You got this.

First of all, let’s get this straight. You are not a failure because of the things you have been through. You are strong, and honestly, probably stronger than a lot of people. I know life can get a little messy at times, and it kinda stinks. But the past is the past. I know it is easy to blame yourself for things in the past. I think that sometimes the person we fight with more than anyone is ourselves.

It is so easy to just blame ourselves when life throws a curve ball our way. For a long time, I blamed myself for things in the past. Why wasn’t I smarter? Why did I make those choices? I blamed myself for being depressed and not knowing how to get better on my own. I thought I was weak because I had to ask for help.

I came to the point where I didn’t see any purpose in life. I cried so hard at night that I threw up. It was honestly one of the lowest points of my entire life. I felt so weak, so vulnerable. I felt like I was so far gone that no one would be able to help me. The good news is, I got help.There are so many people around you that want to help. There are so many people around who have been through the same thing.

I did make it out of that valley, and you can too. There is no shame in asking for help, and there is no shame in taking something to help you get better. Depression was honestly one of the most challenging things I’ve ever dealt with mentally and emotionally. It was like I was constantly fighting myself. I hated that I couldn’t find a way to escape all the things in my head. Depression can and will destroy a person if you let it. Don’t let depression take who you are away from you. You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it. If you’ve struggled with depression, you know exactly what it is like to hit rock bottom, and to hit hard. It sucks dealing with something like that, but in the long run, I’m stronger. I’m not the same person I was. I always thought that I had to be happy and cheerful all the time. I thought that it wasn’t OK for me to ever show any sign of weakness. Trying to put on a “show” all the time is hard on you not only mentally, but physically. We have to let ourselves feel.

It’s OK to not be OK. That fake smile you put on just for show, that Facebook post about how awesome life is, the “I’m doing great” line that really means “I’m not OK.” You don't have to act like everything is OK if it really isn't. We don’t always have to be OK. We are going to fall down at times. The great thing is we can get back up, and we can overcome the things we never thought were possible.