#ownpost

I know it’s okay to feel this way, I know I shouldn’t be so hard on myself.

You are the only person that can provide closure for your situation. Oftentimes if you tell yourself you need *one more conversation* with a person to gain “proper closure” you’re chasing a way to secretly open back up a relationship that clearly is not meant for you.

You don’t always need to be on a journey of betterment. Sometimes it's okay to be happy with the person that you are. It’s important to be self-aware and strive towards being the best version of yourself, but this is your first time here on earth. It’s okay to go easy on yourself.

There is no such thing as “good” or “bad” emotions. They are all meant to be felt and serve a different purpose. Sometimes that purpose reveals itself later in life. Just focus on feeling your emotions and being present with them. Remember- ignoring your emotions just presents themselves to you in different ways.

Don’t just tell people you love them. Show people you love them.

No person is below you- No person is above you. Don’t idolize human beings, and don’t dehumanize them either.

The only way to go from down is up. Please read that again and please remind yourself of that constantly when times are tough. I promise you these words go a lot further than you think.

This should have been number one, but remember God always. He’s always with you, He always hears you and He understands better than any human could. Sometimes, you don’t have to vocalize what's wrong. He can look in your heart and know exactly what's going on. That should give you all the comfort in the world.

Enjoy your time alone. Learn about yourself. What makes you happy? What gets you annoyed? What motivates you? Everything you want to know about your potential spouse, learn it about yourself first. Are you happy with the person you are? If not, it’s never too late to create that version of yourself.

Everything is temporary. The quicker you are able to accept that truth, the quicker it frees you (Ironic, I know).

Have the best intentions for anyone and everyone you meet. If not for them, for yourself. Trust me, it keeps the heart light.

Take care of your body. Prioritize sleep, nutrition, exercise and your mental well-being.

Believe in yourself. I mean this in the corniest possible way. Speak to yourself as if you are talking to the 9 year old version of yourself. Tell her she is smart, tell her she is capable, tell her she is worthy of love. The more you tell yourself, the more you internalize it and it reflects outside of you.

Don’t ever talk bad about yourself, or anyone around you. Because trust me, that internalizes itself and can reflect outside of you too.

There is always more room at the table. Celebrate people's victories, even if it means that you lost your position. I promise you, you get what you put out into the world.

Always remember “Noor.” It does not matter what facial features you have, if you remember God and act on his word, that will shine through on your face.

Anything that God forbids you from- saves you.

Whatever you do, be present. Enjoy the people in the room, reflect on the environment around you, truly taste the food you are eating. Whatever it is, be present.

You are a person outside of the role that you play. You are not just a “social worker” or a “wife” or a “daughter.” You are a human.

Don’t wallow in self-pity. It’s so easy to get stuck in a victim-mentality, but the sooner you understand that you have the power to change your situation, the sooner you are able to grow into the person you are meant to be.

People love you. Truly, they love your thoughts, your curiosity, your humor, everything about you! And guess what, you are worth that love. The world is a better place with you in it.

Being able to spend some time in silence is usually a good sign. Being alone with your thoughts or just being able to “tune off” is freeing. Always needing music, tv or your phone on is not healthy. Spend your commute in silence (you might just learn something about yourself)

“You accept the love you think you deserve.” 13 year old me did not appreciate that quote enough. When I started to love myself more and take care of it both physically and mentally, I just naturally put up with less shit from the people around me. People can feel when you are insecure, and they feed off of it. You are easier to take advantage of when you are insecure because validation is usually craved from outside sources. When you get your validation from within and you believe you are worth all the love and respect and care in the world, I promise people pick up on that.

We are not the judge of whether a person is “bad” or “good.” Everyone has a story. Whether you want to learn their story or not is your decision, but whether they are deserving of happiness and love is not.