So, you thought you had it all figured out.

You thought you had finally figured out yourself, finally. Then life knocked you down again, and you're just as lost as before. Suddenly, you're just as confused as ever. You can't seem to find your way back to you anymore.

You've stopped enjoying life again. You've stopped being strong and independent. You've stopped loving yourself as much as you used to. And you're wondering... what the hell do I do now? Well here's what you do.

Cry it out. I repeat - cry it out. Don't try to leave it all bottled up inside you. Let it out. Cry until there are no tears left, even if this means you cry all day. Cry until you feel as if you can never cry again. And then, when you're done crying, wipe away all your tears and vow to yourself that you will be happy again. Realize that this trainwreck you are right now, is the beginning of you becoming yourself again. Promise yourself that, and your whole perspective on yourself will change.

Next plan a nice day out, whether it's with your boo, best friend(s), or family. Just plan a nice day out. Do your hair and makeup, and wear that cute new outfit you bought a few weeks back that makes you feel great. Now go look in the mirror. Put a smile on your face, even if it is forced, and find some beauty in yourself. Even if it's the smallest thing, make a mental note of what beauty you see in yourself, and hold on to that. Give yourself a pep talk. Tell yourself you're going to have a fun day and forget about everything for a little bit, that you're going to live in the moment as much as possible and I guarantee you'll have a great time.

After that comes the hard part. To be okay again, you have to deal with what exactly tore you back down to your dark place again. You have to face your fears, worries, and your thoughts. This might require a few hundred more tears, but it's worth it in the end. Once you figure out what brought you down, you have to figure out how to not let it control your life. You have to learn how to deal with that. And that's different for everybody. But once you deal with your issues, you can focus on who you are and who you want to be.

Once you have a grasp on who you want to be, then you can focus on being that. Set goals. Keep them with you through everything you do. This is where you can start to have, and preach, self love again. This part is difficult, but it's the best part of this whole process. It's when you start believing in yourself again. And when you start believing in yourself again, and loving yourself again, that's when happiness will come.

Just remember, everyone loses themselves sometimes. This probably isn't the last time you'll lose yourself, and you'll have to find you again. Life will knock you down again, life will get harder, but you just need to get back up and continuing living. Strive for happiness, and it'll come your way.

Happiness is a journey. Give it time.

Just keep your head high and keep fighting. You'll get there.