Kristen Hamling: Life ain't always sunshine

THE BOYS are having a meltdown, I had to have my cat put down last week, I keep hitting roadblocks with my PhD research, and my husband destroyed my son's favourite Nerf gun with the lawn mower.

Life ain't always sunshine and rainbows.

My worries have outweighed my smiles this past month; my friend is being hurt every day, my faith in humanity is being tested, and if I get hit in the head with one more Nerf bullet I am going to lose my s***.

Life ain't always sunshine and rainbows.

I lost my temper with my son, I yelled at my husband and I forced a smile for friends over the past week.

Life ain't always sunshine and rainbows.

Life can be really tough sometimes, and there is no point sugar-coating this hard truth. Things happen that can really get you down and leave you wanting to crawl under the duvet and just stay there all safe and warm.

This has been my experience over the past few weeks. My bucket has been draining away, and I have been left with the distinct feeling that life ain't always sunshine and rainbows.

So when another school mum/friend said the other day that I was always so positive and well adjusted, I thought I should set the record straight.

I write these articles to hold myself accountable, as much as I do to inspire others. I use all that I learn in my study of wellbeing and apply it to my guinea pigs - one husband, two sons and myself. I use my knowledge to cope with the tough times, celebrate the good times and crawl back from the sad times.

I have learnt that it is okay to sit with sadness for a while, but I have also learnt when it is time to kick sadness in the behind.

In the words of Rocky Balboa, "The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place. It will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me or nobody is going to hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

All we really have in life is each other, so let's use that support to keep moving forward.