Speak out and be honest.

We all have struggles. Some periods of our lives are harder than others, but we all have tough things to get through in our individual lives. A lot of the time, this just isn’t known. We only see people as they appear on the outside, and frequently, this is good. As individuals we don’t like to appear as though we are struggling as we deem it as a sign of weakness, but it couldn’t be more opposite. If anything, opening up signalises strength, because being able to is something to be proud of.

Voicing your experiences is a priceless thing to do. You never know who you might be helping. It is very unlikely that what you are going through nobody else has ever experienced, so it may really help somebody to hear your story.

Not only may it help someone else, but it may also bring you some clarity over your thoughts. Often we get easily caught up in our own lives that we begin to lose perspective. Expressing our thoughts and feelings can allow us to connect with their meaning and help put our worries to rest. Even if you don’t get feedback from others, simply putting your thoughts out in the open can be a positive step towards self acceptance.

PC: Steve Wrightam

Never forget to be honest. Withholding or skewing the truth doesn’t help anyone. It plunges others into a false trap and can make them seem isolated. If you aren’t honest, it could exacerbate another persons worries. Additionally, it can lead you into a false sense of security. The more you lie to yourself, the less likely you are to confront you the problem head on. It can cause you to convince yourself that your worries don’t exist. This may be a great temporary fix, but it doesn’t solve the root or cause of the problem. A little bit of honesty can go a long way.

Accepting your mistakes comes with being honest. Being open about them is a sign of our acceptance. It shows we are aware of the challenges we have faced and the way we have dealt with them, but we are at peace with this, and have come out the other side stronger. If you are able to do this, big steps can be taken to allow others to learn from our mistakes so they can avoid them in the future. If we can’t be open and honest about our past and ongoing battles, the younger generation will only be the same, which means more people will continue to struggle in silence. If we are open about such problems we can do our best to fight them.

Ultimately, we need to create an environment where people feel able to voice their struggles and consciously be open to help.