There are times I find myself feeling sad, missing home and the life I left behind to move to a place I hoped would be better. I tell myself not to be sad, that I’m lucky to have been able to pack up and move. I tell myself that I’ve traveled more at 22 than most people do their whole lives. But then I realize that doesn’t mean I can’t allow myself to be sad from time to time. It doesn’t mean that the loneliness and pain I feel inside isn’t important.

I know that I am lucky, I know that I’ve been extremely blessed and that my hard work has been paying off, but that doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to feel sad every now and then.

You can’t tell someone they can’t be sad because someone has it worse. You can’t tell them their pain doesn’t matter.

There are nearly 8 billion people in the world, there are so many people that have life worse than you, worse than anyone reading this. There are people without homes, there are people who are starving and can’t afford food. There are people who have been abducted or raped, who will never get to live a normal life. There are people who are mentally ill, there are people who are living off less than two dollars a day and who don’t have clean water or sanitation.

There will always be someone who has it worse, but that does not mean your emotions and feelings are irrelevant.

But I also realize that people are struggling more than you shouldn’t make you happier. It should make you empathetic, it should make you want to help others who can’t help themselves and if anything it makes you feel even worse for thinking of your own problems, and you don’t deserve that.

Everyone has different problems in life. You could be living on the bare minimum because you’re trying to keep your children fed and clothed. You could be suffering with your weight and trying to regain your health to live a better life. You could be dealing with a heartbreak and depression that has begun to eat at you. Or you could have everyday problems that are still just as relevant.

When it comes down to it, it really doesn’t matter what your problems are because everyone has problems and everyone should be able to feel those problems in their own ways.

Being told you can’t be upset because others have it worse is almost like saying you can’t be happy because others have it better.

Your problems are no less important than anyone else’s, just like the pain you’re feeling from your problems differs between everyone. Your problems and pain are still relevant, they are always relevant. If you need to take a couple hours or days to pull yourself together and deal with everything that’s going on, do it. Don’t let outside voices make you feel worse because your mental health should always be a priority and that starts with taking care of yourself first.