It’s a weird idea to get your head around, but sometimes, we don’t feel quite as bad as we think we should.

In a time of trauma or tragedy, we often expect ourselves to be uncontrollably sobbing and inconsolable all the time. But trauma doesn’t work like that. Sometimes, when something bad is going to happen and we know it is coming, we don’t feel quite as bad when it actually happens. And that’s okay.

When trauma hits us, we all deal with it differently. Some people cry for days. Some people don’t cry at all. We all deal and cope with sadness differently, and no-one’s methods are right or wrong, or better or worse, than anyone else’s.

Don’t feel bad when you don’t react to a difficult situation how you expected yourself to. How are we supposed to know exactly how we are going to feel if something terrible happens? We can’t possibly know. And human emotions are vast, complex, and tricky. Our minds find different coping mechanisms and we all have our own unique way of viewing and dealing with a situation. Don’t blame yourself for how you are feeling. It’s okay not to feel okay, but it’s also okay to feel okay during a low time. Don’t feel guilty for how you feel.