Shawn Mendes Says He Struggles to Live His Truth
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Shawn Mendes Says He Struggles to Live His Truth

by Hedy Phillips

Shawn Mendes got real with his fans in a candid note posted to social media yesterday. The “In My Blood” singer opened up about how hard he sometimes finds it to live his truth, writing, “sometimes i ask myself what it is that i should be doing with my life and what i always hear in return is ‘to tell the truth, to be the truth’ i feel like that’s a hard thing to do though.”

Being true to yourself is something so many people struggle with, which is why Mendes said he wanted to share this message with his fans. He continued by writing, “i’m afraid that if people know and see the truth they might think less of me. They might become bored of me. so in those moments of feeling low i either put on a show or hide.”

Admitting that he often cares what people think of him, Mendes also wrote that sometimes he feels like he’s flying and other times he feels like he’s drowning. In a high-pressure career like his, these feelings are not surprising, but his openness is already resonating with fans. He also admitted that sometimes he feels like he’s failing but wanted his fans to know that he’s OK. In a follow-up tweet, he said he hoped sharing his message would make others feel less alone in their own similar feelings.

Mendes has previously been open about mental health, something that often still carries a stigma in the celebrity world, not to mention the real world. He told GQ in October that he started really putting the work into his own mental health a few years ago when his life became incredibly overwhelming. “I had so much anxiety that I actually couldn’t sing anymore,” he shared. “It was all in my throat, which a lot of men experience. We often experience those emotions as tension in our back, neck and as pain in our bodies. I couldn’t sing anymore, and I always had a thing about quitting. I didn’t want to quit.”

Mendes also said that he got to the point where he was taking it out on his loved ones, which was when he knew he needed to make a change. He started meditating, reading and journaling to channel more positive energy and also made a point to be in touch with his own wellness. Sharing these feelings openly with his fans is one way to not only take care of his own mental health but show others how to do the same.

He also mentioned recently on Instagram that he feels a bit alone following his breakup with Camila Cabello. He said in the video posted last month, “I think that’s the reality that kind of hit me. It’s like, ‘Oh, I’m on my own now.’ Now I feel like finally, like, I’m actually on my own, and I hate that. That’s my reality, you know?”

Mendes’ last tweet yesterday during his heart-to-heart with fans further reiterated that he’s truly OK and just wanted to share.

Photo via Getty/ Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic