I Really Didn't Think This Through

That’s the thing about positivity—no two people will ever have the same definition of it, and only you can create a definition that works for you. It’s a unique and personal concept that is tailored to each of us. You can’t force your definition on someone else, and they can’t force their definition on you.

Asking for help is one of the hardest things you can do as a person.

It requires you to be vulnerable and appear less strong than you would like other people to think you are. It means letting someone into your world and allowing them to see the extent of the mess you are. But mostly it’s a pain in the ass and not very fun.

Adulthood is exhausting and challenging, and you’re still trying to find your place in this big wacky world, while everyone you used to know from school is getting married and posting about it online like the smug, successful people they are. So fun.

Either way, a step forward is good, a step backward isn’t the end of the world, and keeping both feet on the ground is great—sometimes that’s actual progress. You’ve got this, no matter what your mom’s friend says about her own kids. Because you’re you, and really, there’s no better success than that.

I wanted to go back in time and tell my past self that eventually, nights wouldn’t just be for crying under blankets and feeling like the world was swallowing me whole—sometimes I’d get to dance with boys at weddings.

The best possible thing I could do for everyone right then was to enjoy myself, even if that seemed like a monumental task.

I was met with unexpected construction and detours, which proved the old adage that “Chicago has only two seasons: winter and construction.”

Moments of trouble may come and cloud your life, but you will always manage to shine through, even if it’s the most difficult thing in the world.

So take pride in who you are, who you love, what you love, and the intangible things you can’t touch but still love. These are all amazing.

While I do worry how other people see me, the standards for “good” I’m chasing are arbitrary and created by my anxiety.