A Letter to the Nothing-will-ever-be-ok-again-Teen,
Written by Orian Shaer, student of Michelle Marie King (founder of PPG)
A Letter to the Nothing-will-ever-be-ok-again-Teen,
Feeling alone is one of the most overwhelming feelings in the world. Although we know we are surrounded by people who love and care about us, somehow, we don’t feel seen or heard. Why do we feel this way? How can you feel alone when you are not? Mental health is a rollercoaster and each of us is on a completely separate ride. How can you say so much but so little? What is blocking you?
These feelings of solitude, sadness, uncertainty, etc. can come out of nowhere and feel impossible to shake off. Often they are associated with depression, but even that clinical term can present itself in a thousand different ways.
I’m here to tell you, I see you, I hear you, and I am you. I have felt the vulnerability, the isolation, the stress from Covid and all its impacts. I have felt invisible, unheard, misunderstood, and alone even in a school full of other teenagers.
Your best defense against these dark feelings is to remind yourself that you are enough. You are worthy of love. You are perfect the way you are. You are beautiful, inside and out. Do not allow these negative thoughts and stories you tell yourself to rule your life, THEY DO NOT SERVE YOU.
It is completely valid to feel these things, but it is also important to recognize that the love you are searching for already lives within you. Do not spend time worrying about what could be or what might happen. Focus your thoughts and energy on who you are now and where you want to go and who you want to become.
The truth is, no one in the world will completely and genuinely understand what YOU are feeling. Everyone experiences feelings on a different scale, and that is OKAY. You are not “too much” for feeling so stuck in place with your mental health. It is a journey where you need to handle yourself with CARE and PATIENCE. Validation from other people only fulfills a person for so long.
The reality is that you are already valid, you just need guidance to learn how to take care of yourself. Mental health is hard and it is not linear. Some days will be better than others, but it is important to remember that everyone starts somewhere, and that the intention behind your actions should always serve you. Allow yourself to breathe. Allow yourself to feel. Allow yourself to talk, scream, shout, whine, anything! Allow yourself to take the steps YOU need to in order to move an inch forward everyday. Your journey is valid, even if it looks different than others.
Be considerate. Be kind. Be patient. Not only with yourself, but others as well. Everyone has a part of their life that they keep unseen. Try to remember that the way people present themselves reflects on the point they are at in their personal journey. And the same goes for you, too!
Often, the way a person behaves has nothing to do with you, but rather their state of mind and hidden subconscious feelings. It is crucial to try to stay as level-headed as possible when someone has upset you or vice versa. Communication is a helpful tool in every aspect of one’s life. Staying level and being patient with others might help you to do the same for yourself.
Remember – we are all human, after all. None of us are perfect. So instead of tearing eachother down, let’s learn more about each other… and ourselves.
