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When Just Getting Through the Day Is Enough

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We live in a world that loves to worship high achievements. Individuals who seem superhuman with abilities to invent, create and perform draw in our attention. It is not bad that we aspire to be like these people, but when we get caught in the comparison trap and compare their lives at their peak to our life when it is in a valley, it can be very detrimental to our mental health. There are times in life when you are in a valley and just getting through the day is enough.

Life is a constant cycle of peaks and valleys, good times and bad. You are either in a problem, going into a problem or coming out of a problem. No one is safe from this reality of life. However, there is pressure from society and social media that we should always be happy and at the top of our game. This is not possible and once you release yourself from this unnecessary pressure, your mental health will improve. One boundary I have set for myself to help alleviate this pressure is that when I am going through a difficult time in life I limit the amount of time I spend on social media. By decreasing my exposure to social media, I am limiting my natural tendency to compare my life to the lives of others, which typically have been manipulated to appear much better than they actually are.

During the last decade as I have worked to find balance and better mental health, there have been many days that I have had to simply hang on. There was no great achievement or spectacular activity going on that day or during that time. In fact, getting out of bed, taking a shower and going for a walk were goals I set for myself on those days. Just performing those tasks was a great accomplishment for me. If you let them, depression and anxiety will steal your life from you; it takes time to learn how to manage these states of mind. Even when you think you have it figured out, it can come back and hit you hard. If you are in a valley, remember to cut yourself a break and reach out for help. It is perfectly fine if you are in a period of life where your greatest achievement is simply getting through the day.

To see more from Whitney, visit Peaceful Life

Photo by Andriyko Podilnyk on Unsplash

Originally published: April 10, 2021
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