I used to tell myself that I shouldn’t cry because there were people going through so much more than I was. I thought crying (outside of the sappy-movie-watching type of cry) meant I was mentally weak.

All of this is false.

I’m not a person that battles with anxiety or depression, but sometimes I just have a bad day or bad days. Plural. Life is hard. Adulting is hard.  One of the things I dislike the most is when people try to tell me how I should be feeling. What problems could you really have? Suck it up. It can’t really be that bad.

Well you know what? Sometimes it can be that bad. Stress and sadness can affect anyone.  So here’s a pep-talk for anyone else struggling with anything.

It’s Okay Not to Be Okay: A Pep-Talk

You’re allowed to have bad days.

There will be days when you just feel stuck. 

Sometimes you need to have a good cry.

Break all the way down if you have to. Because life can get really hard. Don’t let anyone tell you what you’re feeling doesn’t matter or that you shouldn’t be feeling it. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s probably worse to pretend that everything is okay.

Call a friend. Turn your phone on silent. Watch a ton of Netflix movies and continue to tell it you’re still watching. Order that pizza with double the meats and get the bread sticks too. Talk to your dog. Crawl under the covers and wallow for a bit. Drink some tequila and dance it out like Meredith Grey.

You’re human and it’s okay not to be okay. Here’s the thing: have your bad day (or two) but don’t dwell in it.  Start putting yourself together. Figure out the root of the problem. Make a plan. Talk to someone. Refocus. This is not the end and you are still here. Heal.

Bonus: Let Kid President give you some words of encouragement.

How do you deal with your bad days? Leave a comment below.