Hello. I don’t know if it’s the quarantine, or the fact that work is a lot heavier for me in it, but I’ve been feeing down a lot more than usual lately. I’d heard you’re a really positive person, spreading good vibes wherever you go. So, any advice for this walking sad here? - Cavum
HEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
HALLO CAVUM NICE TO MEET YOU, I FEEL HONORED THAT YOU DROP BY IN HERE HELLO!
Advice! OF COURSE I HAVE ADVICE, NOW LISTEN HERE TO THIS RACCOONIE MACCAROONIE
That’s what you gonna do!
I’m really happy that you wrote to me when you’re feeling bad. That’s a very wonderful thing to do. It doesn’t matter who you go to, so long you feel comfortable, safe, and trusty, it’s always such a wonderful thing to do to go look for someone. I am in no ways an expert, but going to a friend, or to a virtual moon raccoon, is a good thing to do and I’m so proud of you and so happy for you for doing so. Reaching out to speak of what you’re feeling sounds like something so little and yet it isn’t, it can indeed be one of the toughest steps for some!
and you know what? You already did it, which means you’ve given the worst step, so from now on there is nothing any worse! Once you’ve decided to jump into the water, the fear is gone so you fear no more, okay? You’re in a safe nice spot with raccoonie, buddy (o´▽`o)
Now back to the advice, I’m real when I tell you to keep feeling sad. Because you know what feelings are? They are like little animals that live in the wild and your heart is a little hut in the middle of it. So sometimes, the animals invite themselves in. Like, you’re there just chilling and SUDDENLY THERE’S A PUMA THERE LIKE BRO I DIDN’T CALL YOU. Because that’s how they work! We’re not like “Imma feel sad” THEN we feel sad, or happy, or anything. We’re like vessels and feelings come and go on their own, and all we can do is deal with them!
So the bad and the sad are little wild animals too. You don’t invite them, they welcome themselves in and make themselves comfortable. The problem is that they make YOU uncomfortable, and what’s worse, sometimes they decide to stay for longer than expected. But you know what you’re going to do? You let them stay. Because letting them stay is the only way you can convince them to go away.
Imagine if you try to lock that puma in a cage. It’s only going to get angry. It’s only going to start clawing at the bars, and no matter how strong the cage is, the animal is immortal and will keep clawing at it for as long as it needs, and, immortal as it is, it will sooner or later break free. And the longer it spends in the cage, the angrier! And you know what an angry beast does?
HAVOC. CHAOS. D I S A S T E R.
It’s going to wreck your hut, buddy! You don’t want your hut to be ruined, it’s YOUR little hut!!!
So in some way it’s like that. Puma dangerous, huge, and invited itself in, and you don’t want it there, true. You don’t want it there and you want it to leave...but if you cage it, or if you try to force it to leave, it’s only going to turn against you, and it’s going to make it worse :c
So what do we do when a Puma of Sad is nested in our hut?
We let it stay there. But, of course, we can’t also let the little tiny shit make itself TOO comfortable that it will decide to stay FOREVER!! WE CAN’T ALLOW THAT, WHO TOLD THAT LITTLE SHIT THAT’S OK? >:|
So what do we do if, even after letting it stay, it doesn’t leave?
Well, we learn how it wants to be treated. If it wants to be petted, or if it just wants you to acknowledge it. If it wants a snack, if it needs a little “Shoo”. All of this metaphorical, of course. What matters is learning how this little puma needs to be treated, and then, in the correct way, shoo it away. Not picking it up and trying to force it out, nor caging it; we get close, we analyze it, we pet it, and we ask it to leave. We ask and insist until the puma ON ITS OWN gets up on its paws and goes “Okay, sorry for disturbing you” and leaves.
I know it can come off as abstract. As in, ok, the metaphor is there, so what does it MEAN in real life?
Well, it means that you need to acknowledge your Sad, and learn a little from it. You master your hut. Don’t let it know more of your hut than YOU know of the puma. It’s your house, and you won’t keep unwanted guests in there, and will definitely not allow said guest to take over YOUR house!
So this is what we’re going to do, buddy. First of all, don’t feel bad for feeling bad. Feel bad freely. Feel bad. IT’s human, it’s real, and it means that you have a heart. Feel bad and remember, remember ALWAYS, that it’s ok to not be ok. You can’t always be at your best. You sometimes can’t even be at your 1%.
That’s wonderful, if you remember, while you’re feeling bad, that you’re still you and you’re doing your best, even if your best means doing nothing, because sometimes that’s what you need.
It’s ok to not be ok, and it’s ok if you don’t know what the puma wants to be motivated to leave. It’s not your fault if you try a thousand ways and it still stays; it is IT who is stubborn and wanting to stay, you didn’t do anything. Try a little at knowing it better to know what it wants, and never deny its existence or it will make itself too comfortable.
And reaching out for a friend is always wonderful, too. It’s ok if you can’t do some things alone. We’re not born alone, as much as that’s said. We’re literally a social species, not in the sense of “If you’re not extrovert you’ll die” but as in we literally have people around us. And some of us are willing to help someone that needs it, even if it’s just help at re-learning how to blink. No matter how “silly” or “unimportant” it may feel, asking for help when you need it is always a step forwards, okay buddy?
So whatever the source of your Sad is, that’s not your fault, and it’s ok to feel bad. The world nowadays is really tough, dark, and sometimes cruel, and we can’t do much about it.
But you know what is a blessing and absolutely a punk weapon in a dark world?
In a world this dark and cruel, someone that dares to be a light and soft is the most punk and rebel thing that there can be.
So you continue being this light and soft punk you are, aye? I don’t know you but goddammit do I get some soft and goodhearted vibes from across the screen. It feels like you’re a good hearted person that is trying their best, who means no harm, and who always wants others to be happy. And you know? That makes YOU one of those punks with light and softness in a world that asks you to be dark and tough.
So you keep that up, aye! It doesn’t need to be a huge flame, just a tiny little pipsy squeaky little ember will do. And your light has nothing to do with your productivity or your joy. You can be a Walking Sad, and still be that light. And I think you will know what really makes of you that little light.
You keep being you, with this rebelious soft sparkle, and keep feeling sad! Because sad is ok, and so it is not being ok. It’s the only way we can later on be ok, just like there is only day after the night, rainbow after rain, or smile after Sad.
And you come for any of your friends or acquaintances you trust and feel comfy with if the puma doesn’t leave. Maybe we can’t get it to leave, but we’ll always bring some of your favorite snacks and sit with you so you don’t feel so threatened or uncomfortable with it around, and we’ll sit there with you until it leaves, and even after that, until you want us to, aye?
You’re not alone, buddy, and you’re not ok and that’s ok, and you WILL be okay, and that is a promise! So keep looking forwards to that, my friend, don’t you feel hopeless or like giving up because I ain’t giving up on you, aye!!!
