There is a lot of societal pressure to always have your sh*t together. Even when everything that could possibly go wrong in your life is going wrong we are expected to handle it with grace. What I see is an unrealistic expectation for ourselves and each other. It's a fear of appearing vulnerable.

Part of me wonders if we as humans all feel this same fear, but assume that no one else feels it too so we just don’t talk about it. How can you grow in life if you meet every situation with no reaction?

It is unhealthy to keep all of your emotions pent up inside, and that is precisely what we are doing when we refuse to let our sh*t fall apart. If we do not allow ourselves to vent and release that negativity, then we allow that stress into our bodies and into our lives. I believe that kind of stress can become dangerous to ourselves. In my experience, it usually transforms into irritability, self-loathing, and a general feeling of unease.

It's okay to fall apart, and it's okay to not be okay.

Life is really hard, and it's okay to give yourself credit for it. It’s okay to take a break and rest. The world will still be there tomorrow.

However, it is much easier said than done. It takes a lot of courage to open up about your feelings, especially to yourself. Sometimes we become so closed off we forget how to check in with ourselves and see if we’re okay.

I know during particularly dark times in my life, I would become so detached from the situation and my emotions that I wasn’t even sure what the problem was any more or what to do about it. I’d accept those feelings as my new reality instead of recognizing them as a warning sign that I needed help.

Each time, getting help was a lengthy process but always completely worth it. Each time it was another person recognizing my pain and hearing me out, because talking about my problems and having someone else validate it made it real for me. They let me know that it was okay to not be okay.