T.C. Oldham

I will not allow you to plant thorns inside my heart; your weeds will not take over my soul. No, I will sprout wildflowers from my veins and the world will smile at my perfect chaos.

Here’s a thought: Consider limiting how much time you spend trying look good, and instead invest more of your time into things that make you feel good. Watch how your whole world shifts.

You will never have the power to break me. I refuse to give you that much control. My soul is too gentle for you, but I will not allow you to turn me cold and hard as ice. I will not allow you to alter who I am or what I stand for. I am kind and I am soft, but I swear to you... I will never, ever let you break me.

Caring for me should not be a chore, and I will not let you treat it like one.

Baby girl, you are not a burden. You’re not a burden for getting stressed; for being sad; for feeling just plain tired. You’re not a burden for caring too much; for overthinking; for breaking down. Don’t you dare let them convince you that you are. You have every right to feel all of the things that you feel and you should never, ever be ashamed or beaten down for that. Stand tall, baby girl. You are a light shining in this world. It’s not your fault if some people can’t handle your darkness as well.

Don't bite back. Karma will take care of whatever needs to be taken care of. It's not your duty to dish out punishments to whoever has done you wrong - let the universe handle it, and trust that it will all balance out in the end.

You’ll never get anywhere by wishing for it. Start working for it instead and see how far you get.

“She was so light that she almost seemed to float on the wind. She danced and played in people’s hair, and swept her way through gardens and flowers... No one could catch her, no one could hold her back. She was wild and free and uncontrollable. And my god she was beautiful. More than anything, she was beautiful.”

It’s not about protecting them from everything that could go wrong along the way. It’s pointing in the right direction, and then walking alongside them regardless of which road they choose to take. It’s loving and supporting them even when you disagree. It’s holding and comforting them when they do make mistakes, and laughing and celebrating with them when they reach their goals. You can’t always protect. But you can be there when no one else is.

Once you find your fire, trust me, they will never be able to put it out.

If you cannot give your all to someone, let them go so they can find another who will. Respect them enough to at least give them that much.

Fake people with false intentions will never be worth your time. Don't waste your energy on them, baby girl. Surround yourself with real, genuine people and forget the rest. You'll be better off for it, trust me.

I don't waste time being miserable over the world I live in. I may not always like it, but I can always make the best of it. I can always find a way to make my own life whatever I want it to be.

Be kind enough to walk away from someone if you know you'll only waste their time by staying.

When did you get so scared to follow your heart?

You removed me. You cleared me out. You made it seem as though I was never there at all. And now I'm watching you do that with every other part of me that's left. You're wiping down the shelves and you're re-painting the walls. You're getting rid of every trace of me. So where am I meant to go? Where is my place now, if not with you? Where is my home when you've torn it down in front of me?

Baby girl, if there is one thing you should understand about this life, it is that people can be cruel. They don't need an excuse; sometimes they won't even know they're doing it. People can be cruel, but you don't have to be. Shine your light. Vibrate love. Feel the flowers beneath your feet and let it roll off you like water. People can be cruel but you, my darling, are beautiful. Remember that.