Hello everyone and welcome to week 8 of my reflections! This week I found myself facing some of my internal struggles and I think it will a good thing to share the experience with all of you so that if you happen to relate, you can follow some of my tips that can put you on a road to recovery. The first task is to acknowledge your struggle, whatever it may be. In my situation, I have been consistently trying to suppress my emotions for a very long time - probably three years because of past experiences. What comes from suppressing those emotions is negative energy. Just like positive energy, you will use this negative energy to engage in maladaptive behaviors. Those behaviors can hurt you, your family, friends and perhaps anyone that happens to catch you on a bad day. This means that not dealing with internal pain can hurt you AND those around you. If you don't address these issues, then it can get in the way of the good things life will eventually bring you. Do not block your own blessing. Once you acknowledge your internal pain and the consequences they can cause, be proactive in trying to find healing. I recommend letting people you know and trust about how you feel. Maybe they can relate and potentially offer you support. Consider going to a counselor. If you're a student, typically your institution has counseling services available to you, sometimes at no cost. Be honest, even about the most hurtful things you're feeling. When your support system knows the approximate extent of your pain, they can provide the required response to help you heal. Keep in mind that things will get better. If they're not better, you're not at the end your healing yet. When you finally heal, you will have gained so much experience in dealing with emotions and emotional pain that you will use those tools to guide your decisions in the future. Life is always less about what happens to you and more about how you respond to what happens. Be brave, love yourself and be kind.