we're alive, my dear

you are a shared secret kept between cupped hands;                                   you are the first drizzle of spring, the laughter-filled nights of summer.

(there is static in your head and in your heart— breathe,                                      and remember that you are more than what your reflection tells you.) 

TAURUS

longing paces circles in your heart.                                                                       the want for more thrums just under your skin,                                                     and in your blood there are a thousand wolves howling,                                     necks craned back in prayer to the moon.

(you are not a monster for wanting more than what has been offered to you.)

SCORPIO

count the stars,                                                                                               and count the distance between where you are and where you want to be.

(just because icarus fell doesn’t mean you will.)

SAGITTARIUS

stand beneath the night sky and let the wind run cold fingers along your arms;   let the air scrape your throat with each inhale,                                                   let it sit in your lungs like something precious.

(the night sky is deep enough to get lost in. just like life. just like you.)

PISCES                                                                                                                                you are not atlas, and they are not your responsibility.

(the weight of your world is heavy enough without trying to carry other people.)

LIBRA

one day, you will wake up and realize that you are happy,                                   and you should be around to see it.

(darling, you do not need to have it all figured out now.)

LEO

you are the nostalgia of swing sets;                                                                     you are the smell of petrichor,                                                                             you are a childhood lullaby, only half-remembered.

(who you want to be is never out of reach.)

GEMINI

close your ears to them—                                                                                     your dreams are no one’s but your own,                                                             so never let them take that away from you.

(you have a star within you, and it burns bright.)

CAPRICORN

you are not an island;                                                                                           you are the sky, and when you hurl down lightning and rainfall,                           you are not hurting only yourself.

(please treat others the way you wish to be treated.)

CANCER

those memories are stamped onto your eyelids, I know;                                     but, when they come to you, unbidden, in the night,                                           do not cringe. do not cry. do not waste your time regretting.

(you are not who you were then.)

ARIES

take down their pictures;                                                                                     delete their numbers from your phone.

(your garden is dead, dear; do not waste your love on corpses.)

AQUARIUS 

you are the sting of tears;                                                                                     you are the first snowfall of winter, the burnished golds of fall.

(believe in yourself the way you believe in others.)

komorebi (japanese) sunlight filtering through trees

tsundoku (japanese) the act of buying a book and leaving it unread, often piled together with other unread books

dépaysement (french) the disorientation felt in a foreign country or culture, the sense of being a fish out of water

fernweh (german) a longing to travel, missing a place you’ve never been

hanyauku (rukwangali, namibia) to walk on tiptoes on hot sand

laotong (mandarin) a friendship bonding two girls together for eternity as kindred sisters

tidsoptimist (swedish) a person who is always late because they think they have more time than they do; a time optimist

culaccino (italian) the mark left on a table by a cold glass 

hiraeth (english) a home sickness for a home you can’t return to, or that never was

sobremesa (spanish) the time after lunch or dinner spent talking to the people you shared the meal with

mångata (swedish) the glimmering, roadlike reflection the moon creates on water

voorpret (dutch) pre-fun, the sense of enjoyment felt before a party or event takes place

limerence (english) the state of being infatuated with another person

meraki (greek) to do something with soul, creativity, or love; when you leave a piece of yourself in your work

mencolek (indonesian) the old trick where you tap someone lightly on the opposite shoulder from behind to fool them

petrichor (english) the smell after it rains

seigneur-terrasse (french) a person who spends much time but little money in a café

mamihlapinatapai (yaghan) you go first. no, you go first. the special look shared between two people when both are wishing that the other would do something that they both want to do

jayus (indonesian) a joke so poorly told and unfunny you can’t help but laugh

gigil (filipino) the overwhelming urge to squeeze or pinch something very cute

Aries: Funniest rants, trust me; Seems like a badass, but they’re harmless until you seriously piss them off; Do not piss them off, their limits are usually reasonable and they will fight you; Unafraid to act, especially to defend you; Always thinking about what’s coming up next; Great at starting projects they never completely finish; Sincere friends.

Taurus: Big, sweet cow eyes; Honestly just hug them and never let go, it’ll be the best decision you ever make; Warm aura; They’ll embarrass themselves, but it’s endearing instead of cringe-worthy; Calm presence; Naturally reserved, but they will let you in if you genuinely care; Unintentionally funny; Some quality of theirs makes people look up to them.

Gemini: They try so hard, bless their hearts; Cutest clothes; One of you is going to have a crush on the other; Awkward in a way that makes tension disappear; Unintentionally attracts trouble; It doesn’t occur to them to not put up with your shit; Not very considerate to your emotions unless they’re helping you with a specific issue; Super passionate about their fandoms and interests; Someone you can always talk to.

Cancer: Fucking dweebs that will laugh over the most bizarre things; Will always love you; Messy; They genuinely want you to do your best; They deeply care about all of their friends, too; Give great hugs; Take everything personally and fully invest themselves; They might get too wrapped up in something that doesn’t seem important to you, but just be patient with them, they’re worth it.

Leo: Simultaneously the most self-absorbed and caring people; Lucious locks; So intimidating, but it’s all a big, fat lie if you’re friends; Would kill for you; Childish and immature; Can actually be very practical minded; Really wants you to like them, but they’re not going to try hard for your approval; Let them have the last word because they’re going to have it eventually.

Virgo: Sad eyes that know the dark secrets of the world; They don’t feel in control, yet they try to be; Organized and methodical; Outwardly cynical (but they secretly hope for the best); If you meet their standards, consider yourself lucky; Big sister who will always help you with your problems; Feels most comfortable in a dark movie theater; Listen to them because they know what they’re talking about; Surprisingly patient.

Libra: They have a story for everything; Loves to go out with their loved ones; They spend a lot of time thinking over ideas and concepts; DILF; Lifelong friend that you can always turn to; Confidence booster; Can be surprisingly selfish sometimes; Indecisive as fuck; They’re going to win you over before you even realise it; Silently judgemental, but this doesn’t mean they take sides.

Scorpio: 10/10 would bang; Could destroy you effortlessly; Lifelong struggle bus ticket holder; Romantic love is not their strong suit; Darkly magnetic; Shared looks and inside jokes will be abundant when you hang out; Do not fuck with their friends; I repeat: do not fuck with their friends; seriously; avoid this at all costs; These are the type of people who will burn your house down and steal your boyfriend; If you fuck them over, they will cut ties forever, even if they still love you. They hold trustworthiness and honesty over everything else. To betray a scorpio is to betray yourself, and they will contemplate your demise in several different ways.

Sagittarius: They’re best friend material; Lots and lots of friends but few close friends; Attractive/ Magnetic; You’re going to find yourself thinking about them later; Can go literally anywhere and fit in; Histrionic; Will not put up with your bullshit at all; They seem like an open book, but this is not the case at all; Take themselves a little too seriously; More loyal than you could ask for.

Capricorn: Sassy as hell; Sarcasm actually flows through their veins; You will admire them; Always seemingly stable; They have the soundest advice; Tend to think they’re always right, and they aren’t exactly wrong about that; If they love you, it’s true; Good listeners and friends; Grouchy is their default emotion; Lowkey SUPER competitive, just let them win because they will literally never let it go ever.

Aquarius: You will fall in love with them, even if it doesn’t last; They’re going to make you laugh; They try to be forgiving creatures; Lowkey super stubborn about things they believe to be right; Really, really good at one area of expertise; Detail oriented; Highly sexual beings; They downplay their emotions; It’s hard to completely understand what they’re thinking about unless they explicitly tell you; Trust their gut because they’re going to be right.

I sat down last night with my art journal and ended up making a very long list of different themes for journals. It was quite fun and it reminded me that the possibilities for journaling are endless! If you have an empty notebook that you want to use but don’t know how, here are some ideas!

-tea journal (keep the wrappers from your tea, paste them on a page, decorate the page, and write whatever you feel! -cafe journal (visit different cafes and record your experience) -movie/tv show journal (if you love watching movies and tv shows, you can dedicate a page to each one you watch and write about the plot, the characters, and how you felt about it) -book journal (write book reviews, thoughts about characters, what you would change about the book, etc.) -recipe journal (if you like cooking, cut and paste recipes into your notebook and keep them for future reference) -sports journal (whether you play sports or just watch them, record the results of games you played or watched, player stats, etc.) -consumption journal (record everything you consume! food, drinks, beauty products, toilet paper, ink from pens, etc. Anything you spend money on or use) -snack journal (for those of us who love trying new snacks! keep the wrapper or part of the wrapper of a new snack and paste it into your journal. Write about the taste and texture of the snack and rate it accordingly) -happy things journal (write about all things happy, both big and small. Sometimes the things that make us happiest are the little things.) -restaurant journal (write about your experiences at different restaurants. Write about the food, service, atmosphere, etc.) -rant journal (rant about anything and everything you need to. This is especially useful if you don’t have anyone in your life who is willing to listen to you rant) -current events journal (keep a journal of current news events and your opinions on what’s happening.) -future plans journal (write about what you want to do in the future. Write about the kind of life you hope to have and any goals you want to achieve, big or small.) -health journal (write about the food you consume, weight loss or weight gain, exercise done, doctor visits, any medications you take both prescribed and over the counter, how your body feels when you wake up vs when you go to sleep, etc.) -money journal (make budgets, keep lists of bills to pay and bills already paid, keep track of what you spend, where you spend it, and what you buy) -creative writing journal (I have one of these! Write down lines that come to you, poems, short stories, paragraphs from potential novels, monologues, character descriptions, beautiful words, etc.) -date journal (keep a journal about any and all dates! Dates with friends, dates with lovers, dates with yourself, etc.) -museum journal (do you visit a lot of museums? maybe not, but if you do why not write about the museum, paste in your ticket stub and pamphlet, etc?) -music journal (write down lyrics that inspire you, info about different artists, concert and musical reviews, thoughts on what a particular song means to you, your own song lyrics, chord charts, etc.) -quote journal (write down quotes you like. decorate your pages and practice writing in fancy letters)

aries; unafraid to speak their mind and are usually very upfront. aries girls can be intimidating however they’re usually very kind and easy to get along with. many aries girls seem to attract drama, but this is probably because of their take-no-shit attitude. they are very passionate about the things they love and can be very creative.

taurus; like taurus boys, taurus girls can seem very intimidating if you aren’t close with them. taurus girls are huge sweethearts and generally enjoy being of use to people. they have an eye for beauty and are very sensual. they are extremely stubborn which can be hard to deal with but they’re usually trying to show their point by doing this.

gemini; gemini girls are some of the most versatile. they seem to be good at multiple things and have many talents. very intelligent and appear to know something about everything. they do have a “two faced” nature, but this is usually so they can fit comfortable into their surroundings. gemini girls can become very malicious if you’re on their bad side, however most of the time they don’t enjoy conflict and are free-spirits.

cancer; caring and considerate, cancer girls are extremely maternal. they love to take care of others and to be the protecter. however, cancer’s can often get caught up in problems whether it’s their own or someone else’s. this will result in them drowning in their own self pity. cancer’s are extremely spontaneous and love to be around those who are closest to them.

leo; some might say leo girls are overly generous. leo girls love luxury and are extremely romantic. they dream of simplistic lives filled with happiness and are not the biggest fans of drama, however they can also get caught up in conflicts. leo girls seem very self confident, but they might actually be very self conscious and insecure. they’re very envious people and seem to always be overthinking what other people think of them, putting up a fake front to seem better than they think they are.

virgo; virgo girls love to socialise, believe it or not, most of them enjoy being out and discovering new parts of the world. they do have a reserved nature but this doesn’t mean they don’t like being fun. they are very neat and tidy but are not necessarily “clean freaks”, many virgo’s probably have their rooms messy more often than not. virgo girls are also very creative and are usually good at drawing.

libra; libra girls can often be seen as shallow and materialistic, and this can be true, but there is always more beneath the surface. libra girls are kind and caring and usually do the best for people. they expect for people to do the same for them which can leave them very disappointed. they are charming and adaptable to their surroundings as well as being ambitious, however libra girls tend to get lost in their dreams.

