Chapter 1: Understanding the Emotional Struggle

We all encounter days when we simply feel down. Life can be overwhelming, unexpected changes can disrupt our plans, and sometimes, everything just seems to go awry. Over the last year, I’ve done my best to maintain a positive outlook.

There are days when I succeed, and others when I falter. Recently, I’ve found myself losing my mental fortitude to cope with life’s challenges. I truly dislike the feeling of defeat. With so much happening around me, I refuse to let negativity spoil my day. It's frustrating to surrender to my emotions, transforming what should be a productive day into one spent doing nothing at all.

To combat this, I’ve decided to set a personal deadline. This entails giving myself a specific timeframe—perhaps a day or even a week—during which I can fully express my frustrations, whether that means sulking, venting, or simply taking a moment to myself. It's essential to allow myself this space to feel what I need to feel.

Chapter 2: Reclaiming Control

When the deadline arrives, I must pull myself together and re-engage with the responsibilities of adulthood—regardless of how I feel. It would be foolish to continue whining like a child after having granted myself this time. If I linger too long in negativity, others may view me as immature.

Certainly, it’s not easy to switch our emotions on and off. If it were, life would be so much simpler. However, at some point, we must continue forward. Events occur, we face them, accept what we cannot change, and then move on.

Why not take charge of that process?

I’m unsure if this strategy will be effective, but I’m currently putting it to the test. I’ve given myself about five days to feel this way. Wish me luck! Have you ever tried something similar? Did it help?

Live, eat, and travel with purpose and joy ~ Linda