Dare to be unforgettable.

In life, we think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem. The real truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together for a time, then they fall back apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. Let the hard things in life break you. Let them affect you. Let them change you. Let these hard moments inform you. Let this pain be your teacher. The experiences of your life are trying to tell you something about yourself. Don’t cop out on that. Don’t run away and hide under your covers. Lean into it.What is the lesson in this wind? What will you learn if you face it with courage? With full honesty, and – lean into it.

Screw what the world expects. Think about all the things you’ve faced. You cracked, but you didn’t break. You’re still standing. I’d call that fearless.

Dare to be unforgettable. The time to be bold is now. What lights you up? Do more of that. There’s no one like you. You have a big, bold, bodacious idea inside you- unleash it now. View the world like an artist: make great art. Amaze yourself. You are the platform. The world awaits your magic. AUTHENTIC TRUMPS FAKE. Every. Single. Time. Be your own deliciously irresistible self. Make it juicy. Procrastination is just another word for fear. Fame is not is not the goal. Doing work that matters on the big stage is. Step into the light. Celebrate every day. It’s fuel for the spirit. Fear is a signal that you are alive. Respect it, but don’t be ruled by it. Smash the status quo. You don’t become a hero by being like everybody else. Light your flame. Passion rules. If you don’t feel it, don’t do it. Be ridiculously reliable for what matters most. Make it happen. Be unforgettable.

 The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risk, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed.

 Being tender & open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continuously shhh’d. Too sensitive. Too mushy. Too wishy washy. Blah blah. Don’t let someone steal your tenderness. Don’t allow the coldness & fear of others to tarnish your perfectly vulnerable beating heart. Nothing is more powerful than allowing yourself to be truly affected by things.

You have to do everything you can. You have to work your hardest, and if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining.

Is it better to take silly chances, than it is to regret making silly mistakes?

 And if I could tell you one thing, it would be: you are never as broken as you think you are. Sure, you have a couple of scars, and a couple of bad memories, but then again, all great heroes do.

Dating doesn’t have to be hard. People are just so scared. We say things like “it’ll find me,” but that’s just our excuse to stay semi-closed off and not appear bitter or afraid. The truth is, we need that romance, we all long for that connection, and the opportunity to be with somebody we don’t have to hide from. When the world is coming at you from all kinds of angles, it’s nice to have a refuge. Someone you can only go to when you want life to feel “right”, even if it’s only for five minutes. There is no perfect timing: you’ll never experience enough, make enough, or know enough to be “ready”, so find somebody you can grow with. The more your fears control you, the less authentic your love will be. People can’t find and connect with parts of you that you aren’t willing to show. Opening up won’t kill you. Don’t ruin the potential good thing by being stuck on the bad ones from your past. Show some effort, and act  like you really want to be happy. Step outside of that comfort zone, but don’t take too long. Always remember: a chance is a terrible thing to waste.

Don't stop looking...

People tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will descend like fine weather if you’re fortunate. But happiness is the result of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it , and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly.

Some day, we will find what we are looking for. Or maybe we won’t. Maybe we will find something much greater than that.

There are moments in our lives when we find ourselves at a crossroad, afraid, confused, without a road map. The choices we make in these moments can define the rest of our days. Of course, when faced with the unknown, most of us prefer to turn around and go back.

We get bored with childhood, and rush to grow up, and then long to be children again. We lose our health to make money and then lose our money to restore our health. By thinking anxiously about the future, we forget the present, such that we live in neither the present or the future. We live as if we’ll never die and die as though we’ve never lived.

I’ve learned that you can’t fight for anybody else. You’ve got to fight for yourself and hope like hell that you survive.

Just when we think we figured things out, the universe throws us a curve ball. So, we have to improvise. We find happiness in unexpected places. We find ourselves back to the things that matter the most. The universe is funny that way. Sometimes, it just has a way of making sure we wind up exactly where we belong.

You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world. But you do have some say in who hurts you.

Wait for the person who pursues you, the one who will make an ordinary moment seem magical, the kind of person who brings out the best in you and makes you want to be a better person. Wait for the person who will be your best friend, the only person who will drop everything to be with you at any time, no matter what the circumstances.

But once in awhile, people push on to something better. Something found just beyond the pain of going at it alone and just beyond the bravery and courage it takes to let someone in. Or to give someone a second chance. Something beyond the quiet persistence of a dream.

Chasing the Sunlight...

Sometimes, we are so busy chasing the sunlight, 

that we forget that the darkness is chasing us.

You are loved. You are valuable. 

You are crafted with beauty and purpose. 

 and this world needs you. 

There is no one like you. 

You don’t need to look like the rest, 

or talk like the rest, 

or be like the rest. 

There is no truth in the lie that you don’t matter. 

The world needs you as you are. 

You are loved and you were put here for a reason. 

You were not an accident. 

You are not a mistake.

Never forget what you are. 

The rest of the world will not. 

Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you

Yes, I am a Christian. 

Yes, I can be the biggest hypocrite ever. 

 I backslide, I stumble. I fall. 

I stray onto the wrong path. 

