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We, as humans, have a tendency to make ourselves and others "feel better" on a regular basis.  It sometimes feels as if society expects everyone to be cheerful all the time and expressing grief is a sign of weakness. This is far from the fact that if you held all of your emotions inside, you would burst. While we are still working on accepting that we are not perfect, it is a fact of life that occurs whether or not others choose to acknowledge it.

Listen, I understand that things appear to be in disarray right now. Your job isn't your favorite, your anxiety is eating at you, and your bank account is looking bleak. Right now, you have a lot on your plate. Everyone has their own set of difficulties and obstacles to deal with, and things don't always go as planned. It's very acceptable to acknowledge that we're not feeling well. It also indicates that whatever feelings and emotions we have is valid.

We deal with a lot as young adults in today's culture. We have schoolwork, bills, families, friendships, and relationships to deal with, all of which are complicated in their own way. It takes a lot of physical and mental energy to juggle all of these tasks. We all have our limits, and sometimes those responsibilities push us over the edge of those limits. Things don't always turn out the way we want them to. We aren't always in good shape. Being vulnerable and acknowledging that we aren't fine when we appear to be the polar opposite is scary, but we all know that life isn't all rainbows and cute baby animals.

We were frequently reprimanded as youngsters if we did something that an authorized person interpreted as "wrong," and rewarded if we did something "good." Maintaining a facade and trying to be "good" all of the time is, to put it bluntly, tiresome. It's fine to be different; it's fine to have feelings. It's quite normal to want to cry, be upset, or have negative emotions. That was something we didn't hear much as kids, and because we didn't hear it, we assumed that showing emotion of any type was a sign of weakness. Humans aren't built to be happy all the time. So, take as much time as you need, and remember that embracing all your feelings is always the most convenient option. Dr. Zuckerman said “Not only is it okay to not feel ‘okay,’ it is essential. An abnormal emotional response to an abnormal situation is normal. We cannot simply pick the emotions we want to have. It just does not work that way,”. Having emotions and feelings doesn’t make you weak. Having emotions and feelings makes you human. Being less-than-perfect is totally acceptable. It’s okay not to be okay. We may believe that there is no way out of agony, but as we previously stated, the only way out of pain is to go through it.

Yes, it sucks. Yes, it's painful, but no matter what we're going through right now, we'll be stronger for having gone through it. Yes, it's easier to write it without having walked in your shoes, and I won't pretend to understand what you're going through. You could believe that acknowledging you're not okay won't help you get anywhere in life, and that you should just put up with it and move on. There's nothing wrong with that; expressing that you're not okay and accepting that you're not okay is the first step toward letting go of the suffering. Just remember that it's perfectly fine to feel whatever you're experiencing. It's fantastic if you're having a good time right now. Likewise, I want you to know that it's fine if you're not feeling well. As I already stated, your feelings are valid, regardless of what they are. If you're going through a difficult period, seek out the help of those who care about you. Allow yourself as much time as you need to process and recuperate from the emotion. You don't have to be perfect, and it's okay if you don't feel flawless, no matter what the outside world says.

Allow yourself enough time to rest, refuel, and breathe. Take care of yourself in the greatest way you can. You understand yourself better than anyone else.