It's Okay to Feel Not-Okay

I have a secret to tell you that can change your life, if you’ll believe it:

Nobody is normal.

If you’re in high school or middle school, or even if you’re a fully-fledged adult, and you think you’re the only one who doesn’t fit in, or measure up, or get it like everyone else does—you’re actually just like everybody else.

Nobody feels right in their own body at thirteen, or even fourteen, and sometimes fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, and beyond. You’re a butterfly breaking out of a cocoon, dear one. It’s hard, and it's painful, and it feels impossible. But that’s just—

NORMAL.

And beautiful, in the end, if it’s accomplished as it’s intended to be.

A lot of us feel like square pegs on a board of round holes, like fish trying to ride bicycles, like ugly ducklings bumping around in a world of swans.

But most people—especially when they’re youngish—are just faking the appearance of being well-adjusted, confident, and in control of life.

Sadly, the most ill-at-ease people in the world often try to make those around them feel less-than, wrong, a mistake. Because misery loves company. If such people can draw you into their pain by making their misery look like happiness, or if they can push you to feel worse about yourself than they do about themselves, they think it will elevate them and will make them feel and look and be better.

(It won’t.)

You’re a masterpiece already. Don’t ever think you need to change who you are.

You say you don’t look like other people?