It has become a reflex for people to persistently hide and crumble from their emotions, as though they are some type of human error that needs to be thrown in the trash and made nonexistent. We are under the illusion that in order to be considered strong, in order to get through a painful situation, emotions cannot be involved. In order to deal with feelings as thorough as heartbreak and excitement and love, you have to play it cool and pretend like it’s not that big of a deal. For this reason, a lot of people consider it reckless and a sign of weakness when they finally let their emotions come through. But what’s wrong with being straightforward? What’s wrong with feeling to the full extent that we as humans are privileged to be able to experience?

Let me make this as clear as I can, if someone makes you happy, tell them that they make you happy. Tell people that you appreciate them. Tell them that you think they are wonderful and graceful and that seeing them makes you smile. If you are in love, let that person know that there are very few things on this earth that make you feel as excited about life as they do. Tell your mom, your best friend, and your grandfather that their existence makes you believe that there has to be a God because you see Him in the way that they laugh and care and love others. When you’re sad, cry about it. Cry about it and tell your friends about how much it hurts to breathe because your throat burns and your chest wants to give in with your heart. Scream about it until you are so exhausted that falling asleep is the best consolation prize. Do not, under any circumstances, shrug off your emotions in an attempt to get rid of them. Not only will this not work, but it is also a risk that no one should be willing to take.

I firmly believe that pretending not to care is one of the riskiest things you can do. Are you really going to let something like “I love you” go unsaid because you’re too embarrassed? Are you really going to put yourself through episodes of fake happiness because you are too stubborn to let people know that sometimes you get sad and need help? Do not risk going through life with feelings that are only partially dealt with. You should want to be able to experience everything to its full extent – even all the painful parts. It’s not only inhumane to try to avoid it, but also impossible. As regrettably cliché as this is going to sound, you never know when your last day on earth is going to be. We are not in control of when or how or why we leave this planet, but we can control how we make use of the time that we do have. So why not soak it all up? Absorb every last piece of fear, joy, rage, sorrow, and exhilaration that you can manage. Do not waste this privilege by constantly hiding away. Always confront what you feel, and then deal with it in the most wholesome way you can bare.