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Today was one of those days that felt really, really hard.

In the grand scheme of things, I know it’s not a big deal. Wars are being waged, children are starving and suffering unimaginable losses, Donald Trump is doing and saying unhinged things. And so, in the face of all that, what I’m upset about feels, to be honest, whiny and self-indulgent.

And I hate that. But still, feelings don’t always follow logic.

Today just felt deeply, quietly crushing.

There was a situation in my life—one of those where you try to do everything right, with good intent and full effort, and somehow, it still doesn’t land. It wasn’t about getting medals or praise. A simple acknowledgment would have made all the difference. Instead, I felt unseen, maybe even disrespected.

And that sense of defeat? It hit hard.

So I did what many of us do in moments like this: I went down an internet rabbit hole. I was looking for something, anything, to make me feel a little less alone in this. Something to remind me that even on the days when the universe doesn’t respond, I don’t have to feel entirely lost.

If you’re having one of those days, too, where nothing seems to go right even though you tried your best, I hope these words help you breathe a little easier:

“Sometimes you did everything right and it still didn’t work out. You didn’t fail. Life just unfolded in a way you couldn’t control.” ~ Brianna Wiest

“You can be the whole package and still end up at the wrong address.” ~ Unknown

“Do not lose heart, we were made for these times.” ~ Clarissa Pinkola Estés

“What is for you will not pass you.” ~ Scottish Proverb

“The work is never wasted. Even if the results don’t come today, your efforts are part of something larger you cannot yet see.” ~ Morgan Harper Nichols

“Sometimes life doesn’t give you what you want—not because you don’t deserve it, but because you deserve more.” ~ Unknown

“There is no promise of fairness in the unfolding of life. But there is always the possibility of grace.” ~ Cheryl Strayed (paraphrased from her “Dear Sugar” column)

“You are not being punished, you are being prepared.” ~ Lalah Delia

“Be patient with the space between where you are and where you’re going.” ~ Yung Pueblo

“Your job is the effort, not the outcome.” ~ The Bhagavad Gita

~

So yeah, today was one of those quietly awful days. The kind that doesn’t deserve to make headlines but can still sit heavy on a person. There’s no doubt in my mind that this will pass and tomorrow will be better. And by tomorrow, I know I will have more perspective and place today’s travails in the context of what’s happening in the world.

But today, for a moment, life sucked for me. And I allowed myself the grace to wallow in it, just a little. And if you’re in this space too, where you’re doing your best and it’s just not landing—I feel you, I hear you, and most of all, I see you.

Tell me, what do you do on days like this? How do you keep going when nothing seems to work, even though you showed up with everything you had? I’d really love to know.

~