Life can be a really interesting, chaotic mess of navigating emotions. There are so many factors that go into living. There are so many people who influence us. We each have so many experiences. Maybe we feel obligated to keep everyone happy (which just isn’t true).

But here’s some news, It’s OK not to be OK. But don’t stay not OK. You don’t have to pretend to be strong if you’re really not, but don’t stay down. Navigate. Move forward. It takes time. Give yourself time. Give yourself grace.

I remember one time I was listening to the Friends theme song, and I heard the line, “You’re mother warned you there’d be days like these.” My thought was, no one told me that there were going to be dark days. No one ever told me that I was going to have days where I was crazy depressed or that I might struggle with anxiety. It’s not something people talked about a lot. I didn’t know what to do on my lowest days. I had no idea.

However, despite the darkness and feeling lost, alone, and trying to find my way, I made it. On the days when I didn’t know if I could go on, I had someone telling me it’s OK to not be OK. But at the same time, I had examples of people who have survived and come out on top.

It made me want to let the people who come after me know, there are going to be really awful days. There are going to be awful days that are strung together in a row for seemingly ever. But do you know what else? There are have been and are going to be some amazing days—days that you don’t even want to go to sleep after because you don’t want them to end. Those days make the bad days worth it.

You can’t stop enjoying summer because you know that someday soon it will be winter again. Don’t give up in the times when it feels like it’s been winter for years, and don’t be afraid to enjoy the good days because you know that bad ones are going to happen. Live your life, and love them all the same. Summer will always come eventually.

I love the quote by Kurt Vonnegut: “Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.”

In the moments when you are most not OK , accept where you are, but understand that it’s not where you are designed to live forever. Remember the good times, and allow those to give you hope that there are more to come. “Don’t let the bitterness steal your sweetness,” as this quote so eloquently puts it. Surround yourself with those who won’t give up on you in the darkest of times but won’t let you stay there -- those who will cry with you and help you find your way when you feel most lost.

Most of all, remember, God gives grace, and there is someone who loves you on your most not OK days, and He is always there to give you peace if you just ask.

It’s OK not to be OK , but don’t stay not OK . OK ?