How can I stay strong?

Everyone tells others to stay strong when they are going through a hard time. It seems like the typical thing to say now, especially between teenagers, but when I go through a hard time and people tell me to stay strong, I would sometimes think, "How can I stay strong, huh? It's easier said than done." Yes, it is.

Well, after years of pain, hardships, nightmares, tears and more pain (lol, i sound like a freaking 99 year old or something) I have reached the grand age of 16, when I'm wise enough to put together a few tips on how to stay strong.

1. Cry: this sounds a little ironic because staying strong shouldn't mean crying and being "weak"... Crying usually says that we have been strong for too long. We are humans, the first step into becoming strong is just breaking down and crying it all out. Whether it's a few minutes or a few hours, just sit down, play a good emotional song, and just weep, sob, wail, scream... do the whole thing. Let all that anger, pain and frustration out. 
2. Why should I stay strong? You can't stay strong through all of those hard times without knowing why you're staying strong. I can't tell you what the reasons are that you want to stay strong, because we are all different and we all have different lives, different stories and different reasons! But on a more general note: we all have a future, we are all going to graduate, move out of our parents' house, and then, all of those problems you had at school and home will be so stupid and so distant. You will have a new chance to have a different life. Everyday is a new chance in my opinion, but moving out/graduating is a whole different thing. It's where you're out there meeting new people, living with different ones, seeing different ones everyday. You won't be stuck in school with your bullies forever, you won't be imprisoned with your abusive brother forever, you won't be scared by that creepy neighbour forever. Everything ends. And you're staying strong, waiting for your problems to end where you can have a new start. Your problems will be solved, your issues will end. You don't even have to wait until you can move away from your problems, you can deal with them, face them and try to terminate them for good. 
3. Accept what you're going through: whether you deserve it or not, whether your brought it on yourself or not, it is important to accept who you are, what is happening, what you are going through. This is life, don't expect it to be perfect. It can't be. And it would probably be boring anyway if it was. Just smile, and accept that you're going through problems. I've noticed that once I accept what I'm going through, it suddenly changes for the better.
4. Physical strength: If you get insulted or hear things that bring you down, then make your muscles tense, that makes you feel strong physically and help you feel strong mentally.
5. Accept your emotions: acknowledge your emotions and accept them. This will help you change your emotions into happier ones that help you to stay strong. 
6. Do the opposite of what your emotions tell you to think: this makes you stronger emotionally.
7. Laugh: whether you want to look something funny up, or just lie down and laugh for no reason. When I went to school, in 10th grade, our arabic teacher once cleared all the desks, put a little mat on the floor, told all the students to lay down our heads together to form a sort of circle, turned the lights off, then he'd crack a stupid joke and we'd all start laughing, and trust me, once one started, everyone joined in. We laughed for AGES. And let me tell you, we felt happy, relaxed and strong for like weeks afterwards. You should really try it out with your friends.

And just smile. Make the most of every day you have. Be grateful for what you have, some people would do anything to get an extra day where they're healthy, surrounded by their family and actually have a home. There is always somebody going through MUCH worse than you are, so just take a moment and feel happy, proud for who you are and grateful for what you have instead of focusing on what you don't have.

Remember, I'm always here for you. 

Stay strong,

You're beautiful.

♥

Dear teenager,

Have you ever laid on your bed at night, and just cried? Cried because you’re ugly. Cried because you’re not good enough. Cried because you’ll never be. Cried because you counted your flaws from head to toe to punish yourself and feel worse about yourself. Cried because the comments people blurt out actually hurt your feelings. Cried because your family is dysfunctional. You don’t want to be a burden, so you bottled it all up. Around people, you’re the happiest ray of sunshine. But nobody knows, that at night when you’re alone, you break down and just cry.

It is the sad, true story of every teenager’s life. But why? Why can’t we all feel good about ourselves? Why can’t people be more understanding? Why is everything so complicated? Why are we never good enough? Why can’t we make everyone happy? Why can’t everything go smoothly?
The truth is, you, yes YOU, are beautiful, you are stunning, inside and out. Why? Because you are YOU. You may not be perfect, but in the end, who is? The answer? NOBODY. You mean the world to at least one person in this world, your mother, father, uncle, aunt, brother, sister, grandfather, grandmother, friend, teacher, neighbour or even someone you don’t even know exists! There will always be somebody there for you if you just give them a chance, and open your heart to them. You will be surprised at how understanding and nice people can be. You will realise that there is always someone going through exactly what you are going through, there will always be somebody there for you, beautiful, stunning you. I know that I will always be there for anyone of you. ANYONE!

 The person you are going to marry is probably walking the earth right now, they will love and cherish you, surely, that’s a reason to make you smile and keep fighting through all life’s obstacles.

Do you ever look at a picture of yourself and see a stranger in the background? It makes you wonder how many strangers have pictures of you. How many moments of other people’s life have we been in. Were we a part of someone’s life when their dream came true, or when their dream died? Did we keep trying to get in? As if we were somehow destined to be there or did the shot take us by surprise? Just think that you could be in a big part of someone else’s life, and not even know it.

You are beautiful, you are special, you are perfect for somebody, perfect in somebody’s eyes. Haters are out there to put you down, don’t let them get to you, life will teach them a lesson, and when that time comes, boy will they regret everything they have done.

Don’t underestimate anyone. Never. Everyone deserves a chance, a second chance, why not even a third chance? Be good to people, they will be good to you!

Stay strong. ♥