I don’t know why I ever thought my mental health journey would be a straight line. Oh no—it’s full of ups and downs. Most days, I’m good. Most days...
Lately, I’ve been going through a lot. I’ve got an appointment coming up, and honestly, I’m more stressed about the financial side of it than anything else. But I’m trying to stay positive that it’ll all work out. There’s the stress of finances, and frustration with where I’m at in certain areas of my life. Don’t get me wrong—there are parts I’m really happy with, but everything just seems to pile up all at once.
And let me tell you, if someone told you this journey was a straight line, they lied! 😂 But I’m here to keep it real with you, and guess what? We’ve got this!
The Pressure to Always ‘Get Better’
It feels like once we start getting better, there’s this expectation that we always have to stay "better." No bad days, right? I wish that’s how it worked. But it’s not. At least not for me, and I’m willing to bet it’s not that way for a lot of people. It’s like if you’re not constantly improving, you’re somehow failing.
Honestly, I think I just realized that while writing this post.
But here’s the thing: we aren’t failing. We’re going to have those hard days, whether they start off okay and then turn to crap, or you wake up feeling like the world is stacked against you. Those days are going to happen—it’s just life. And life, for a lot of us right now, is one big struggle. Add in mental health challenges, and honestly, I’m amazed we’re all doing as well as we are.
For me? Dark humor and sarcasm help me get through it. You could call it a coping mechanism. 😂
I’ll be real—I hate the bad days. They make me question, "What happened to all those good days I was having?" or "What triggered this? What do I need to fix now?" I’ve been doing a lot of inward reflection lately, and it feels like there's always something new to work on. But that kind of growth isn’t fast, it’s not linear, and it sure as hell isn’t easy. It can get rough.
Recognizing the Ups and Downs as Part of the Journey
We’ve gotta remember that these rough days are just part of the journey. They don’t erase any of the progress we’ve made. We’re human, we’re all different, so our days are gonna look different too. Honestly, I need this reminder myself. (Writing this blog is kind of like my own therapy session—who knew?)
Don’t think of it as starting over from scratch. It’s more like hitting a speed bump—you’re still on the same road, you just need to slow down for a minute. Or maybe it’s like driving on a winding road through the mountains; the path is curvy, it takes a bit longer to get where you’re going, but you’re still moving forward, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
So next time you’re having a bad day, remember: you’ve got this—even when it doesn’t feel like it. It’s just one bad day, not the whole journey. Try to find something, no matter how small, that makes you happy in that moment. I’ll be honest—just from the time I started writing this to where I’m at now, I feel a little better. Writing can do that for me. Maybe reading this can do that for you.
How to Cope with Setbacks
When you’re having those bad days, don’t judge yourself for the emotions you’re feeling. I know—I shouldn’t be one to talk, because this is something I struggle with, but it’s okay. I’m here to remind you: it’s alright to feel how you feel. You’ll be alright, even if you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel just yet. Things will work out as long as you’re trying your damndest, even when it feels like you're constantly stuck in the dark.
In a way, I’ve been through worse than this, but every challenge feels different. One thing that is different now is my support system. While my cats (the meows) are always there for me, I also have people in my life now that I didn’t have before, and that’s helped me more than I ever realized. For me, that makes all the difference.
Deep breathing helps, too—at least when I remember to do it. Lately, I’ve been doing it more often, so I guess that’s a win! And sometimes, you just need to put on something comforting (I’m a Scooby-Doo fan myself), wrap yourself in a blanket, and give yourself permission to do nothing. But here’s the catch: just don’t do nothing forever. You’ve gotta get up at some point, ya know?
Conclusion: Progress Isn't Erased by Bad Days
Don’t think that just because you have bad days, you’re not healing. Think about how far you’ve come, how much progress you’ve made to get to where you are now. I’ve been working on reminding myself of this more and more, and I’m lucky to have people in my life who remind me when I forget. Sometimes, I even surprise myself when I’m talking to someone and it clicks—wow, I really have come a long way.
So next time you’re feeling down, remember this:
“Even when it feels like I’m going backward, I’m still moving. The journey isn’t linear, but it’s still mine.”
You haven’t lost all your progress, okay? You’re still on your path, still moving forward, even if it’s not in a straight line. And don’t forget: you are loved, and you’ve got this.
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