Dang, Can I Catch a Break?

It seems like these days, everyone is dealing with one situation or the other. People have lost loved ones, jobs, friends, relationships, and their minds, trying to manage it all. It is extremely difficult to see any good in a situation when things seem dire; even more so when it seems to be one challenge after another. It’s also not an easy task to support and console those in your life that are going through these circumstances when you can’t imagine what it’s like to be in their shoes. But take heart - I’m here to reassure you that despite your situation, all hope is not lost.

Don’t Bear Your Burdens Alone

Depression is a severe feeling of unhappiness and/or despondency that many people suffer from, and yet somehow it does not always receive the attention it desperately needs. The rate of the number of people suffering from depression has steadily risen over the years but it has recently seen a sharp increase. BlueCross BlueShield conducted a study earlier this year that revealed, of the 41+ million people it insures, overall, there has been a 33% increase in the number of those diagnosed with depression, with a 63% increase in young adults ages 12-17, and a 47% increase in adults ages 18-34. I don’t know about you all, but these numbers are not only staggering, but unsettling as well.

Gone Too Soon

We all have loved ones. We'd be lying if we said we didn't. They are the ones we hold closest to us, and that mean more to us than anything. Usually these are your direct family members, the people who have been in your life since you took your first breath. Then there are your blood relatives, close relatives, family friends, and so on. But loved ones aren't just family, they are our friends, best friends, bffs, bffls, boyfriends, girlfriends, and others we have encountered in our lives with whom we have formed a special, unbreakable bond. These connections that we share with those special individuals are not only what make us human, but also make the world an easier place to live in.

Have We Overcome Our Pasts, or are We Reliving History?

We all have things in our past that have affected our lives in some kind of way. Whether it was starting a relationship, making a new friend, taking on a tough class, committing to attend a school, leaving home, or whatever it may have been, the actions in the past have had some impact on ourselves or those around us. We've lived and we've learned; we've made good decisions and bad choices; we learned from the mistakes we made in the past and have continued on with our lives. Overall, these things are what helped shape who we are today. But have we really learned from the past?