**Warning: f-bombs & adult language ahead!

.

I woke up this morning feeling like shit.

From the moment I opened my eyes, a black cloud hovered above my head—soaking me with self-criticism, pessimistic doubts and racing heartbeats of mind-numbing anxiety.

My temples pounded, my body ached.

My emotions were running all over the place, like hyperactive, screaming children who ate all of their Halloween candy for breakfast.

I couldn’t think straight. I felt exhausted.

There was not a drop of hope or enthusiasm in my raw, dried-up heart.

So I gave up.

Yep. Just like that.

“Why bother?” I kept thinking to myself. “This day already fucking sucks. Why show up for myself? It won’t matter.”

I’m not proud, but the truth is, I went off the rails for a little bit.

I threw a super-fabulous pity party, slapping up banners that said “poor me” as sparkly, empty excuses rained down all around me, like colorful streams of confetti.

I sat there, feeling oh-so-sorry for myself.

It was sadly satisfying as I rolled my eyes and sighed audibly—like an angsty, pissed off teenager.

I gave up. On the day. On myself.

But you know what?

Fuck that.

That is not gonna fly.

Why do we give up so easily?

This day is a precious gift—even if we feel like shit. Even if it’s hard or uncomfortable or painful or challenging.

Life happens to us, but we also happen to life—we are not victims. We are not as fragile as we believe ourselves to be.

We have the strength of a hundred hurricanes, in our pinkie fingers alone.

We can survive the shittiest moments with the gentle grace of a twirling ballerina in Swan Lake.

Let’s show up for ourselves.

Let’s show up in that moment where we feel like saying “fuck it” and throwing the day away.

Let’s show up when we feel like screaming because nothing is going our way.

Let’s show up when we feel helpless and powerless, wishing someone would come save us.

Let’s be our own heroes.

Let’s rise up, like the bad-asses we are, and bravely navigate life’s stormy seas.

Right now.

What can we do when we’re drowning in a deliriously terrible day?

We can stop and breathe, for every inhale is an invitation to begin again, and every exhale is a chance to let go of what weighs us down.

We can pour ourselves a cup of hot chamomile tea, and feel the comforting, flowery goodness spread across our tongues, as we catch salty tears in our teacups.

We can take control, speak up, use our powerful voices, and make our needs known fiercely.

We can squeeze our own hand and bravely say aloud, “I’m here for you.”

We can step outside and feel the sun kiss our cheeks as a gentle breeze dries our raw, stinging tears.

We can eat some leafy green goodness to fuel our tired souls and power up our frustrated veins.

We can spill our guts onto a blank page, flinging words like neon tangerine paint, making art from our simmering struggles and fiery frustrations.

We can be willing to be a little uncomfortable—yep, ’cause we can be in pain and still carry on, brilliantly.

When life sucks, we still have to take care ourselves.

We still have to show up.

We can’t just bail. We can’t just give up.

Maybe this is the most important self-care, of all.

Don’t give up on this day.

Don’t give up on yourself.

Magic awaits.

Love awaits.

Beauty awaits.

It’s all within you, right now.

Unearth your hidden treasures,

Know your strength,

Taste the depths of your fiery resilience,

Find rubies in your tears

And emeralds in your suffering.

Don’t give up—you can begin again.

Right.

Now.

Relephant:

Here’s to Life.

.

Author: Sarah Harvey

Editor: Yoli Ramazzina

Photo: Flickr/Britt-knee