Why Saying “This Sucks” Might Be the Most Healing Thing You Do

You don’t have to be positive all the time. (Shocker, I know.)

Sometimes the most freeing, grounded, sanity-saving thing you can do is say it straight: This sucks. Cancer sucks. The appointments, the uncertainty, the way your body feels like it’s betraying you? It. Sucks.

Here’s the secret: naming the hard stuff doesn’t make you negative. It makes you honest. It cracks the door open for support, self-compassion, and (eventually) healing. Saying “this sucks” doesn’t mean you’re giving up—it means you’re not carrying the weight of it alone.

So go ahead. Say it out loud. Whisper it. Scream it. Text it to a friend. Write it in your journal. Whatever you do—don’t bottle it up. You’ve got enough going on without pretending this is fine.

Here’s how to use “this sucks” as a tool for healing—not just venting:

1. Use it to open up. When you say “this sucks,” it gives others permission to show up honestly too. That’s how real conversations start.

2. Pair honesty with curiosity. Try this: “This sucks, and I wonder what I need right now.” That tiny shift can move you from stuck to supported.

3. Say it to yourself. Out loud, in the mirror, in your journal. You’re allowed to acknowledge hard stuff without jumping into problem-solving mode.

#thissucks #disappointment #grief