Permission to be Human

It is so common to go through life, and suddenly reach a point where you may feel “stuck”. You may feel stuck because you are experiencing this thought process of “I am not doing enough”, “I am going to fail”, “I am going to disappoint”, “What is next for me?” 

There are truly endless possibilities of the thought cycles our mind can come up with, and honestly, it is so exhausting. 

It is exhausting to find ourselves with this inner conflict of attempting to meet expectations of perfection, while simultaneously not checking in with ourselves emotionally. This is why I say: give yourself permission to be human. 

Life is hard, and although control of life seems to be the solution, seeking control may be perpetuating that feeling of being stuck. We should not suppress or distract ourselves from how we are feeling, rather in making space for these human emotions, we can show ourselves understanding, support, compassion, and patience.

It can be so scary to acknowledge the anxiety you may be experiencing, for example, but when you bring awareness to an emotion, it is only then that you can move through it and embrace this human experience. It is completely vulnerable to be a human being as we are a complex interaction of thoughts, feelings, experiences, behaviors, and so much more. 

Remember, part of what it means to be human is to struggle, but you are not alone. We are all beautifully imperfect, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Speak to yourself the way you would to someone you love and care about. Self-compassion is a healing force. 

Written by: Juliet Flores

Originally posted on Grow Counseling