Everyone, at one point in their lives, does things that they are not proud of and then later allows it to ruin their peace. When I say everyone, I mean everyone. Take me for example, I have done many things that I am not proud of and now here I am at 8 pm on a Monday night with my mind reeling. I want to have a calm, quiet, and peaceful mind and yet for some reason, all I can think about, or more accurately dwell on, are the things I have done in the past. These things are in the past and yet they still prove to be such an issue and it is not for the things themselves, but it is because of the way they make me see myself.
At the time I was carefree and I had no regard for the way other people viewed me, but for some reason, I now wonder at a constant rate what the consequences of these things may be. I am 20 years old; I should still be untroubled and easygoing, especially by the things I did in the PAST, yet here I am writing because I am trying to clear my mind before I try my hardest to drift into a semi-deep slumber that I pray comes quickly although it almost never does.
Isn't this suppose to be the time in life that I make mistakes and not think about all of the possible consequences? Or is that just in the ever too gratifying teenage/young adult movies where everything goes the most satisfying direction for almost everyone? Maybe I just have a pessimistic state of mind considering I am always waiting for the other shoe to not just drop but slam down and cause a dramatic paradigm shift in my life.
The only things that should matter are that I am healthy and loved by my family and yet I have constantly searched for validation in places I thought it would be provided but only now am I beginning to discover that they were only places, or should I say, people, that have increased my sense of self-loathing.
Looking back I can see this and it makes me sad to know that I felt the only way I could be happy was to be valued by those around me who couldn't provide me with the level of value that I deserved.
I know that I shouldn't go looking to other people for validation, but for a while, that's all I did through friends and romantic interests in my life. It felt like the normal thing to do, but my subconscious knew better and yet I still ignored my better instincts only to find that it caused unanticipated grief and anxiety a couple of years later. An anxiety that I deal with on a daily basis and am learning to manage through hobbies and nightly meditation, but I still can't help but wonder about the cause of the random anxious outbursts.
It was seemingly out of the blue when one day everything that I had done, and at one point felt a pang of regret about, came flooding back willing me to drown under the waves. Sometimes it feels as though I am treading with my head barely above the water, looking calm and collected on the surface while paddling like hell underneath to stay afloat. I just have to keep fighting until one day it gets easier. I will continue to accept these participation ribbons until I can win the first place trophy because life is about trying your best and working like hell to improve in any and every way that you can.
About the Creator
Hannah Taylor
Freelance Writer
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The Beauty We Live In
Everything is so fast-paced that no one takes the time anymore to really enjoy their surroundings; take in the beauty of the tree, the sounds as the rivers flow, or the feel of the grass and/or sand under their feet. There is so much going on around us that gets taken for granted, things that we don't even realize we are underappreciating because it's all we have ever known. There are many beautiful things in today's world, both manmade and natural, that everyone takes for granted on a daily basis. One of the many natural creations that I have always seemed to take for granted just so happens to be the clouds that delicately float above us in the sky.
By Hannah Taylor8 years ago in Motivation
“The Day I Thought I Couldn’t Go On — But Tomorrow Changed Everything”
I never imagined that a single day could feel like the heaviest weight in the world. It wasn’t the kind of day that sneaks up on you; it’s the kind that hits you like a storm you weren’t prepared for. From the moment I opened my eyes, something inside me knew that this day would be different. I didn’t know yet how different, or how much it would change me forever. The morning began quietly, deceptively calm. I went through the motions—brushing my teeth, making a cup of tea, scrolling through my phone—but my heart felt heavier than usual. Small failures from the past week clung to me like shadows. A failed exam, an argument with a friend, a project that didn’t turn out the way I hoped—it all piled on top of me, brick by brick. By the time I left the house, the weight of disappointment already made my chest ache. Then the real storm hit. I tried to hold it together, tried to keep walking forward, but everything seemed to fall apart at once. A message from someone I trusted made me feel betrayed. A mistake I thought I had fixed resurfaced, and I realized the consequences were bigger than I could handle. Even the sky seemed to mock me, dark clouds rolling in, drizzling rain that soaked me through as if nature itself knew my sorrow. I found a quiet park bench, alone except for the occasional passerby with their umbrellas and hurried steps. I sank down, my arms wrapped around my knees, and I let myself feel the weight of the world for the first time that day. Tears blurred my vision, not because I wanted to cry, but because