I cannot begin to tell you the number of times I’ve said the two words “I’m sorry” in my life. And I’m not talking about the “I’m sorry’s” you say after doing something you know you shouldn’t have done (Although I’ve done plenty of those.) I’m talking about the times when you apologize for feeling a certain way. I’ve said sorry for crying, for being angry, and countless other things. But after feeling sorry for myself for way too long, I’ve concluded that it’s time to stop saying sorry and own up to our feelings and unapologetically feel whatever we’re feeling. You deserve every right to feel exactly how you’re feeling.

People experience the same things every day, however how we feel them are completely different stories. Some people grieve breakups in a week, and others take months to grieve the loss. Some people laugh harder at the smaller things in life, it’s just who we are. Everyone has different lives, backgrounds, families, you name it and I guarantee it’s not the same as the person next to you. You don’t know why that person is feeling the way they do, and I’m almost 100% sure that person doesn’t even know why they’re feeling what they’re feeling. We’re all lost and confused in this world, it’s not anyone’s place to make anyone else feel even more so. Nobody should be afraid to feel something faster or more intensely than someone else because of what someone else is going to say.

So, stop saying sorry for crying, or being angry, or whatever it is you’re saying sorry for. You owe nobody an explanation to how you’re feeling. Why do we tend to associate being sad, or angry or jealous as the “bad emotions?” Of course, nobody wants to be sad, or angry, or jealous or any of those "bad emotions." But everyone feels them at some point, some more than others. But they’re apart of who we are and everyone is going to feel them. Stop making those feelings a bad thing, because they’re not. Accept your feelings for what they are. That is step one to processing whatever it maybe you’re going through. You are the only person entitled to your feelings, there’s nothing anyone can say to stop you from feeling. Scream, laugh, frown, smile and do whatever is it you need to do to help yourself. You are entitled to your feelings because guess what? That’s exactly what they are, yours! It took me a while to understand that, that I shouldn’t feel bad about my feelings. But I’m done, I get to feel however I feel because it’s going to benefit me. And as selfish as that sounds I see it as being in your 20’s is a confusing, messy, chaotic, wonderful time in your life. It’s one of the only times in anyone’s life where they get to be selfish. Because before you know it, you’ve got a job and a family and you’re being held accountable for someone more than yourself and you don’t get to be completely selfish. Now I’m not saying we shouldn’t be considerate to other’s feelings, that’s the exact opposite. When we acknowledge our own feelings then we can begin to embrace others. We can all better ourselves, taking the time out of our day to truly listen to someone or try to get a better understanding of their feelings. At the end of the day all we are is human, and humans have a million different emotions that we shouldn’t ever feel sorry for. Embrace your sadness, and your anger and especially your happiness because we could all use more happiness.