Question:

Hi Tanner,

How do you get through the hard days?

Do you ever feel alone even when you have family and friends around you?

What about if your problems feel trivial compared to what other people are going through?

Response: 

I believe I am quite familiar with what you are feeling and the questions you are asking.

Let’s take them one at a time. 

How do you get through the hard days?

I make it through the hard days the same way I make it through the easy days.

One breathe at a time.
One step at a time.
One prayer at a time.
One moment at a time.

I do not know much, but one thing I know for sure is that life is heavy and hard.

But I also know that hope is real and I believe good is on the way.

Hard days come and hard days go, but every day is an invitation to rest in the love of God and trust He is working all things for good.

A while back I was having one of those hard days.
Nothing was going right.
My head was in a dark and foggy place.
I felt far from the person I wanted to be.
The sun was hidden behind the clouds.
It was one of those days where all I wanted it to be was tomorrow.
You get it.
I took my feelings and sat down and wrote something titled,  “A Recipe For Another Defeating Day.”

Do you ever feel alone even when you have family and friends around you?

I do.

That’s why I got a dog.

When I begin to feel alone, that is when I put my shoes on and go for a long walk.
That’s when I put my phone in the other room because I don’t need another distraction and I do not need to scroll social media.
That’s when I get out the pen and paper and write down the noise inside my head.
That when I breathe in deep and remind myself of the truth.

And the truth is this:
You are not alone.
You are not a burden.
You are not your past.
You are not your failures.
You are not a mistake.

But you are loved.
And you are wanted.

And although it may not feel like it right now, everything is going to be okay.

Maybe not today or tomorrow, but keep going and one of these days you’ll see.

What about if your problems feel trivial compared to what other people are going through?

Comparison is something, isn’t it?
It’s a thief and a liar and a killer.
It’s powerful, but comparison is not necessary, especially when it comes to problems.

You are allowed to have your problems and your problems do not need to be measured up to the problems of someone else.

Here is something I’ve been learning: Life happens to each of us differently.

All of us are going through different things at different times.

This is why compassion matters.
This is why gentleness matters.
This is why hope matters.

But please, do not for a second begin to believe the tempting lie that what you are going through doesn’t matter. 

Sure, it may not be what someone else is going through, but it’s what you are going through.

And what you are going through does matter.

The grief matters.
The questions matter.
The worries matter.
The fears matter.
The hurts matter.
The problems matter.

Thank you for asking your questions.

I know you aren’t the only one who is asking them.

Keep looking up,

Tanner

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About the Author

Tanner Olson is an author, poet, speaker, and podcaster living in Nashville, Tennessee.

He is the author of I’m All Over the Place, As You Go, Walk A Little Slower, and Continue: Poems and Prayers of Hope.

You can find Tanner Olson’s books on Amazon.

His podcast is The Walk A Little Slower Podcast with Tanner Olson and can be found wherever you listen to podcasts.

Tanner Olson travels around the country sharing poetry, telling stories, and delivering messages of hope.

You can follow Tanner Olson on Instagram (@writtentospeak) and Facebook where you’ll daily find encouraging words of faith and hope.