There are times in your life when you feel like everything is going exactly how you planned.

You have a great group of friends, you’re doing well in school or at work, you have a stable relationship, you are happy and content. You feel like you're on top of the world, and nothing can bring you down.

Then life happens and starts to throw some curve balls at you.

You make it through the first few, and you’re still feeling optimistic. Then they keep coming, the hard times pile up, and you find yourself surrounded by a mountain of demanding problems. It's as if you blinked and it's all right there in front of you all at once. You can’t handle the pressure, and you crack.

I don’t know what it looks like when you crack and give up fighting. Maybe it’s depression, partying, drinking, smoking, eating, feeling numb, or simply not caring. Whatever you turn to that helps you escape reality, you let it consume you. All those issues and all of those feelings are too much, and you wanted to find a way to make it stop. So you start down a dangerous path and you start to lose yourself.

Turn around now before it is too late.

Do a complete 360, spin those heels around, and run. Run for your life. Because no matter what you do and how you numb the pain, those problems are still going to be there. They aren’t going anywhere, and they will wait for you until you’re ready to face them. And they will be so much easier to handle if you keep your head up and stay true to who you are. Turn to God, turn to your family, turn to your friends. They are your support system, and they want to help you. Don’t face your mountain alone, and don’t spiral downwards and lose who you are in the process.

Because it will get better and the sun will rise.

This season of life that you’re going through is temporary. It will not last forever, and nothing is worth losing yourself over. You are a fighter, you are strong, and you will make it to the other side. You don’t need to surrender who you are or what you believe to make it through whatever you’re facing. It is not going to be worth it, and it’s only going to make things worse.

Focus your energy on something positive and keep yourself busy in a good way. Spend too much time with your friends, go exercise, explore in nature, focus on school, join a church group-- whatever floats your boat. Invest in yourself, and watch as things start to get brighter. All you need is a little perspective, and the mountain you’re faced with doesn’t seem so big, and you can conquer it in stride.