A Time for Both

Life is busy, and life is good.

Life is comfortable, and life is stressful.

Life is full of love, and life is lonely.

Life is an adventure, and life is a challenge.

Life can hold both positive and negative things in it at the same time. It is okay to feel all of the different feelings that come up throughout your day, but you need an outlet to express those feelings. You may be a writer like me, or you may like to talk through what you are feeling. You may be a dancer like me, or you may be more of an athlete who likes to workout to get rid of stress. You may be an artist who needs to draw or paint to let your mind focus on what ever comes to mind. When we forget about our outlet that is when we begin to blow up. I have done it, and you have done it. It is going to happen to all of us again. Allowing yourself to hold both joy and sorrow is okay. It is what you do with those good and bad feelings that matters.

Naming what the feeling or issue is will be your first step to dealing with it.

Figuring out what you can do about your feelings or situation may take a little longer to be resolved.

Asking for help is always more difficult than it sounds as culture wants us to be independent, but more often than not people are more than happy to help when we ask for it.

Do something that allows to to express your feelings so that you can later focus on what you can deal with the issue you need to solve.

Make sure you take care of yourself. Eat, sleep, shower, and then you will be able to better solve the worlds problems. When we are hungry, low on sleep and dirty we are not going to be successful in accomplishing what we want with the gusto that we need to do our best.

Life is going to continue to throw good and bad things our way. The more you fill your cup with what fuels your soul, the better you will be able to handle the not so good things. The more you listen to your body and ask for help, the better you will be able to serve others. Taking one step at a time, do one thing and then the next will help you accomplish many things. When we try to do and deal with everything at once it doesn’t go as planned, because each feeling needs something different.

Dance recently “ended” for the season as we completed our dance recital. Dance is something that is never really over as there are now summer classes to get ready for, and after summer fall will be right there to prepare for and start a new season all over again and again. I got a gift card to Steins, so I bought the flowers that are pictured along with a few other things. I felt very adult as I picked out which flowers I liked, but I also felt like a kid being able to pick out which ones had the brightest colors that I liked. I got home and was happy that I got to pot the flowers right away, but I also later sat and binged something on Netflix for the remainder of the night, because I was happy and also sad for the end being here. I knew it was okay to both have fun shopping, and to let myself escape to the movie world and not think about what I am going to do with all my free time now.

Do what you need to do to give your feeling the space they need. Have moments of adulting and moments of being like a kid. Have moments of being responsible and moments of ordering take out because it is easier than deciding what to cook and later clean up. Give yourself the space/permission to be and feel both positive and negative.

“What we don’t need in the midst of struggle is shame for being human.” Brene Brown

“Do not lose hope, please believe that there are a thousand beautiful things waiting for you. Sunshine comes to all who feel rain.” – R. M. Drake

“It is ok to be a glowstick; sometimes we need to break before we shine.” – Unknown