oh wow, thank you so much. it really means a lot to have someone come and tell me they value my mind

I wasn’t always this positive - I don’t even think I’m super positive now. I’m realistically optimistic, if that makes sense. I’ve never believed in destiny or fate, that the people I met are lessons, or that there’s some sort of meaning of life that I’m missing. I don’t think things happen for a reason - I don’t think ‘heaven gains an angel’ or that people are happier ‘up there’ and that it was ‘there time.’ I believe shitty things happen, and there’s no rhyme or reason but that’s just the way it is

I used to be really pessimistic - I’d see the worst in myself, dwell on my negative qualities. I was very cynical and I thought it was poetic, deep even. I feel like people romanticize sadness and loneliness too much. it’s not tragically beautiful go be a lone wolf. it doesn’t make you deeper to dismiss what you think are superficial qualities in others. everyone has depth, everyone has a story

I used not have a lot of friends and I let that make me bitter towards the world - ‘no one ever tries to get to me’ I’d think. I’d wallow about society and all that, and now, when I see the word society in a generalized post, I cringe

we are part of society. if we are embittered by the lack of others reaching out to us, then we must be the change and reach out to others. you may think you can’t find a connection with someone but that’s because you’ve never tried

we are the change in ourselves. it takes a lot of strength and willpower to find a motivation within you to do and be the things you want. you can decide to be ‘happy’ - but happiness isn’t a constant state, it’s a fleeting moment that makes all the other moments better. once you stop chasing happiness and accept generalized optimism, motivation, and laughter - and the sadness and heartbreak in between - you will be at peace with yourself. you need to stop assuming everyone around you is so happy-go-lucky all the time. that instagram famous girl who just posted a photo of herself laughing in a bikini with a watermelon? that’s a select moment of her day that she’s decided to share with us. she’s not always laughing little miss sunshine. we all have daily battles and hardships

decide to see the best qualities in yourself. if you’re unhappy with something, change it. you’re not too old to try something new, you’re not too bad at that sport to pursue it. you can practice art, writing. you can read, get in shape, all of the above. rather than wishing, starting DOING. create your own lifestyle… don’t let your own thoughts hold yourself back

think of yourself sitting right here reading this. you are, in this moment, infinitely potential. you can stand up. you can run down the street for no reason, do a cart wheel and come back. once you realize you’re entirely in control of your actions and can create your future, you won’t feel so stuck

I’ve noticed that when we’re sad (me included) we like to worsen our sadness - wallow, watch netflix all day, think about everything that’s wrong. stop glorifying laziness and fast food and whatever’s the ‘thing’ everyone posts about

DECIDE. CREATE. you are creating your future self - I can’t emphasize how much power you hold. stop thinking you’re not enough to *insert something that fear holds you back from*… stop thinking that everyone’s prettier than you, smarter than you, more interesting, more qualified. don’t restrain yourself in life by thinking ‘oh I’m not good at this’ - you can do and be whatever you want; you are what you make yourself so carry yourself in confidence and treat yourself with the upmost respect and care

ok listen up

you’re you. you will always be you — and there is nothing you can do to change that. but, that’s not a bad thing. you need to learn to accept your flaws and to embrace every bit of you. you can’t spend your entire life hating yourself — how far has that gotten you?

you need to decide now: are you going to go through the rest of your life abhorring every little detail and feeling inadequate? or are you going to pull yourself together and decide you are beautiful and stop giving yourself a hard time. it’s up to you to decide how you want to spend your next days, weeks, months, years feeling.

I’m not kidding about it though — your beauty is entirely your decision. you cannot feel confident solely based on others’ validations. you don’t need validations. you are beautiful the moment you decide to be.

I used to have pretty low self esteem in middle school — I would compare myself to my best friend who ‘got all the guys’ and I would think I was less adequate and that when given a choice, everyone always considered her to be prettier. I was jealous and my jealousy led to resentment. but, one day, I decided to cut it out. I decided I was beautiful. I’m not showered with compliments and I don’t ‘get guys’ like other girls do. but I think I’m beautiful. I’m happy with myself and there’s nothing I want to change.

what’s the use of comparing yourself to another human being? you will never become that person, and you don’t need to. you possess so many incredible qualities — intelligence, compassion, humor, wit, beauty (both internal and external). you are your own kind of beautiful. 

you are your own walking universe – you contain a world inside of you unlike any other. there is no one on earth that is exactly like you – the lives you have touched, the paths you have crossed, the people you have affected deeply – that's beautiful.

my favorite quote is: “you don’t have to be pretty like her. you can be pretty like you.”