Why you might be feeling down

The grief you didn’t know you have

When you feel sad and off your usual but can’t understand why, check for something missing. If your friends and loved ones are still around, and no “thing” you possess has gone, consider your unfulfilled hopes and dreams.

Typically, we grieve the loss of someone or something we care about. If we mourn the loss and process the emotions associated with it, eventually, we move on, liberated from the grip of sadness and depression. But so many things only live in our heads where things seem ambiguous and hard to define. Like dreams, hopes, and expectations of how life should turn out and who we will become.

We’ve made time and emotional investments that others don’t see and can’t fully appreciate. Perhaps we’ve done our best and still didn’t get there. Sometimes, mistakes erase opportunities, or circumstances limit possibilities. Other times, we put others ahead of us and our life plans.