my heart had no other way to release the pressure building inside. I kept asking myself, Why me? Why does everything feel so impossible right now? Hours passed like this—silent, painful, endless. I tried to remind myself that bad days happen to everyone, that life is a series of ups and downs—but the words felt hollow. My mind raced with “what ifs” and “if onlys,” and every solution seemed just out of reach. I felt like a failure, like the world had moved on without me. I thought about giving up—not in the dramatic sense, but in the quiet, subtle way that your heart stops trying to hope for better. And yet, in the middle of that stormy day, something shifted. It wasn’t sudden, and it wasn’t magical. It was subtle—a thought, a memory, a small whisper in the corner of my mind that reminded me of who I was. I remembered the times I had struggled before, the nights I thought I couldn’t get through, and somehow, I had. I remembered the people who had believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. And I remembered one simple truth: pain doesn’t come to destroy you; it comes to teach you. I sat there for a long time, letting the rain soak through my coat, letting the tears fall freely, letting myself simply exist in the moment. And slowly, the anger, the fear, and the despair began to loosen their grip. I realized that this day—terrible, exhausting, heartbreaking—wasn’t the end of my story. It was a pause. A chapter that would shape me into someone stronger, wiser, more compassionate than I had been yesterday. By the time the sun began to peek through the clouds, painting the sky with soft hues of gold and pink, I felt a quiet shift in my chest. It wasn’t a dramatic change; it wasn’t like someone waved a magic wand. It was a tiny flicker of hope—a reminder that tomorrow existed, and tomorrow was a chance to start again. I walked home slowly, each step lighter than the one before. I realized that I didn’t need to have all the answers right now. I didn’t need to fix everything at once. All I needed was to keep moving forward, even if it was just one small step at a time. That night, I wrote in my journal—a habit I hadn’t kept up in months. I wrote about the pain I had felt, the mistakes I had made, the people who had disappointed me, and the fears that had kept me awake at night. But I also wrote about the small victories: the fact that I had survived this day, the fact that I had faced my pain instead of running from it, the fact that I was still here, still breathing, still willing to try again. And as I wrote, I realized something profound: every hardship, every failure, every heartache had shaped me into who I am. They had given me strength I didn’t know I had. They had taught me lessons that no easy day ever could. The next morning, I woke up before sunrise. The world was quiet, bathed in soft golden light. I stepped outside and felt the cool morning air on my face. For the first time in what felt like forever, I smiled—not because everything was perfect, but because I was alive. Because I had the chance to try again. Because I had the power to turn this day into the beginning of something new. I realized that life isn’t about avoiding bad days; it’s about learning how to survive them, how to grow through them, how to use them as stepping stones to something greater. Every setback, every heartbreak, every failure is part of the journey, not the destination. And so, I made a promise to myself: I would not let this day—or any day—define me. I would not let my mistakes or disappointments steal my hope. I would rest when I needed to, I would cry when I needed to, but I would never stop moving forward. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I don’t know if the path ahead will be easy. But I do know that I am stronger than I thought, braver than I imagined, and capable of more than I can see right now. And that is enough. That day—the day I thought I couldn’t go on—didn’t destroy me. It didn’t break me. It reshaped me, reminded me of my resilience, and showed me the quiet, unshakeable power of hope. Sometimes, the darkest days teach us the most important lessons. Sometimes, the storm is exactly what we need to see the sunlight. And sometimes, tomorrow really does change everything. So if you are reading this, and today feels unbearable, remember this: your story isn’t over. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to feel pain. You are allowed to be human. But don’t forget that pain is temporary, that storms pass, and that better days are waiting. You are stronger than you know, braver than you think, and the world still has beautiful things in store for you. Let today end. Let it go. Take a deep breath. And when tomorrow comes, step forward into it with hope in your heart, even if it’s just one small step. Because that step is everything—it is proof that you can keep going, that you can keep believing, and that you can keep writing your story, one day at a time. Your story is not over yet. And sometimes, the day you think you can’t go on is the day that changes everything.
By Ihtisham Ulhaqabout 16 hours ago in Motivation
📢 Raise Your Voice Thread: 01/08/2026
Our “Raise Your Voice Threads” are hosted most alternating Thursdays at 12PM ET to offer creators more avenues to uncover exceptional stories on Vocal. As we are continuously searching for fresh creators and inspiring stories, this thread provides an opportunity to exchange and discuss the stories that have moved and motivated us on Vocal.
By Raise Your Voice by Vocal5 days ago in Resources
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