It’s Okay To Not Always Be Okay

Life is tough, there’s no doubt about it. Challenges are constantly being delivered to our doors whether or not we order them, and it becomes our duty to decide how we deal with them. We might not always feel okay during the hard times, but understanding that it’s okay to not always be okay, and to not always be on your highest level is human nature.

In the ideal world, everyone would be happy, every day, all the time. There would be no pain or struggling, just happiness and success. As great as that might sound, it’s unfortunately not reality.

We live in a world with all of the above; the happy, the success, the pain and the struggles. So to feel happy every day, all the time, is unrealistic for the world we live in. To try to coach ourselves into being happy all the time, when we might be experiencing emotions on the opposite end of the spectrum can be exhausting. I think it’s important for us to realize that it’s okay to not always be okay and to just allow ourselves to rest.

We all have bad days

I think it’s safe to say that everyone experiences pain and struggles at some points in their lifetime. To go through life without feeling either of those two things is highly unlikely. So a quick reminder to all of us: We’re definitely not alone.

I’ve experienced many situations of pain and struggles – one’s that set me off track anywhere from a few minutes to days or more. If I learned anything at all from these hardships it’s that it’s okay to not always be okay and to deny myself the ability to feel is to deny myself the ability to grow.

“ Your feelings show the more you hide them. Your feelings grow the more you deny them.”

Realizing that life isn’t always going to be perfect is important to remind yourself of when going through the bad days. Without bad days or times it’d be harder to notice all the growth and accomplishments we make in our lifetime. It’s the struggles and fight we put in that shows us what we’re capable of and how much we’re actually growing. Sometimes in the bad, there’s still some good.

Allow yourself to feel

Sometimes we might feel it’s easier to just bury our feelings in hopes that they will stay buried and not resurface. This might be a temporary fix but the truth is, whatever feelings you bury will always find their way back to the surface and back into your mind.

To prevent this cycle, it’s important to allow yourself to feel, heal and then move forward. Whether you’re sad, angry or frustrated, just be. Let it happen. Remind yourself in that moment that it’s okay to be that way, and at the end of the day, we all feel these emotions and the feelings in those moments are temporary.

Yes, it’s good to be positive and to remind yourself that life isn’t all bad.  But in order to actually allow happiness into your life, especially after a bad situation, you may also have to allow the not so amazing emotions to take their turn too. These emotions are what’s going to help you grow and move forward from whatever it is that’s bringing you down. Allowing yourself to feel the emotions and then pick yourself up again is the circle of life. It’s what helps you grow and become a stronger, more knowledgeable and happier version of yourself. 

Find Your Healing Path

So if you need to cry, you cry. If you need to vent, you vent. Whether you find comfort in venting to a friend, your family, a stranger or even in your own personal journal – it’s a good thing to do. Letting out those feelings can help even just a little bit.

Go for a run, or even a walk if cardio isn’t your thing. Binge watch Netflix in your PJ’s with your best comfort food. Cuddle with your dog. Hike up a mountain and just scream. Blast some music and dance.

Let it out, cope with it how you will and then pick yourself up when you’re ready. Give yourself permission to sit with your feelings instead of blocking them out. Be human.

Let yourself feel, because life is a beautiful mess. 😊