With summer slowly coming towards its inevitable end, there are many individuals struggling with plans of their future. Whether you are a student getting ready to go back to school, someone starting school, the individual struggling to start a new career, or just someone who can't seem to figure out what the next step in their life is, everyone struggles with a situation such as these during this time of the year. The transition out of the carefree and relaxing time of summer into a new working environment takes its toll on everyone, so if you are that individual who just doesn't seem to be acting like yourself lately, take a deep breath and listen.

Life is hard, and unfortunately, there will be times where it seems like it is only getting harder and harder. But if you continue to let it weigh you down you will never allow yourself to live the way you truly want to be living. The silly thing called life is hard, but you will always be stronger. Don't let the little, the big, or the medium things ways you down. There will always be a solution to every problem, some are easy whereas some will require time, work, and effort. But that is perfectly okay because it will always be worth it in the end.

If you ever do find yourself in one of the dark pits of despair, feeling like you cannot continue onwards, remember these important tips that can sometimes help in the worst of times. First and foremost, remember that you are never alone. You will always have friends who will be there for you, family that will always support you, or even pets that will always love you unconditionally. Do not take these people for granted, and make sure you understand that you are not a burden to anyone. The people that care about you the most will always be there to help you in your time of need. After getting the moral support and affection you need, remember to treat yourself. Take time out of your daily schedule for personal time. Seriously, even writing it in your calendar will give you the chance to plan accordingly and still give yourself time to breathe, relax, and do whatever makes you the happiest.

In addition to writing personal time into your calendar, make sure you HAVE a calendar. I know it can seem silly at times, even if most of your day consists of just work and sleep. But having a physical guide will help make the hard times easier. Write daily reminders, affirmations, plan out your meals for the week, design a budget. All of these things will make the hard times less frequent and help give you a clear mind for your day.

Overall, being true to yourself can be hard when life starts to consume your entire day. Just remember, you are never alone, there is more time in the day than you think, and saving some of that time for "you" time is one hundred percent acceptable. Life is like a scary novel, but remember you are the one holding the pencil; you are always in control.