Crystal Diane | Lifestyle. Blog. Shop

Sometimes life throws us challenges—and honestly, we all know that nothing is permanent. Life has this way of reminding us, sometimes gently, sometimes not, that everything is temporary: the people we know, the jobs we hold, even the places we live.

I try to stay grounded and connected to the people and things around me, to let myself feel emotions deeply. But some days, it just seems like everything changes for the worse.

I can get caught off guard by one of life’s mysterious upswings or sudden downturns. As someone who has changed professions more than once and even lived out of a suitcase for months on end with no clear idea of where I was headed, I know what it feels like to live in the land of the unknown. It can be terrifying.

There’s so much out there about staying positive and envisioning the life you want—and I try to hold onto that. I try to remind myself, especially when something unexpected happens. Like when a tenant moves out early. My brain wants to jump to: Oh no, what if no one moves in? What if I can’t cover the rent?

It’s stressful. And those emotions are real—they shouldn’t be ignored. They can be useful. They let me know I need to pay attention and start working through things. But I’ve also learned that it’s possible to override that fear loop and shift my perspective.

So I pause and take another look at the situation. I start small, from the ground up, with some simple affirmations:

• I’m healthy.
• I have a roof over my head.
• I’m smart.
• I’m resourceful.
• I’ve found a good roommate before—I can do it again.
• I can trust myself.

That simple act of reminding myself what I do have and what I can do helps. It gets me through those moments of chaos and self-doubt.

Yes, life can be hard. And it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s okay to be upset. But I try not to get stuck there. I remind myself that I’m in control of my thoughts, even if I can’t control the outcome.

And if I don’t feel resourceful in the moment? That’s okay too. I sit down, make a plan, and figure out what I can change. I take steps, even tiny ones, toward a better outcome.

There will always be challenges. That’s life. But staying positive—even just a little—helps calm the anxiety and ease the overthinking. Because no matter what, I remind myself: I’ve got this. It will be okay.