How have you been?     

If this is your first time on my blog, you’ll probably think I’m trying to do some small talk. Well, if you’re the polite type of person that goes by the rules, you might answer in your mind, telling me you have been fine.

Or maybe you won’t even consider the question, thinking I was not waiting for a reply.

Well, if you’re new here, hi! I’m Catalina, and I don’t do small talk unless I really have to. So I invite you to answer the question honestly in the comments section below.

How I have been…

To answer the question myself, I’ve been on an emotional roller coaster on its very own extremes: from very high to very low. While reading a serious article on depression today, I realized that more and more teenagers and young adults find it impossible to open up when it comes to emotions. That’s one of the facts that motivated me to share my thoughts and feelings with you today.

I want to offer you a different perspective. More than that, I want to assure you you’re not alone in the way you feel.

This article is not professional help and it’s not focused on depression, but on sad days.

We all have them, you know? As crazy as it sounds, I am grateful to have sad days. If I feel down, I know I’m either about to learn something about myself, or it’s time for me to rest and show myself some appreciation.

5 Things I’ve learned while feeling down

  • What I REALLY want


    Even I – a full-time dreamer – have moments when my dreams seem a little too big to be possible. So I leave them aside and focus on something else that is productive and “normal”. But then it starts. Suddenly, something is off. I become aware I am not doing what I should do, what really makes me fulfilled, emotionally speaking. It’s the moment I know I have no other option but to go back to my dream. Otherwise, I feel I’ll be sad forever.

  • I am not my emotions…


    …So I can change my mood. It took me a while to learn this. Not every time, but I am sometimes able to change my feelings. Physical movements (jogging, dancing), or any activities that I love doing (writing, singing, painting) – they all help. Visualization is another tool I like to use. I try to relax and imagine myself feeling happier feelings for some minutes. Give it a try!

  • There was a problem I was not ready to confront

    For days, I’ve had this feeling of being stuck. My work has been mentally demanding, and I felt I had no time to think of what bothered me. In my free time, I was too tired to think. I could not even do any of my hobbies. Even worse, I could not find the reason why. Today I finally found it: I have been stressing over creating content so much, that I haven’t created any. I want to provide value and do it all, but like the quote says, we are human beings, not human doings.

  • People help in unexpected ways

    If you think there’s nothing people can do to help, I don’t blame you. But they don’t always have to do something in order to help. They could simply tell you that your feelings are valid. They could encourage you to embrace even those negative feelings, and rest assured better days are coming. They could tell you bad days teach you lots, as I did. They could offer you a hug and spend five minutes with you in comfortable silence. You are not alone in whatever troubles you. We all have feelings, okay?

    I was helped today too, without even asking. As I told you, I’ve been struggling with content creation & doing it all. After I shared my blog with someone, she told me “The world is a sad place. It’s beautiful that you want to help”. Helping through words doesn’t need much preparation. Just a genuine intention, right? Two sentences reminded me of my purpose. Exactly what I needed to get back on track.

  • Sadness = Tiredness

     I neglected my health in the past. I like to think I learned from my mistakes and I will treat myself better. If I feel low, I take one/some days off and only do what I like. I usually feel much better after. See if you need it too.

I hope this helped you. And again, send me a text on Instagram or write your answer in the comments:  how have you been?