Who doesn’t face problems in this world? We all do, at different phases of life. Let’s be honest, there are days in our lives when we don’t feel like it, feel like we don’t belong, and feel like all our efforts are worthless. These are the days when we are not okay. Days when no matter how hard you try or what you do, it just feels difficult to find anything positive around you in the mist and darkness of everything negative that’s happening in life.
It doesn’t mean that there is nothing positive to look forward to, there always is, but we must search for it amidst the cloud of all the negativity. There is a famous saying that “Every cloud has a silver lining” a simple saying that suggests that even in tough times or when things aren’t okay, there’s always hope or something positive that will be found eventually.
What I want you to know is that it’s okay to have days like these where you aren’t yourself, days when you feel low and days that are dark. And during these days it's okay to not be okay. When days like this hit, it pushes us to a limit where we can hardly see through our tears. Even I have had days when I felt like ‘I can’t do this today, just not today.’ I have also had days when I am not okay. What I want you to know is that having days like this doesn’t mean you are drowning. It’s said, “Sometimes you have to sink before you learn how to swim.” It indicates that all the struggles we face may be too much at that point of day, we might get emotional; and burst out, but in the end, we can handle it and get through to the future. The important part is that it teaches us a lesson and helps us grow in the process. Just like how when you first try to swim, you may drown and later that fear of drowning is what makes you keep moving forward to excel in swimming.
Well, I did have one such day when I felt like my efforts were worthless, no matter how cheerful or dependable I had been people kept stamping on me. The stress of being perfect rushed in and I was quietly struggling with all of that piled up inside me. And one day I broke down and let it all out, couldn’t hold it in, all that had happened and was happening I just couldn't stand it. This happened in the bus with the presence of my best friend beside me who offered her shoulder and let me weep in silence. After a while of comforting, she asked me “Are you okay?” I said no. She went silent for a while letting me finally get a grip and stop crying. She started talking about her own experience of how one day everything just didn’t seem it its place and how she had to go through something that broke her inside. After hearing about her situation, I thought maybe mine was not as bad as hers, but I still couldn't handle it. So, I guess we all have our not-okay days and experiences in different wavelengths. I felt good after sharing my problem with her, made me feel like I got something so heavy off my chest, made me feel light at heart.
Reaching out to someone when we are not okay is the best way to get through any rough situation. It might not seem much but makes our problems lighter and gives us a clearer route to solve our problems. Bottling up pain is never a solution, it may seem like an easier path but will eventually lead to depression, breakouts and isolation. The important thing is that we must learn how to embrace vulnerability, saying “I am not okay” for a person who is always positive and cheerful takes courage. But when u finally say it, it opens the door to healing.
Always remember that feeling low, being anxious or getting overwhelmed doesn’t make you weak – it just means you are only human, and these things are okay to happen. Life is full of ups and downs, no one is free of hardships. By accepting that it's okay not to be okay, we allow ourselves to grow, heal and eventually, to feel OKAY again. So, the next time you or someone you know is struggling, remember that pain is not a burden to hide, just sit with them, talk, share and remember that you are never alone. And it's truly okay to not be okay at times.
A good one 🫂
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