Looking left, looking right,

Who is beside me?

There are times when I am alone in my solitude,

And I am perfectly content.

Other times, I am lonely.

In those times, I look around me.

Who is there? Who shows up?

It is nobody’s job to make me feel loved.

I must do that for myself.

However, those who show up anyway are the ones in my tribe.

***

Sometimes it is good to sit alone in loneliness.

In those times we learn self-reliance and the art of working through emotions.

To feel an emotion, to work through it, is the act of healing.

When we try to run away, mask it, or distract ourselves from a negative emotion,

We are not acknowledging it, but only putting it off to be dealt with later,

Sometimes in the following days, weeks, or even years.

But when we put it off, we are sitting with that negativity, which manifests itself through disease, depression, and/or addiction.

The sooner we process those emotions, the better.

Cry, yell, write, talk to someone…but deal with it.

***

I sometimes feel I am going mad in my rumination.

Dealing with emotions can actually go too far into stagnation.

Once you’ve effectively processed an emotion or a difficult event,

It is time to move on.

This is a great time to try something new or reconnect with old friends.

Get out of your rut by changing up your routine.

Practice gratitude and focus on your goals or make new ones.

We aren’t immune to difficult things, but we can choose how we move forward.

There is always a way through.

Give yourself time, patience, and compassion.

Then find your passions again and prepare to kick ass.