Healing from a breakup is a journey and process, but having the right support—whether through friends, self-care, or mental health professional—can make all the difference. Grief is a completely normal response to a loss (death or non-death related) and we should not pathologize it like it is not. Whether you’re the one experiencing the breakup or supporting someone through it, patience, self-compassion, genuine (self)care, kindness, and empathy are key to renewing yourself again and moving forward.

War, mass shootings, and the unnecessary deaths of innocent people have unfortunately become so normalized and prevalent in our society. With the rise of social media, it is so easy to access gruesome images and videos; we are witnessing trauma so closely that it can truly impact us. At the same time, understanding the gravity and injustice of a traumatic event is also important. How can we hold both at the same time without further traumatizing ourselves?

Being a child of an immigrant parent, there was no room for emotions; it was all about survival, so naturally, I was always surprised reading over past journal entries. Seeing my own thoughts, feelings, and self-talk on paper was a game changer for me.