It’s okay to not know what you’re doing.
It’s okay to not feel your best.
It’s okay to have hard days.
It’s okay to feel crummy.
It’s okay to cry, to feel sad, to hurt.
It’s okay to feel lost.
It’s okay to feel confused.
It’s okay to experience challenge.
It’s okay to feel unsure of the next step.
It’s okay to ask for help.
It’s okay to need a mental health day.
It’s okay to not be okay.
We are inundated with messages of positivity, productivity, and possibility, all of which are amazing and inspiring. These messages seek to make us feel better, to encourage us, and to let us know what is possible. What can be harmful, though, is when we forget that we are also complex, multilayered beings with a wide range of experiences, emotions, and feelings — when we forget that those not-so-positive feelings are okay and normal, too.
When more challenging feelings or periods arise, we often feel guilty or think we’re doing something wrong – it’s so easy to fall into the “I’m not ____ enough” trap. With so many messages of “good vibes only”, it can feel like we’re failing if our life doesn’t feel smooth + joyful at all times. We tend to pile shame on top of our already-difficult moments, which amplifies the difficulty and makes it harder to move out of.
The truth is, whatever you may be experiencing is okay; you are okay; you will always be enough, no matter what is happening within or around you. Life is hard enough already – the last thing we need during moments of challenge is added shame or guilt for what we’re experiencing. While its important to utilize our inner strengths and resources to live life in a way that encourages our growth and joy, it’s equally important to offer ourselves forgiveness and self-compassion during times where it just feels like too much. Sometimes, letting ourselves just be with whatever we are feeling without judgment, before trying to fix or change it, can be the thing that allows us to move through it with more grace.
If you’re in a time of challenge, I want to remind you that acknowledging your authentic feelings and experiences is deeply brave. Sitting with your challenges without trying to push them away is wildly courageous. And, recognizing your inherent worthiness, no matter what you are going through, is an incredible act of self-love. Say it with me: “I. Am. Enough.
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