For years I lived with the thought that I had to have a perfect day everyday. I truly believed that if I did not look okay to the outside world that I would be failing both my friends and my family. I walked around for years wearing a mask, a fake smile so that people would believe that I was put together. I tried this throughout middle school and high school and honestly y'all, it was exhausting.

So announcement ladies and gentlemen: it is ok to not be okay! If we walk around pretending like we do not have problems we will never have a support system to lift us up when things go wrong. If people do not know that your life is falling apart they will not think to help you! This was something I often struggled with, wondering why no one was helping me when times were though, but looking back it was because no one knew!

Also, not being okay is perfectly normal. Although many hate to admit it we often have low times in our lives. If we are able to be open, we can share in these struggles and we can work to figure things out together.

It is okay to not have all of your future plans in order. For me, a senior in college, I am often drilled with the "what are you doing after graduation" question. As a junior in college I truly believed that I would be able to answer this question with a large amount of confidence after the first semester of my senior year. But boy, was I wrong! Sometimes things like your entire future don't fall into place when and where you want them to. It's okay to have things fall into place a little more slowly. It happens to the best of us. As long as you have forward progress thats all that matters!

It it ok to struggle through things like school and to struggle with showing emotion. It is ok to fall apart in front of the people we love. It is ok to move a little slower when it comes to future plans. It is ok to have a lazy off day to catch up on the emotions and struggles of the week. It is ok to take time to be alone and it is ok to surround yourself with friends when you need a pick me up.

Please just remember that it is ok to not be okay, because truthfully the person next to you probably has or probably will deal with the same thing.