Mental health has become a crucial topic in our society. It is something that everyone at one point or another has struggled with to some capacity. Nobody is happy all the time. However, in a world where the first sign of sadness leaves us confronted with intensive (and expensive) therapy and medications, I can’t help but wonder if we just slowed down a bit, we might find that we have more of a choice in our happiness then we think we do.

This idea isn't to negate the validity of these feelings or illnesses but rather to find empowerment in navigating them. I remember when I hit a real rut, I was in therapy, seeing doctors and nothing was helping. Things only turned around for me when I realized that I had to want to help myself and that I had to choose myself. I started choosing things that fulfilled me and made me happy.

Now obviously for many people medication and therapy is necessary, and I am in no way trying to undermine the reality and seriousness of these struggles. However, I think that we as a society have perhaps started offering medications that are used to treat intensive depression or anxiety as a solution to people who are simply in a rut. Life is full of bad days, tough stages, and long weeks. However, it is all a part of the journey, and we grow through it. While all the awareness surrounding mental health now is an extremely positive thing, I think it might be leaving some people who are just finding themselves in life's ups and downs thinking they have a more serious problem.

I think a huge contributor to this factor is social media. Clicking through pages of perfect little squares makes it seem like everyone around us is living a perfect life. Parties, friends, food, vacations and smiles are often what takes up your feed but that isn’t everyday life, for anybody. What is never pictured is the fight they had with their sister that morning, the looming credit card bills they can’t afford, the friends that don’t really treat them well, and all the stress and sadness that comes with these moments. It can leave you feeling really alone, like having a bad day isn’t normal, but bad days are a part of life.

I think we as humans have become so afraid of sadness, stress, and hurt that when we feel these emotions, we become desperate for an instant solution. I think it is important to sit in that sadness, to feel it, understand it and then take the necessary steps to pull yourself out of it. It is beyond normal to be stressed out by school, exams, or a job. It is normal to be sad after a break-up. It is normal to struggle to find friends who you click with perfectly.

If we didn’t experience the bad with the good, we would never learn or grow. If we didn’t ever feel blue, would we even be human? This is in no means medical advice or to tell you that what you're experiencing is not depression or anxiety but rather a reminder that you are not alone, what you are feeling is normal, and you might already have everything you need to find your happiness again within yourself.