The Story:
I was always the person who “held it together.” When my parents divorced, I was the rock. When my team at work was stressed, I was the cheerleader. I convinced myself that negativity was a weakness and that I had to smile through the pain.
Then came “The Week.” On Monday, my landlord raised my rent by 50%. On Wednesday, I was passed over for a promotion I had been promised. On Friday, my boyfriend of three years ended things over a text message.
I sat on my couch, staring at the wall. My chest felt tight, like it was going to explode. But out of habit, I tried to push it down. Don’t cry, I told myself. Stay positive. Others have it worse.
But I was drowning. Especially in moments when you’re not feeling great, everything seems to pile up and feel much worse than it is. Suddenly, all the negative thoughts and past experiences resurface, telling me that I was unlovable, unsuccessful, and doomed.
I scrolled through my phone, looking for a distraction, and stumbled upon a quote that stopped me cold.
“Bad days are like clouds; they come and darken the day, but once they’re gone, beautiful sunshine appears.”
I realized I was treating this bad week like a permanent sentence. But the text reminded me: having a bad feeling or a bad day doesn’t mean you have a bad life.
For the first time in years, I listened to the advice. I decided to allow yourself to feel your negative emotions, don’t suppress them. I didn’t try to “fix” my mood. I wrapped myself in a blanket, ordered comfort food, and I cried until I couldn’t cry anymore. I didn’t pressure myself to be happy.
And you know what? The world didn’t end. By Sunday morning, the heaviness had lifted just enough for me to breathe again. I realized that life isn’t about being happy all the time, because without the bad days, there would be no good. The clouds were moving, and I was finally ready to wait for the sun.