scorpio; just like cancer, they love to protect others. scorpio girls love to feel needed and enjoy helping others feel happy again. they’re extremely intuitive and can tell exactly how you’re feeling. they can be seen as manipulative, and sometimes they are, but they’re generally trying to help someone out. 

sagittarius; sagittarian girls are so varied, but they’re all definitely adventurous and open to new things. these girls, even the quietest ones, are not shy. they are honest and curious and do not like to waste time beating around the bush. they can sometimes be too forward for certain people to handle, but this never really bothers them.

capricorn; capricorn girls make amazing friends. they’re considerate, humble, funny and will do anything to make you happy again. they may seem detached but this is only so they can make friends more easily. they’re quite easygoing and love to joke around. they can be moody and extremely emotional at times but they usually won’t open up to many about this side of themselves.

aquarius; they love to shock you. aquarian girls will do anything to prove people wrong. they’re fiercely independent and almost always have a very large circle of friends. like capricorn, they’re very easygoing and love to joke around. they are brutally honest and can be detached. aquarian girls will also get frustrated if they feel someone is dragging them down, they hate extra baggage.

all the beautiful colours of the skies - pink, gold, blue, orange, sometimes all at once

new films and your favourite actors and actresses

new songs from your favourite artists

new seasons of your favourite tv shows

new video games and books and scientific discoveries

the crunch of autumn leaves under your feet 

the feeling of warmth when you walk in to a warm room in the middle of winter

climbing into your nice soft bed after a long tiring day

watching the clouds drifting 

the chance to see what will happen in the future

listening to amazing music which you can feel in your heart

your favourite songs, artists, films,books, foods, smells

a chance to see all the beautiful places 

poetry and literature 

making a difference, no matter how small 

the feeling of accomplishment after getting through something

the feeling of a soft breeze on your face

driving in a car with the window down

nice coffee shops

strangers who you can smile at and brighten the day of

people who you can be around and brighten the day of

flowers and their different colours and aromas

you’re helping all the plants by breathing

you can bake cookies and cakes for yourself and others

so many people love you

journalling and writing 

the moon glowing, never leaving, to help you feel less alone

the stars illuminating the night. their ancestors created you

rainbows after a storm

lying in bed at night while there’s thunder and rain all around

you can inspire and help so many people

all the people who can inspire and help you

feeling the sun’s warmth on your face

soft warm sand and sparkling oceans

delicious food

the first bite of food after being hungry

writing with a brand new pen

beautiful hairstyles, make up and clothes you could wear

you can learn anything you want, any language, subject or instrument

travelling to all the pretty places

fragrant tea, coffee and hot chocolate

chocolate !!! 

the aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries 

soft fuzzy animals who you could cuddle and take care of

all shells, postcards, flowers, train tickets, and anything else you love that you can collect

all the memories that you can preserve

all the art you can create

all the atoms and cells in your body who all work really hard to keep you alive

doughnuts and pizza and birthday cakes

fireworks and all the exploding colours in the night sky

you can take so many beautiful photographs

writing letters and sending gifts

receiving handwritten letters and gifts

somewhere out there so many people care about you

bird songs in the early morning

lifelong friendships

internet friendships

libraries and the smell of books

smiles, laughs, hugs and kisses

all the meaningful conversations, friendships and relationships you’ll have in the future

gardens, ladybirds, butterflies and bees

the chance to prove everyone wrong

you impact on other people so much more than you realise

being able to laugh and smile and feel alive

sadness and sunsets

happiness, fresh starts and sunrises

dreams and wishes

a chance to be happy again 

a chance to be stronger and wiser and kinder than ever

oversized sweaters and hot water bottles

running free in flower fields

all the little things which mean so much

long walks with someone you love

the euphoria of finally understanding something

all the kind people who are out there 

all the kind people who you will meet

exploring forests and special places where there’s no one else apart from you to enjoy

the ability to move, run, walk, bike-ride, swim, jump, dance, sing, hear, taste, see, feel

you are loveable and you are beautiful 

you matter and you’re important and you deserve to live 

+ thousands more 💛