PROMPTS FOR THE HEAVY HEARTED
the burdened:
“ being alive is exhausting. ”
“ i ruin everything i touch. ”
“ no one ever helped me when i needed it. so, i just. try to do my best to keep others from feeling that kind of loneliness. ”
“ i feel like the pain is all i am anymore. ”
“ i wish i remembered anything other than loneliness. ”
“ i’m not a particularly good person. but sometimes i wish someone would think i am. ”
“ i’m just always the one who gets left behind. ”
“ i never seem to belong anywhere. or to anyone. ”
“ i’m alone. and it’s my own fault. but it doesn’t make it hurt any less. ”
“ i don’t know how to just live. i constantly feel like i’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. ”
“ i always expect people to hurt me. because they usually do. ”
“ i don’t know how to let go of my trauma. i don’t know what i am without it. ”
“ it’s better if i’m alone. i can’t hurt anyone if there’s no one close enough to get hit by the debris of my fuck ups. ”
“ there are just too many people depending on me. i can’t rest. i can’t let them down. ”
“ i don’t have anything or anyone left anymore. ”
“ i’m not strong. or brave. i survive ‘cause there’s not really any other choice. ”
“ i tried to give up before. but the universe just didn’t let me. ”
“ i just want to be done. i’m tired. i’m so, so fucking tired. ”
“ i know it’s selfish. but i wish someone would just take care of me. ”
“ every time i start to feel like things are getting quieter and i can feel safe, something bad always happens. ”
“ i tend to love people more than they love me. and it’s okay. i don’t mind but…it can be lonely. ”
“ i just don’t feel like my life makes any difference to anyone. i’m just here. ”
the comforter:
“ hey, look at me. i’m listening. you can tell me anything. ”
“ how can i help you feel less alone? ”
“ i’m here and i’m not leaving or letting you change the subject. now talk to me. ”
“ i know you feel like you’re alone and i’m not going to invalidate that. but i can tell you that i’m here. and i know there are people who want to care and help if you’ll let them. ”
“ whatever it is you’re struggling with, i want to help and it’s not going to make me look at you any different. ”
“ i like having you around. and not because of what you can do for me or give to me— i like you. i value you as a person. ”
“ i just need you to know that you’ve never been ‘nobody’ to me. you’ve never been nothing. ”
“ you’re important to me. you hear me? you’re important. and that’s never gonna change. ”
“ i’m not going anywhere until you get some sleep. ”
“ i want to take care of you. please, let me. ”
“ no one is meant to be all alone. that’s not how humans are built. you don’t need to do all this on your own. ”
“ you don’t deserve the bad things that happen to you. you never did. ”
“ i can’t promise you aren’t going to have any more hardship. but i can promise i’m gonna be right here to get your through it. ”
“ you make a difference in my life. i’m not just saying that. it wouldn’t be the same without you here and i don’t want to find out what it’d be like to not have you around. ”
“ next time it gets this bad, you call me okay? now you just sit there and i’m gonna make you some tea and soup and we’re gonna talk this out. ”
“ is it getting bad again? ”
“ you are so much stronger and braver than you think. ”
