what makes you stronger?

hello there lovely,

you are far too young, far too beautiful, far too wonderful

to feel so broken

so wake up!

wake up to the birds, wake up to the sunshine, wake up to the sea

solitude is not sadness, and dependence is not weakness

look at yourself.

look at all you are carrying, look at who you've become,

and be amazed.

own yourself.

own everything you are, the dark and the light.

there are no mistakes within people, no mistakes in your creation

you are marvelously whole,

and don't listen to the fools who tell you otherwise!

this little light of mine, i'm gonna let it shine

Replace your darkness with light, your hatred with love

There are always those corners of your mind that need cleaning,

always those places that could be beautiful if only illuminated

Like fire, it is a chance, a hope,

a moment that will burst into so much more

watch me

Nobody can stop you, nobody will stop you

from growing, from blooming, from blossoming.

You decide your life

You don't need their permission or approval

It's all you.

Your choices are your beliefs,

show the world how you feel, who you are.

(Because you are beautiful

and the world could always use a little more beautiful)

"My life is my message" said Ghandi.

What do you want to show the world?

What do you have to teach?

Live your message.

People will stare, will stop, will pay attention:

you will change lives.

go forth

You know what you must do. You know why you are here. 

There are voices that will tell you no, that will say you can't 

until you almost believe it. 

But just when you are about to,

inhale deeply.

Stretch your arms upward and feel your breath in your heart. 

Bring your hands down and touch your belly, touch your knees and elbows.

Know that you are whole.

You know your reason. You are living your purpose.

Have faith in the bones that hold you together, in the skin that you inhabit.

You are a light-bringer, a wonder-maker, a world-healer.

Each of us, in the way we live, in the way we walk, in our words and in our hearts.

Bring what you may, be what you must

in this wild and wonderous world.

rainbow dreamer

Dear secret painters, hidden writers, pretend illustrators, imaginary artists everywhere!

This is your call. This is your reminder.

You love the feeling of the wood between your fingers, the colors falling onto the page.  You love the scent of the paint, smearing it onto the canvas, blending and stirring. You love the way the words ring out after you've written them, the way they send shivers up your spine.

Go out, go forth, create!

The world is filled with destruction, with hatred, with malice,

it is up to us to overcome it.

To build over it, to shut it down

by bringing the beautiful up.

Create! Today is the day.

Create something beautiful!

numb

She wanted to run away. 

The feeling of hot cement under her cracked feet, the feeling of sand between her toes, the wet morning grass stretching beneath her strides.

She needed to leave.

She couldn't remember the feeling when she was here. 

But she could still it, a ghost, hovering in front of her. 

It trembled and shivered, gleamed and glittered, but when she extended her hand outward it would twitch away. 

She wanted to go back to the feeling, bathe in it, soak in it until her skin shone again. Cover herself until she remembered how to breathe. Until her heart began to beat again.

But it teased her, whispering that it was not that easy.

She had to bring it back, she had to live it back, she had to remember how she had let go and stepped forward and trusted and fell all over again.

She had to live it all over again.

She couldn't run, or hide. For it would run faster,  hide better.

She had to stop reaching for the ghost,

and create a new feeling.

city by the bay

Dress up just for fun. 

There are people around you who are tired of the monotony but paralyzed by fear. 

They can't do it themselves.  But you can inspire them.

Every place needs a trendsetter. Not in the norm, but in the way that pushes buttons and boundaries.  That makes people question and debate.  That prods open their droopy eyelids.

You know the type of person you want to be.  What is seperating you from being that person?  Visualize the obstacles, give them faces and bodies.  See their taut skin or bony shoulders. 

Now kick them down.  You are a skilled fighter, punching them in the face, kicking in their knees, bruising and beating them until they fall to the ground.  The concrete caked earth swallows them. 

And you are set free.

Dress up in clothing, in silky fabric and strands of pearls.

But also dress up in your life. Do something unexpected, whisper a complement to a stranger.  Each day is a manequin, waiting for you to dress it.

Be daring and different, but most importantly

do what is difficult.