I went to see my therapist recently. When she asked me how I was doing, I told her that I felt like I was backsliding and depressed. She asked me what had been going on, and I listed a bunch of recent challenges that I have been dealing with.
Her response was that she would have been more concerned if these things had not been bothering me. A little later during the session, she asked how I was feeling then. I told her that I felt a little more optimistic.
Later, I realized that I needed to hear that it was okay to feel the way I felt. No one could tell me that before she did, because I did not tell anyone how I was feeling. I tried to pretend that I was fine when I really was not.
It is okay to feel whatever emotions we feel when dealing with the challenges that life throws at us. It is okay to seek support and tell people how we are feeling. It is okay to feel upset if they don’t understand, or feel relief when we receive their support.
In essence, it is all okay.
