed to make the choice to care for myself. After all, I know myself better than anyone.

8. "Gotten" by Slash (featuring Adam Levine)

"I can't save you if you don't let me."

A reminder that I need support and love, but I can't get that if I don't let my loved ones support and love me. I can't push my loved ones away and expect them to come and save me anyway. It is okay to acknowledge that I need love, support, or company in certain moments. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness.

9. "Imagine" by John Lennon (Jack Johnson Cover)

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."

A reminder that I am special because I am uniquely driven. A reminder that I am not the only one like this. A reminder that I have to look for people who relate to this line in the same way that I do.

10. "Invisible" by Hunter Hayes

"Those words cut deep but they don't mean you're all alone. You're not invisible."

A reminder that just because some people may not love and support me, it does not mean that other people do not love and support me in the way that I want them to. I am not invisible. I am seen, I am heard, and I am loved. Maybe not by certain people who I think are supposed to, but by the ones that truly matter. That is more than enough.

11. "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac (Dixie Chicks Cover)

"Can this child within my heart rise above?"

A reminder that the chubby ten-year-old inside of me who loved reading books, watching cooking shows, and going on nature walks needs to be made proud. A reminder that I need to believe in myself the way that I did then. A reminder of the existence of that little kid inside of me. She is important. She grew into me. She needs to still be nurtured. I need to do my best to look at life and ambition the way that she did.

12. "My Favorite Shirt Is My Skin" by MOD SUN

"My favorite shirt is my skin. I'm in love with myself."

A reminder that I need to be my own biggest fan. A reminder that I need to be comfortable walking around in my own skeleton because it is lovely in every sense imaginable.

13. "No Boundaries" by Adam Lambert

"With every step you climb another mountain."

A reminder that everything that I do to move forward counts. Even if it is something small like painting my nails to stop my nervous habit of biting them, or something large like confronting someone who is a negative influence on my life, it is all still a step forward. Courage comes in all different sized packages.

14. "Paradise" by Coldplay

"Lying underneath the stormy sky, she said 'oh, I know the sun must set to rise.'"

A reminder that there needs to be fluctuation in how things are going, because if everything was good, you wouldn't know how to distinguish things as good and appreciate them fully. Having a really bad day to compare a really good day to puts it all into perspective.

15. "Scars To Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara

"You should know you're beautiful just the way you are."

A reminder that I do not need to change in order to please anybody. I do not need to change in order to please myself. I am great just the way that I am. I can make minor changes to improve and involve, but the essence that is me as a human is fantastic. I don't need to change in order to love myself, I am perfectly capable of loving myself right here and right now.

16. "The Scientist" by Coldplay

"Nobody said it was easy."

A reminder that bravery is not supposed to be easy. Courage is not supposed to be easy. Strength is not supposed to be easy. Nothing worth having comes easy. This simple line says so much. If you want to take one song from this whole playlist and use it to help you, it's this one. This line alone, these five words, have gotten me through a lot.

17. "Shorty Don't Wait" by A Great Big World

"Shorty, don't wait in line."

A reminder that I should not have to wait in line to have a good relationship with someone. I should not have to wait in line for someone to care about me when it is convenient for them. People are busy, so am I, but that does not impede anybody's capability to have a mutually fulfilling relationship. I don't need to put significantly large amounts of energy into relationships with people who put me very low on their list of priorities. It's not fair to me. I deserve to be on the same ranking on people's priority lists that they are on mine. I'm not saying that I need to be everybody's priority, but in order for a relationship to be mutually beneficial, both parties need to be on the same level. If we are both in the middle of each other's priority lists, that's fine; it works. But I am tired of putting people high up on my list and barely making theirs. I deserve better.

18. "Silver Lining" by Kacey Musgraves

"And if you wanna fill your bottle up with lightning, you're gonna have to stand in the rain."

A reminder that no brilliant individual has an easy past. I have to fight the battles that I have to fight because they will lead me to become the person that I need to be in order to make the change that I want to in this world.

19. "Wide Open Spaces" by Dixie Chicks

"She needs wide open spaces - room to make a big mistake."

A reminder that it is okay to mess up. Nobody is perfect. I am not perfect. I will mess up. I will give someone one too many chances and it will come back to bite me in the butt. I will let my anger get the best of me. But the point is that I will learn from my mistakes, whatever they are, and that is how I will continue to grow, the way that I already have.

20. "Yellow" by Coldplay

"Look at the stars. Look how they shine for you in everything that you do."

A reminder that I am special. I like to think that they shine for me. This is a naive thought. But, regardless, I love getting lost in the beauty of an open, sparkling sky. The stars shine for me because I am a shining star myself. I need to never forget that.