You Are Going To Be Okay. Keep Going.

Defeat in life affects us all in different ways. Sometimes we handle it just fine and other times we don’t. During these ‘other’ times, we’re not okay. We’re not fine and dandy thank you very much. It hurts like hell and sometimes we just want to give it all up. I mean, we’re going to die anyway, right?

I know a little something about being not okay. The last few years have thrown more than their fair share of challenges right at me. Yet, I’m still here, typing, reminiscing, going forward and trying to make sense of it all.

Through each challenge, I’ve been okay even though I didn’t think I would be. When you’re knee deep in quicksand and you’re not sure how to climb to the other side — which is 100 meters away — it’s easy to fall for the lie that you won’t be okay. Things can seem pretty bleak. All you have to do is switch on your computer and your fears of not being okay can easily be confirmed by the internet and its millions and billions of solutions.

There’s no easy way to be okay. Sometimes all it takes is another inevitable death in the family or a blow up at work to trigger these low energy states. It’s not like you go to this place of misery by choice, right?

A few of my most memorable moments of not being okay are more recent that I’d like to admit. One was an epic battle after multiple failed relationships. The other was a different battle which I named ‘career change.’

With each battle, you’re not okay — at least not at first.

You have your battles too. Just like me, you didn’t choose them — they were chosen for you. The battle was handed to you and all you could do is deal with it. No one told you that your closest family member was going to die or that you’d lose your job. You could never have predicted all of this heartbreak.

What I’ve learned is that no matter the battle, you’re going to be okay.

You’ll find love again

You’ll get another job

You’ll have that child or adopt one

You’ll make that money back

You’re going to be okay and that’s an idea you should fall in love with during these epic battles that knock us flat on our face.

If all you did during these periods of your life was remind yourself that you’re going to be okay, everything would look different.

When you know it’s all going to be okay, you act differently. A loss of a job looks like a brand new job with an office overlooking the harbor. A failed relationship looks like a new partner that treats you right and makes you yummy lemon protein balls on Saturday afternoon while you try and write an article such as this.

The feeling of being okay is what will help you to keep believing.

Now that the idea has time to settle in, there’s only one thing left to do: keep going. Apply for more jobs; go on more dates; appreciate the family you have left; go to the gym and rebuild.

Make more art too in-between the ‘keep going’ part, to break things up a little bit. The world needs more art. Write, paint, make people laugh, shoot a video or record a podcast. Whatever your art is, do it. Keep going.

Keep going when the next battle comes your way. Keep going when you face two opposing battles both at the same time and it looks like your days are numbered. Know that you’ll be okay. You will survive.

How do I know? Because I survived the same battles. So did the people you admire if you ask them.

The only thing you’re guaranteed of is that it’s all going to be okay because that is what has happened since the beginning of time. You’ll be okay because, let’s face it, not being okay is a lousy option. You can do better for yourself.

Keep going because there are people depending on you. You’re not alone. With billions of people on this Earth, you’ll never be alone. The only panacea to pain is to endure it and keep going.

You’re not defeated; you’re just getting started. You’ll be okay.

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