What's Sunshine Without Rain?

Through the short 19 years of my life, I feel like I have experienced the full spectrum of emotions. From being on top of the world, to hurting so bad I almost found peace with the thought of it all being over, trust me I've felt it all. There are times where I thought I could accomplish anything, and then there have been times where I have felt worthless. I wish I could say that I haven't let any of my demons win, but I would be lying to you. The sad fact of life is that nothing is guaranteed, not your happiness, not your job, and definitely not tomorrow. The good thing about life, however, is that no one controls your actions and emotions besides you. Don't get me wrong, there are outside influences that can make a world of difference, but at the end of the day the only thing you can control is yourself.

Now trust me, I don't have it all figured out, not even close. The darkness is still very real, but I can see light on the other side. Nobody wakes up one day and says, "I'll be happy from now on" and has no further issues. It is not that simple; life is hard and that is okay. I feel like a hypocrite saying this, because up until now in my life, I have kept everything bottled up. I have isolated my problems so deep within my head that no one could help, but I absolutely hate the idea of other people doing that. Society has set norms, what is considered right and wrong. The "right" side is almost forced upon us, just like some people almost try and beat the sadness out of us. Well it's not being beat out of us, and saying "just be happy" does not help. The sadness is instead beat deeper and deeper within; beaten into places more lethal, and places that it cannot be easily rid from. All you need to think about is finding the positive in all situations, even though sometimes that might seem impossible. It is okay to feel down once and while, but do not let it consume your being. Everyone deserves to be happy, you just have to let yourself. It could be hard to come to grips with the fact that the only person holding you back from being happy might be yourself. I have started to take the time to work on myself, and my life has gotten 10x better. The world will continue to spin whether you are smiling or crying, so you might as well enjoy your time here. Things may be hard now, but the only way to go is up.

Like I said before, I don't have life perfected, and I don't think I ever will. Every single person on this earth battles different demons, but once you realize how powerful of a weapon your mind can be, you can have it work for you and not against you. That being said, don't think any less about yourself because sometimes the demons win. Sadness is not a disease, you are not alone, and there is always a way out. Do not fear sadness, for it is normal when you aren't the one pulling the strings of the universe. Without the feeling of being low, feeling high wouldn't even be special. Embrace the ups and downs of life, because what's sunshine without rain?

-Coffee With Demons, JG

8/17/16