Remember that today was just one day.
You put on your bulkiest sweater and tie your hair back in a gentle ponytail.
You apply eyeliner and a little lip gloss, hoping to hide your exhaustion.
Alivia Latimer
You look in the mirror and feel so dissatisfied.
You want to cry but you know you dont have time to redo your makeup.
So you think to yourself, this is as good as its going to get.
It even surprises you how well you mask the pain with smiles and friendly greetings.
You do your work, but your mind is elsewhere.
Your thoughts are all over the place, you cant think straight.
You want to be back in your bed, curled up, hiding from the world.
You want to hibernate with Friends reruns and chocolates.
Nobody knows that you are suffering.
Nobody knows to ask.
When you get home after work, you dont know what to do with yourself.
You feel like you should do something meaningful or productive, but you just feel anxious and overly tired.
You feel sad that you feel sad, and you feel anxious about feeling anxious.
So you get lost in your thoughts.
You wonder whats wrong.
You have a good life, right?
You have a good job.
You have a place you call home.
You have people who love you, and people that you love.
You have all that you need.
On paper, you should be okay.
So you wonder whats wrong.
You wonder why this isnt enough.
You barely recognize the girl staring back at you.
You barely know her anymore.
Youre sad… so sad…and you dont know why.
I know you want to get in bed, even though you know you wont fall asleep for hours.
But instead of taking a quick shower just to get it over with, take a long hot shower.
Let the water rinse the days stress off of your back.
Let the steam relieve your tense shoulders, and let the warmth calm your anxious nerves.
Gently wash your body with lavender body wash. Stay in the hot water as long as you need.
Now put on your coziest pajamas.
Put on your thick, warm socks.
Brush the knots out of your hair.
And before you get into bed, turn out the lights so that the room is completely dark.
Look out your window at all of the stars sparkling delicately at you.
Look at how little those stars are, and how they all shine brightly against the dark sky.
Let them reassure you that you are doing okay.
Let them remind you that life isnt going to feel this way forever.
Let the big open sky promise you that one-day things will feel better.
And one bad day doesnt mean a bad life.
A bad month doesnt mean a bad life.
So take it day by day or even hour by hour and be gentle with yourself.
Know that you are doing the best you’ve got the option to and that this is enough.
You made it through the day.
Tomorrow is another day, so right now, close your eyes and allow yourself to be sad.
If tears trickle out of the corners of your eye, let them.
Its okay to be sad.
Soon things will be better.
So in the meantime be proud of yourself.
