Dear anyone out there feeling a little lost,
It’s okay. We’ve all been there. Some of us are right there with you right now. Sometimes, life just seems to hit you all at once and suddenly you’re thrust into a downward spiral. In between thoughts of “Oh my god what am I going to do?” and downright failure, it’s easy to lose track of yourself. So things aren’t going the way you planned, but that’s okay. They rarely do in life, but what really matters is where you go from here.
So you’re feeling a little lost, and that is perfectly all right. Your feelings are real and they are valid; anyone who says otherwise can buzz off. You shouldn’t feel like you have to compare yourself to others, either. Sure, maybe someone else is struggling too, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t. If Einstein were still around today, he would have definitely coined the law of struggle relativity. We're all going through our own stuff, and we all do it in our own way. Life can be really difficult sometimes; you shouldn’t beat yourself up for not being perfect. This is just a low point. To be perfectly honest, there will probably be a couple more low points in your life, but these just set the stage for some pretty good high points that are still to come. Don’t lose your faith just yet. That being said, it’s also okay to wallow for a little. If you’re a person that needs to take some time to yourself, to curl up with a good movie and forget the world for a couple hours, to pet a really cute animal and ignore all the bad things in the world, that’s perfectly fine! Do that! Whatever helps you cope, do it with absolutely no shame.
At some point or another, life inevitably catches up with us. Maybe you finally asked out your lab partner and got rejected, maybe you applied to your dream school and got rejected. Maybe you failed a test, a class, or a whole semester. Maybe you’re questioning your major, maybe you’re questioning your relationship. Maybe you have too much on your plate and can’t keep up, or maybe you feel like you aren’t doing nearly enough. Maybe a mental illness is weighing on you, or maybe you’ve had some pretty bad luck lately. No matter what’s bothering you, it’s important to remember that you feel this way because you care. That’s a pretty big deal. If this weren’t important to you, you wouldn’t be bothered by it. Remember that when it comes to friends, family, and your future: it’s not worth it if you don’t care.
Where you go from here will be a testament to your character, but it also won’t define you. If you can overcome this, you can do anything. You’ve done so much greatness already in this life, and this will just be the icing on the cake. On the other hand, if this throws you into a tailspin and turns your life upside down (even if ultimately for the better) that’s okay too. You’ll recover and you’ll be even stronger because of it. You are so strong and I am so proud of you. So chin up and charge the mountain, kid! You can get through this...when you’re ready, of course.
Sincerely,
someone who also feels more than just a little lost
