For me, the world always seems to be ending.

The weight of a bad grade, the shift in a friend’s tone, the way someone’s eyes flick away just a second too soon. It sinks into me, sits heavy in my chest, and refuses to leave. There are days when even the smallest slight—an ignored text, an offhand comment—slices deeper than it should. I’ve heard it all before: “You’re too sensitive.” “You need to get over it.”

We live in a world that tells us to suppress our emotions, to be rational, to keep our feelings in check. We praise those who stay composed, who keep their hearts guarded, who never let the world see them break. Psychologist Paul Ekman calls this dynamic “emotional display rules,” unspoken societal norms that dictate which emotions are acceptable and which must stay hidden, according to Psychology Today.

But why pretend that feeling deeply is something to be ashamed of, when in reality, it is the most profoundly human thing we can do?

To feel is to experience life in its purest and most authentic form.

The crushing heartbreak of loss, the uncontainable joy of laughter, the quiet ache of nostalgia—all of it is proof that we are here, that we are alive. If we run from these feelings, if we numb ourselves to pain, we also numb ourselves to happiness.

When you feel pain that deeply, you make room to feel joy with just as much intensity. The love, the wonder, the warmth—it hits you tenfold.

Feeling deeply is not easy.

It takes strength to cry when you need to, to let yourself love with your whole heart, to allow the weight of the world to press into you without pushing it away.

Being vulnerable is often mistaken as a weakness, but it’s one of the greatest strengths we can carry. It means you’re willing to face the world as you are—unguarded, honest, real.

When you let yourself be seen, truly seen, you give others permission to do the same.

Acknowledging and understanding our emotions helps us communicate more clearly, reduce stress, and improve mental, emotional, and physical well-being, according to Psychology Today. Emotions are among the most important signals our bodies send us, and learning to express them can strengthen our ability to navigate challenges.

For a long time, I wished I could feel less—that life wouldn’t hit me so hard, that I could let things roll off my back like everyone else seemed to. But now, I’d rather feel everything than nothing at all.

Of course, there are still days when everything feels like too much or I care more than I want to. In those moments, though, I remind myself that these feelings aren’t a weakness. They’re part of being human.

The world will keep telling you to feel less, to toughen up, to stop letting things get to you.

Don’t listen to it.

Feel it all. Feel every moment. Let it ruin you, let it heal you, let it remind you that you are alive.