We’ve all done it; put on that mask to hide how we were truly feeling. Faked a smile so the people around us didn’t know we were actually crying inside. And while that can be okay from time to time, it’s exhausting to have to do that day after day. To lie to everyone around you and tell them you’re okay when you’re really not, to say “I’m fine” when you haven’t truly felt that way in what feels like forever. Maybe you’ve even gotten to the point where you’re lying to yourself, trying to pretend like you’re truly happy.
It’s okay to want to be okay, but it’s also okay to fall apart. It’s okay to break down if you pick yourself back up again. Not every moment of your life is going to be positive, and that’s perfectly normal. It’s normal to have bad days or even a whole bad week, but you have to remember that better times will come. One day you won’t have to try so hard to pretend to be happy, and you will truly feel that way. It’s okay if it’s not right now, but it will come. Try to surround yourself with friends who care about you, who will notice when you’re not yourself, and check up on you. They’ll help provide some of the light you might desperately need on a dark day. Don’t be embarrassed to be honest about how you’re really feeling, and if the people around you are true friends, they’re not going to judge you. They’re not going to think any less of you.
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help if you need it. We all need some help from time to time.