The Highs and Lows

Living Fully Through It All

Life is a beautiful, unpredictable mix of soaring highs and soul-stretching lows. It’s laughter at a kitchen table one day and quiet tears on the drive home from work the next (thankfully this doesn’t happen so often now). Through it all whether you’re on the mountaintop screaming with happiness or deep in the trenches, there’s one truth that gently reminds us: this too shall pass.

We often hear that phrase in moments of pain, normally from a loved one, albeit at the time it infuriates you and it’s not welcome advice, but nonetheless, a promise that the hurt won’t last forever. So far, it’s been 100% effective, and as cliché as it is, you have survived all the times you didn’t think you would. The grief, the heartbreak, the setbacks, they eventually soften. Though they may not disappear, they certainly shape us, and with time, they lose their grip.

This Too Shall Pass

But this too shall pass isn’t just for sadness. It applies to joy, too. That golden moment when everything feels just right? It, too, is fleeting, not in a morbid or depressing way but in a way that invites you to fully feel it. To pause, soak it in, celebrate it because joy, like pain, is not permanent, making it sacred and something to feel deeply.

Recognising the Highs

Be present. When something good happens, resist the urge to rush to the next thing. Sit with it. Feel the joy in your body. What does it feel like?
Share your joy. Text a friend, call a loved one, post it online. Do whatever you need but let your people celebrate with you.
Create rituals. Maybe you light a candle, write a gratitude list, or play your favorite song. Make a habit of honoring good moments.

Ways to Celebrate Success

Write it down. Keep a “victory journal” where you record even small wins. It becomes a reminder that progress is always happening. On your harder days, this is helpful to reflect.
Treat yourself intentionally. A coffee, a walk in nature, an hour with a good book, a celebration doesn’t have to be a grand gesture to be meaningful.
Reflect on the journey. Think about what it took to get there. Remind yourself of your resilience, effort, and growth.

Recognising the Lows

Name it. Sometimes simply saying “I’m feeling overwhelmed/sad/lost” takes the sting out of it.
Sit with it. You don’t have to fix it immediately. Let yourself feel what you feel without judgment.
Ask for support. Whether it’s a friend, therapist, or support group, don’t weather the storm alone.

Ways to Overcome Challenges

Break it down. Big problems feel smaller when you take one step at a time.
Revisit past resilience. Look back at hard things you’ve already overcome. You’ve survived before, let this be your reminder that you will again.
Hold onto hope. Even when it’s dim, keep something to look forward to. Hope is a lifeline, whether it’s waking up in the morning to start a new day or it’s going on holiday.

Life is meant to be a balance. You can’t know deep happiness without understanding sorrow. You can’t appreciate peace without surviving chaos. The contrast is what gives life texture, depth, and meaning, and as my mum always says, “life would be boring otherwise.”

Elated joy and unwavering sadness are part of the same rich, imperfect story that makes who you are today.

Hi, I'm Emilia Isabelle