I know what you're thinking. You read that title and immediately thought "wow this chick is not nice." Regardless of the truth in that statement, I stand by my claim in the title.

Your pain does not make you special. I am sorry that you are in pain or that you were or that you have been before. I really am. It sucks, trust me I know. But here's the deal: everybody goes through stuff. I don't know a single person who hasn't gone through a rough patch.

For example, my sophomore year of college I just really went through it. I have never cried so much about so many different things. And yes, my grades slipped and I was mean to people and I was hateful and bitter that I was hurting and everyone around me seemed to be so happy. I distinctly remember one night, after everyone had gone to bed, laying in my bed silently sobbing and thinking to myself, "this is so unfair.

Everyone else is living it up and acting like college is this glorious time and I can barely get myself up in the morning to go to class."

I felt isolated and so betrayed that it didn't seem to affect anyone or anything that I was hurting so much. It didn't matter to my professors, it didn't matter to my boss, and it didn't matter to the universe. And I don't mean it didn't matter, as in nobody cared, but life goes on around you.

Even when you feel like you're standing in the middle of a major highway while traffic zooms by you in all directions. And you keep trying to run to the edge of the road to the safety of the curb, but no matter how hard you try your feet just won't move

But sometimes that's life. And that sucks. It really does. But shortly after that night, I started journaling. Not every day but when I felt like it. And through that process I realized something. My pain doesn't make me unique. It doesn't make me stand out from the crowd. I don't deserve or need any special treatment or pity or sympathy because I was going through a rough transitional phase.

Everyone goes through those phases and as pessimistic as it sounds, that's part of life. We don't know the highs without the lows. And we don't deserve a cookie or special treatment or anything like that just because of it. I will say that if you are going through this right now, you can get through it. There is a finish line even if you cannot see it.