How to Rise to the Surface When Life Feels Like Drowning

I know what it feels like to go under.

Not the movie kind of drowning. The quiet kind. You keep moving, keep showing up, but inside you're sinking. And no one sees because the surface looks calm.

I've been there many times. And each time, I've had to learn again how to rise.

Stop Kicking So Hard

When drowning, instinct says fight. But fighting water makes you sink faster.

Life works the same way. When everything feels like too much, we push harder. But sometimes the only way up is to stop struggling down.

Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is stop trying so hard not to drown.

Find One Small Thing to Hold

When underwater, you can't see the whole shore. You can only reach for what's close.

In dark times, I looked for small anchors. Warm tea in the morning. My dog sleeping on my feet. Light on the wall at a certain hour.

None fixed anything. But they reminded me I was still here. Still alive.

When you can't find the surface, find one thing to hold. Then another. Eventually you'll have a chain leading back.

Let Someone See You Sinking

This was hardest for me. I was raised to handle things alone. Showing weakness felt like failure.

But hiding underwater doesn't help you breathe.

The first time I told someone the truth, something shifted. Not because they fixed anything. But because I stopped carrying it alone.

You don't need rescue. You just need someone to see you and say: "You're not alone in this."

Stop Looking at the Bottom

When underwater, looking down keeps you sinking.

I spent years analyzing my pain, trying to understand it. But understanding didn't set me free. It just kept my eyes on the darkness.

What helped was looking up. Toward the possibility of light, even if I couldn't reach it yet.

You don't need to know how to reach the surface. You just need to stop looking at the bottom.

Trust That Rising Takes Time

Rising is slow. Uneven. Some days you rise, then sink again.

This doesn't mean you're failing. It means you're human.

The goal isn't to never sink. It's to get a little better at rising each time.

Remember You've Risen Before

When underwater, it's hard to remember there was ever air.

But you've been here before. And you're still here. Still breathing. Still looking for a way back.

Your own history is proof: You know how to rise.

A Simple Practice

If you're underwater right now:

Put a hand on your chest. Breathe. Say: I am here. This moment is survivable.

Ask: What's one small thing I can hold onto right now?

Then do that thing. That's enough.

The Surface Is Still There

The water lies. It says there's no way out. But the water is wrong.

The surface is still there. The light is still there. You're still here, which means some part of you still believes in rising.

Hold onto that part. It's small. But it knows something the water doesn't:

You've risen before. You can rise again.

Breathe. Reach. Wait.

You'll find your way back. You always do.

If you're in deep water, I see you. You're not alone. You won't stay here forever.