But God is working in me. 

I may be a mess, but I’m His mess. 

And He is slowly straightening me out. 

And the day will come when I will be by His side,

 His work in me completed. 

And until that day, 

I will take His hand, 

and let him do in me whatever needs to be done,

no matter how painful it will be for me. 

When He is finished, it will be all worth it.

You’re going to come across people in your life 

who will say all the right words at all the right times. 

But in the end, 

it’s always their actions you should judge them by.

It’s actions, not words, that matter.

In spite of everything, 

I still believe that people are really good at heart.

People think that being alone makes you lonely,

but I don’t think that’s true.

Being surrounded by the wrong people

is the loneliest thing in the world.

Our lives are storybooks that we write for ourselves;

wonderfully illustrated by the people we meet.

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, 

and don’t put up with people that are reckless with yours.

Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made

or dark images you hold about yourself. 

They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; 

your wholeness when you are broken; 

your innocence when you feel guilty; 

and your purpose when you are confused.

Make each new day count by helping someone 

or just making someone smile.

~~~~

Be bold. Be fierce. Be grateful. Be wild, crazy and gloriously free. Be you.

 

I’m not the silly romantic you think I am. 

I don’t want the heavens or the shooting stars. 

I don’t want the gemstones or gold. 

I have those things already. 

I want a steady hand. 

A kind soul. 

I want to fall asleep, 

and wake, 

knowing my heart is safe. 

I want to love and be loved.

Darling, the world’s not really against you. 

The only thing that’s against you is yourself.

Its funny how sometimes 

all we needed 

was a line from a song, 

a quote from a book or movie

to realize how we really feel

and 

all we needed was

a smile from a friendly stranger,

a good cup of tea,

a walk in the rain,

an old song

to briefly put us back together 

before we fall apart all over

again.

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, 

for beauty is God’s handwriting.

I don't let people in often

and I mean what I say.

If I tell you you're my friend

that means a lot!

If I tell you I love you 

that is not a phrase or expression

and know that I actually love you

in the best and most

honest ways that I can.

 You can’t force love, I realized. 

It’s there or it isn’t. 

If it’s not there, you’ve got to be able to admit it. 

If it is there, you’ve got to do whatever it takes to protect the ones you love.

Always pray to have 

eyes that see the best in people, 

a heart that forgives the worst, 

a mind that forgets the bad, 

and a soul that never loses faith in God.

 Never get tired of doing little things for others. 

Sometimes, those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts.

         

 The world bursts at the seams with people 

ready to tell you you’re not good enough. 

On occasion, some may be correct. 

But do not do their work for them. 

Seek any job; ask anyone out; pursue any goal. 

Don’t take it personally when they say “no”- 

they may not be smart enough to say “yes.”

 Life is a school for angels. 

Love is the Teacher, so do your homework without fear. 

Death is merely graduation.

When nobody else celebrates you,

learn to celebrate yourself.

When nobody else compliments you, 

then compliment yourself.

It's not up to other people to keep you encouraged.

It's up to you.

Encouragement should come from the inside.

Experience. Dream. Risk. Close your eyes and jump. Enjoy the freefall. 

Choose exhilaration over comfort. Choose magic over predictability. Choose potential over safety. Make friends with your intuition. Trust your gut. Discover the beauty of the uncertainty. 

Know yourself fully before you make promises to another. 

Make millions of mistakes so that you will know how to choose what you really need. 

Know when to hold on and when to let go. Love hard and often and without reservation. 

Seek knowledge. Open yourself to possibility. 

Keep your heart open, your head high and your spirit free. 

Embrace your darkness along with your light. 

 Be wrong every once in awhile, and don’t be afraid to admit it. 

Awaken to the brilliance in ordinary moments. 

Tell the truth about yourself no matter what the cost. Own your own reality without apology. See goodness in the world. 

Be bold. Be fierce. Be grateful. Be wild, crazy and gloriously free. 

Be you.

 I have found that if you love life, 

life will love you back.

A Good Life...

A good life is when you assume nothing, 

do more, need less, smile often, dream big,

laugh a lot, and realize how blessed you are.

Sometimes, I get this urge to talk to you, 

and then I remember that you’re a different person now. 

It’s just sad because I miss you a lot.

The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, 

and not to twist them to fit our own image. 

Otherwise, we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them. 

She did not need much, and wanted very little. 

A kind word. Sincerity. Fresh air. Clean water. 

A garden. Kisses. Books to read. Sheltering arms. 

A cozy bed. And to love and be loved in return.

I hope that in this new year to come, 

you make mistakes. 

If you are making mistakes, 

then you are making new things, 

trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, 

changing yourself, changing your world. 

You’re doing things you've never done before, 

and more importantly, 

you’re doing something.

Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry 

that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, 

whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life. 

Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, DO IT. 

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.

I’m really happy I met you. 

I hope you know that.

Your journey has molded you for your greater good. 

And it was exactly what it needed to be. 

Don’t think that you've lost time. 

It took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. 

And now is right on time. 

Jealousy comes from counting others’ blessings 

instead of our own.