I know, at least for me, I like to do it all while having it all together. I like to be the person that is overly involved; dedicated to her studies, extracurricular activities, friends, boyfriend, and family. I have roughly five meetings every week on top of time at the library, gym, and other obligations. I've never been the person to say no when someone asks for me to do something. I like to always be there when someone's in need. Sometimes it's easy to feel stretched thin, especially in college when there is always so much going on.
When you add in anything extra, it's easy to offset the perfect balance you once had. It's like a big game of Jenga. You're pulling out all the right pieces and the tower isn't even really shaking. But then you start to pull out riskier pieces, ones that really hit home. Maybe you've gotten really sick, maybe you're having family troubles, relationship troubles, drama with your friends, or something else that's weighing you down. This perfectly constructed tower you created isn't as stable as it used to be. You think, if one more piece is pulled, if one more thing happens I'm going to come tumbling down.
Well I'm here to tell you that you aren't alone. It's so easy to think that you have to deal with everything on your own. I know I'm the queen of wanting to fix everyone else's problems but never burden anyone with my own. Once you start to become overwhelmed, it's hard to find a way to put your feet back on the ground.
It's easy to feel like the world is on your shoulders. And I know you probably don't know how to escape that awful feeling. That's why I've put together a few tips to let you know that you will get through this. Your pain is only temporary.
1. Your support system wouldn't be your support system if they weren't happy to help.
When you are feeling lost and alone, don't shut out your family and friends. Those that truly care about you will never consider your problems a burden. The last thing any of them would want you to do would be to try and handle something on your own that you didn't have to. Even if they can't actually fix the problem, they can at least provide comfort and advice. Sometime's it's nice to just have a shoulder to cry on.
2. Focus on what you can control.
It's human nature to try and fix everything, but sometimes that isn't possible. Instead of worrying and stressing yourself over the things you can't control, focus on the things you can control. Sometimes, time can only heal a problem and no matter how hard you try, you can't change the speed of time. By looking at the things you can control, you can eliminate some of the anxiety and negative feelings that you're having. This will take some of the weight off your shoulders and allow you not to feel so lost.
3. Have faith in what you can't control and remember the bigger picture.
When something becomes out of your control, I know you probably still want to worry about it, want to pretend that there's something you can do. But unfortunately, sometimes things are just a waiting game. In those times, you have to have faith that God's got it. You have to remember that He has a plan and if we trust in Him, He'll never steer us wrong. At times things may seem unbearable, but if you can just remember that there is a rainbow after every storm, it'll allow you to have a peace of mind.
4. A little positivity goes a long way.
It's easy to get wrapped up in all the stress and negative things going on in your life. You get so caught up in things not going your way or the pain that you're feeling and you forget about the things going right in your life. Appreciate those things that make you smile, because they WILL help keep you grounded. Sometimes it's the only thing to push me to keep going.
5. Lastly, remember that it's OK not to be OK.
A friend told me this once, and it helped bring things into perspective for me. Being strong doesn't mean that you have to never cry or never show when you're having a hard time handling the struggles in your life. Sometimes being vulnerable and acknowledging when you're having a hard time, shows a sign of strength. It's never a good idea to bottle up your feelings and keep those emotions inside. Acknowledging the struggles in your life allows you to deal with them.
I'll leave you with a verse I often read to remind me that everything's going to be OK:
"Jesus replied, 'You don't understand what I'm doing now, but someday you will'." - John 13:7
