We’ve all heard it before: it’s okay to not be okay. It is acceptable to embrace a situation when it doesn’t go as planned. We do not have to “toughen up” or “put on a face” to cover how we really feel. Not being fine: stumbling, hurting, crying; is acceptable and nothing to be ashamed of.
Not feeling fine is part of life. We cannot find the silver lining at every opportunity or go through adversity with a smile permanently marked on our faces. The fact of the matter is not being okay is just as humanely plausible as being okay.
Why is it okay to not be okay? Here are three reasons:
- Helps find your voice: being able to say you are not okay takes strength and courage. It can be challenging to admit something is wrong because we don’t want to deal with the backlash. Will I be judged? Made out to be dramatic? Will I be ridiculed or laughed at? These questions can pressure anyone to pretend to be fine with a situation. However, by bringing up that things are not going well, our authentic voices shine through. It may be scary at first, but being able to open up and admit a situation is not right, gets easier overtime for most people, so find that voice and practice saying how you really feel.
- Live genuinely: In a picture-perfect culture we fail to believe things can be anything but 100% perfect. Truthfully, things not going as planned is part of life, and admitting it enables us to live honestly in almost all aspects of our lives. Remember that you do not have to keep up appearances for the sake of others. Live your life realistically and feel free to utter “I’m not okay” when you feel the need.
- You deserve it: You deserve to feel how you feel. Full stop. No one can tell you to be brave, happy, or even force you to lie just so others feel better. You have the ability to be honest and truthful (with yourself and others), not to mention feel whatever feeling is being felt. No one has a right to tell you when to feel a certain way or to sweep things under the rug. You deserve to be angry, upset, sad, stressed, etc.