For a long time, I struggled with depression. I was ashamed to talk about it or even acknowledge it to myself.  I thought I was the problem. That I was alone in feeling like I didn't deserve to be happy or that I wasn't good enough to be happy.  I hid from my emotions. I thought they were bad and they were the reason I was bad. Until one-day crippling anxiety pushed me to the edge and it was either change or just be done with it all. What helped me learn that I wasn't "bad" was learning that emotions are normal and natural. All of the emotions are natural. Even anger, sadness, frustration, overwhelm, they just occur depending on the thoughts that we think. Our thoughts are what create our feelings. Our feelings are actually clues to helping us uncover what thoughts are holding us back or making us feel less than. Learning how to feel was weird, new, and uncomfortable for me and I had to learn in baby steps. I had to learn they aren't good or bad they just happen. Learning this has transformed my life! When I stopped trying to shut down and shut out all of my emotions I was able to finally feel the happiness I so longingly desired.  But I had to allow the negative stuff too. I had to learn that my emotions do not control me, they do not define me, they are actually beautiful tools that take us out of survival mode into thriving!