Ananya Zharotia

Helplessness is a feeling that we know all too well. But no one ever prepares us about how we should deal with this crippling part of the human experience. There’s no particular way of dealing with it, but I find that being comforted and reminding myself of certain things helps me get through those unsettling times.

Sometimes you’ll slip up, and you’ll let yourself think that it will send you down a bad road. Sometimes you won’t understand why things happen. Sometimes you won’t be in a position to make sense of anything and even if you can, you won’t necessarily like it. 

Your life has been, is, and will be full of transformation. There will be hurt and you’ll need a break from the helplessness. You’re human. It’s okay for you to feel this way. But it’s also important for you to believe that this feeling of helplessness is a “right now” feeling. It’s absolutely necessary for you to believe that these things will pass. 

I know that sometimes it feels like the short run changes that upset you don’t seem to make any sense, and it gets really hard to see the bigger picture. But you don’t always have to see the bigger picture. Even when nothing makes sense, you don’t always have to make sense of it. All you can do, when you’re helpless, is get through it. You probably feel what you feel because there’s something (or many things) that you want to hear, or to happen. I wish they could happen for you. 

If there was a formula for the comfort that you seek, I would give it to you. But there isn’t one just yet. So here’s a few things that I believe you should not forget while you get through this.  

• This will pass. It’s a right now feeling, not a forever feeling.

• Just because things are a certain way right now, it doesn’t mean they’ll be that way forever.

• Nothing or no one is worth giving up for, as bad as the feeling is- nothing is worth that.

• Let yourself feel this, don’t fear it. It can’t pass if you never go through it.

• Express yourself, get it off your chest. 

• Don’t make any decisions if your fear drives you.

• Have faith that you are strong enough to get through this. 

• Relax your mind. Breathe, meditate, listen to some music. Whatever works for you.

Note: If you’re here, reading this and trying to help yourself, I’m proud of you. You should be proud of yourself. It isn’t easy to get through something like this. Every time you don’t succumb to the bad things, you take a step towards growth.

You are strong enough. You will always be strong enough.

Remind yourself of this.

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