It's Okay To Feel Stuff

This is what being alive’s all about, all those f**ked up feelings. 

You’ve got to have them; when you stop, watch out. 

-Irvine Welsh

Please read that quote a few times.  Let it sink in.

Then step away from all those gazillions of pretty sunset pictures with the trite platitudes that tell you to be happy all the time; that you must always press the magical happy or forgiveness or whatever button, etc. and if you don't then you are doing life wrong.

What a bunch of baloney it all is.

Don't feel guilty because you're mad or sad or angry or depressed or frustrated or overwhelmed or anxious, etc.
It's okay to not make lemonade out of lemons; in fact, it's more than okay.

Ha ha, I really don't but this was really funny.  Want one?  Get it here.

I don't know where this constant happiness came from or how it started but I suspect it has something to do with computers enabling anyone to slap some text on a pretty picture.  Whatever the case, I implore you to ignore it.  I implore you to get real.  I implore you to be authentic.  Not doing so buries all of the things you're feeling and I promise they are going to come out one day, one way or another, and it won't be pretty.

You were given emotions for a reason and I don't think it was to pretend you don't have them.
Have them, recognize them, then move on from them to the best of your ability*.  Sometimes you need to have a bad day.  I have chronic pain + anosmia + migraines so I have a lot of bad days.  Most of the time I don't let it get to me and I've learned that when it's really bad I need to amp up the good stuff to the best of my ability: anything that makes me laugh or gives me material to make other people laugh, creating art or something else.

Sometimes, though, I just need to lay in bed or cry or vent it out to my long-suffering husband and daughter.  They let me be real and I do the same for them.


 

*If you seem to be stuck and can't move on to feeling better, help yourself by seeking help.