Fall Down Seven, Get Up Eight

The last two weeks of my life have been a whirlwind of negativity. As hard as you fight to keep negativity locked out, sometimes it manages to find a way in. That is exactly what happened to me, but I'll save you the details of the events and individuals that tried to steal my joy. This isn't a post looking for sympathy, instead I'd rather inform you on how I told that negativity it was NOT welcome here.

I have to let my feelings out. I know many of you are not that way and like to keep things bottled up. I think it can be beneficial to everyone to say their feelings out loud, no matter how nasty they might be. Yes, you will probably say things you don't mean out of frustration, but better to say it to a trusted friend than to let it bottle up and be blurted out to the wrong person. Another great option is to write it out. Let it out on paper and when you're done, rip it to shreds. When we let our feelings out, it allows us to move on.

Next, I ensure I have someone I know will give good advice. Disclaimer: you may not always agree with their advice and you do not have to take it. More than anything, this person gets you thinking about the situation from a different angle. For me, this is my mother. She always manages to validate my feelings but also help me to think about the situation from a different perspective. This helps to lighten the load on my shoulders. While it doesn't make the situation right, it still allows me to logically reason through it.

Finally, I remember that NO ONE deserves to have such power over me. When I allow someone to upset me, they are in control of my emotions, not me. This is the hardest part for me. It isn't easy to just "move on." We have to remember that no one deserves the right to anger us. If we let our emotions take control, they have won. They have inflicted exactly what they wanted to. Do not give them that gratification.

Be confident and live your life. Don't you dare let someone's words stop you from standing up for what you believe in. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." -Eleanor Roosevelt