Listen to me: you’re not alone. All those things you’re feeling? They’re not weird, they’re not strange, they’re not your own bizarre quirks that should be shuffled into dark corners and hidden away. Those are the very things that make you human, they’re the things that gnaw at you, reminding you you’re real. Those are the things that once upon a time, someone loved you greatly for. And now you’re tucking them in like overtired children, wishing for silence, please, for just a little while.

But you see, those are the very things that define you, differentiate you, give you character and life, stories to tell and adventures to take. Those are the things that light you up, that make your heart pound in your chest.

The fears, the insecurities, the shame, the imperfections, the intimidating thoughts, the unsure steps — they’re all a part of you. You feel like you’re always three steps behind, struggling to match up, make up, catch up, cover up.

It’s ok to not be ok.

It’s ok to not live up to someone else’s expectations.

It’s ok to just embrace who you are, what you love, who you love, where you want to be, how you want to live.

I believe we get one shot at this life, for better or worse. I believe in improving, and growing, and being better, but that isn’t at odds with acceptance, either. The older I get, the more I realize and appreciate how different we are, and how much I love that our differences are our own.

But I see you hiding there. I see you squirrelling away those tender feelings, dotting concealer over those peccadilloes.

“I’m fine.”
“I’ll be ok.”
“It’s alright.”

It isn’t, though. So I just wanted to pull you aside for a moment to let you know that while I cannot fix your problems, I promise you’ll never have to go through them alone. I’m here for you. Yes, you. In case you need a friendly ear.

It’s ok to not be ok.