Filling Ourselves Up

FILLING OURSELVES UP
There are so many unhealthy ways that we all try to distract ourselves from unhappiness. Some people overwork and push themselves way too hard. They never stop and enjoy what they've accomplished. This is unhealthy, even though it can often appear (to ourselves & to others) that this is good behavior. It often looks like dedication or determination or hard work. Balance is key. You do not need to push yourself so hard that you don't have time to care for yourself, to relax, to be happy. Give yourself time to be proud of who you are and where you're at. I don't know how to always be happy. I'd be rich if I did! I do know that it is much better to sit still, to talk with people you trust, and to try to figure out why you are upset. Once you figure out what is really bothering you, you can come up with a plan on dealing with it.  When we distract ourselves temporarily using things like work or drugs/alcohol life turns into a roller coaster. A roller coaster might be exciting for about 30 seconds, but if you ride it for a year, you'll probably puke and end up with some serious brain damage!

OUT OF OUR CONTROL
There are times when we can take action to fix what is broken, but there are also times where what is bothering us is out of our control. What do we do if we can't fix the situation? This is a question that is really hard for me to answer. I want to fix all the things that make you sad. I want to protect you and keep you safe from anything that will, even for a second, hurt you. This was easier when you were a tiny baby and all it took to fix things was to scoop you up and hug you. As you get older, you must live life and I know you can't properly live life if your big sis follows you around scooping you up & hugging you every time something doesn't go well. (That would look very funny and you'd probably have less friends than you do now!)
So if I'm being honest with you, which I always will be, I'm not entirely sure yet what you do when faced with a situation you can't control or fix.  My mind knows some situations are out of my control, but my heart isn't as rational. My heart wants to move mountains, walk through fire, jump off a cliff to protect you.  So I'll tell you honestly that this is an area that I'm still working on myself.  There are 4 things I've found helpful:
1) Let Go
Take deep breaths and have faith that most people are good, smart, & strong. Whoever you are worried about will be okay and you'll be there to love them when they're not okay.
2) Be There & Let Others Be There
It is important that we love each other unconditionally and that we give the people strength when they need it. It is equally important that we let other people take care of us when we need it. Letting people in helps you because you give yourself a chance to be loved and cared for. It also helps the person caring for you. When you take care of someone, you feel good that you were able to help. When you let someone care for you, you are giving them the chance to feel good/helpful/in control/useful.
3) Forgive
Don't hold onto anger. Be angry, get it out, let it go. Don't get stuck in it--living life angry only hurts you. *Note: Just because you forgive someone and aren't angry with them does not mean you think what they did was right & it does not mean you have to jump back into a bad situation.
4) Give Yourself a Break
Remind yourself to take care of yourself. You can't fix everything and that is okay--it's just a fact of life. Let yourself be calm and happy. Worrying never does anything positive for a situation or the worrier.

Main Message: 
Unhappiness is a natural part of life and it's often there to teach us something. Instead of distracting ourselves from the happiness, we should look at it more closely and figure out what it's trying to show us/teach us. Take action when you can & let go when there is no action that can be taken.
Acknowledge the things that make you special & don't distract yourself with temporary nonsense. Those things aren't real.