“do all my friends hate me?” is a song I wrote when I was feeling just that…that all my friends hated me. I was at a low point and feeling extremely sad and insecure. I had all these feelings of being annoying and really not liking myself. After I wrote it, I was a little nervous to share it because I know I am very fortunate and there are people who have anxiety way worse than I do. When I first shared it, I was surprised at how many people of all ages commented that this was exactly how they felt.

I sometimes have these moments where I put too much of my own worth and identity in the hands of what other people think of me, how they react to me or how I compare to them in my mind. I know from talking to my friends (who don’t really hate me) that I’m not alone in feeling that way. It can be especially hard when we are already feeling overwhelmed, anxious or depressed to celebrate ourselves and feel that support from other people. I want to keep growing as a person and to find tools to help navigate negative feelings in a healthy way. That’s why I’ve spotlighted The Jed Foundation – a mental health nonprofit – to share some tips that have worked for me, ideas from experts and resources for getting support, because we all need help sometimes. I hope you enjoy the song and that we can find ways together to feel more connected and look out for each other.

-Mckenna Grace