It's okay to feel defeated but you have to stay positive.

Here's a revolutionary truth: encouraging someone to maintain a positive attitude doesn't magically solve everything.

 Reminding someone to focus on the positive doesn't cure the trauma or distress they may be experiencing.

 And asking them to overcome something doesn't guarantee that they will, despite their determination.

It is beautiful and essential to be optimistic and cheerful in order to lead a life filled with peace and happiness.

 However, we cannot ignore that life will take us through times of frustration and fear.

 Life is full of unpredictable circumstances.

Life is full of unexpected surprises.

Previously, I used to believe that bad things only happened in sets of three, as if I could predict these events by counting on my fingers.

 But that's not so.

Bad things can happen in twos, tens, or maybe they don't happen until after a three-month series in which you get hit by something bad repeatedly.

 We may be able to control our negative emotions to avoid bursting out in anger, but we cannot suppress them completely.

 Negative emotions are an intrinsic part of what makes us human.

 Our life will always be full of ups and downs, never perfectly stable for a long period of time.

 We must have permission to feel in response to these events.

 It is important to feel, because like many things in life, we need to release.

 Like a cloud filled with water, you deserve to let those feelings out and like a wave energizing in the ocean, expelling the emotion is a way to rebuild momentum.

You should never feel ashamed or embarrassed for reacting and having emotions.

You should never feel that you must have a timeline for feeling upset.

You should never repress your sadness just because someone told you, "You have to be positive."

 Over time, you will learn to maintain a healthy balance.

 And that balance will allow you to bounce back from slumps and get out of a rut.

 But that doesn't mean you can't have difficult emotions.

 Being positive always has its place of impact, but it's also important to be authentic, human and vulnerable.

 So go ahead and feel.

 You're only human.

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