Yes, it's true! It's okay to not be okay. In fact, it's healthy to accept the fact that you're struggling, stressed out, or upset. Don't keep those feelings bottled up and buried deep down - waiting to explode at any moment. Let the feelings in, but don't let them stay. Acknowledge them, find a solution, and then go out and fight. Whatever it is you're going through, it will get better.
Breathe
Take 10 good, solid seconds to deeply breathe in and out. Block everything out and just focus on yourself. Remind yourself that you're a beautiful work of art and can do ANYTHING you put your mind to. Remember other moments you thought your life was over, and that you'd never get through it? Look at how far you've come. This is nobody's life but your own. Prove everyone wrong. Go jump into the deep end. Be spontaneous. Make mistakes, and learn from them.
Mistakes Are The Road To Success
So you've hit a few bumps along the road. So what? Don't see scars as regrets or mistakes. See them as accomplishments and stories to tell. You got through it! Because of your mistakes, you've become the wise, strong person you are today. You can help others from taking a wrong turn, and they may even look up to you.
Prioritize
Stop overwhelming yourself with friendships, school, work, holidays, and money. Pull out a piece of paper and start making a to-do list. See what things have due dates and if you can reschedule dates for a later time. Get a job. Start saving up. Catch those holiday specials while they last! Stop saying what you're going to do or need to and just go out and DO IT. Maybe you're not overwhelmed but you just feel like the world is against you. If so, take time away from the world. Listen to music. Create something. Meditate. Watch a movie. Take a day trip to the next state or big city. When you come back, think about what's troubling you, and if it'll really matter 5 to 10 years from now.
Have a "Me Day"
While you may be spending every waking moment tending to your responsibilities and meeting up with friends, it's important that you remember to take some time for yourself. Have a day where you just relax and spoil yourself. Maybe buy yourself that jacket you've been wanting or spend all day finally watching Netflix in the tub. No matter how many tasks you may have, nothing is more important than your well-being. Your health is the reason you can knock out 100 and one tasks a day. Speaking of which, don't forget to love yourself and everything you have to offer!
Be Like Johnny Bravo - to an extent.
Learn to accept and love all of the things that make you unique. Don't let others' definition of beauty make you change yours. Your laugh isn't too loud, and your stretch marks aren't ugly. Your smile is perfect just because of the fact that you have something to smile about. Your scars aren't something to hide, and your laugh lines show that you've lived a happy life. Everything you may wish you could change is something to be proud of. It gives you character. You have to learn to love yourself before you can love anyone else.
NEWS FLASH!
Nobody knows what they're doing with their life, and the ones who do are lying. It's okay to not know where you're going to college the first couple of months of senior year. Sometimes students don't even decide until after they graduate. It's even okay to transfer after you were sure you had made the right choice the first time. It's okay to not know what you're majoring in going into college. It's okay to decide you don't like your "dream" job anymore after 10 years. It's okay not know what you're doing tomorrow.
Life Is What You Make It - So Why Not Make The Most Of It?
This life is too short to live to worry about temporary struggles. If anything, your life gets shorter when you stress out too much. I always tell myself the same thing when I'm upset. "Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end". (Yes, John Lennon did say that first.) You can, and you WILL get through whatever it is you're going through. It's hard to believe it'll be alright when you don't know how this is going to end, but think about it. If you knew how everything was going to end, your life would be so boring. Yes, I am going to quote somebody else in this article. Greg Anderson once said, "Focus on the journey not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it". Don't worry. You're strong. You're focused. You're ambitious. You're determined. You're a fighter. Now, go act like one.
