Have you ever felt like you just cannot catch a break? Maybe life keeps through curve balls at you, and you are doing everything in your power not to get hit. Maybe school, work, extracurricular, or relationships are just pushing your limits. Maybe it is something completely out of your control. No matter what the hardship is, I am here to tell you that you are not alone. Everyday, someone is in your same shoes, and they feel like they cannot tackle this thing called life. I can assure you, I find myself in times like this more frequently than I would like to admit. Lately, I am been in this predicament. It can feel like you are losing your hope, and you just can't catch a break.

During these times, it can be easy to give up, quit trying, lose hope, or lose your joy for life. The hardest part of going through a difficult period is not even the trial, but it is actually finding the strength you need to get through it. Because you are feeling so down and stretched thin, you can quickly feel lonely, useless, pitiful, or even humiliated. I get it, I have been there, and I can assure you that we are not the only ones that have traveled that road. There are many days where it takes all my strength just to get out of bed and get the things done that need to be done, but once I get out of bed and get that ball rolling, I feel like brand new. You just have to tell yourself whatever it is that you need to be motivated enough to just do it. In order to cultivate that motivation you need to remember that this struggle is only temporary in getting to where you need to be. You need to find the courage to stand up to your problem and mentally crush it away. You have a strength that no one can interfere with.

With all that being said, you need to put yourself first. You need to take care of yourself right now before you can successfully help anyone else. My best friend once told me that you cannot fully love and help others, until you do the same for yourself. I have always struggled with that mentality because, if you believe in enneagrams, I am a type 2. I am constantly pouring into my relationships and trying my best to handle everyone else's problems, but you can see how ineffective I can be if I do not take care of me. I will not be at the top of my game to help if I cannot handle myself. I try my hardest whenever I am in these tough situations to pour as much time into myself as I am others. It allows me to ground myself. These difficult moments will pass faster if you are on your A-game, I promise.

The moral of all of this is to say, 1) You are stronger than you could ever imagine, 2) You are not alone, 3) take care of yourself. With these three mindsets, you will be on a path to conquer any trial or tribulation that comes your way. Now go out there and be the best you, you can be. I believe in you.