If you come from a dysfunctional family, you may have promised yourself something like...

• "I will not end up like my mom."

• "My kids will not feel the way I did growing up."

• "I will never be with someone like my dad."

• "My marriage will be nothing like my parents'."

• "'Il never turn into the kind of parent I had."

• "When I get out, my house will feel like a home."

Heal before having children so your children don't have to heal from having you as a parent

Parents cause their kids so much hurt but don't realize how much that pain stays & develops with them & pretty much defines who they become.

HEALING & LOOKING WITHIN

"What is it that you want?" My Mind asks. "A lot of things," my Heart answers. "But what is it that you really want, really NEED?" "To be happy, fulfilled, powerful!" my Heart exclaims. "How will you become happy?" My mind asks, understanding that my Heart is unsure. "I don't know, but what I do know is that I'll never stop until I get there," my Heart replies. "Have control over me,," my Mind states, "and you will see that what you want and need is within you already."

I fall in love with souls not faces..

IT'S OKAY NOT TO KNOW HOW THINGS ARE GOING TO TURN OUT-

life is rarely ever predictable.

the truth is: we were never guaranteed that we would have the answers for everything or feel certainty in every situation.

that's part of this journey's adventure - to get from where we are to where we want to be, we are required to trust, hope, and believe - and dare to blaze the trail even when the path in front of us looks near impossible.

the secret to life isn't about knowing the future or having the perfect roadmap, but rather - having faith for the future and the spirit of a pioneer.

侘寂

Wabi-sabi (Japanese)

the discoverv of beauty in imperfection; the acceptance of the cycle of life and death.

IT'S OKAY NOT TO KNOW HOW THINGS ARE GOING TO TURN OUT-

life is rarely ever predictable.

the truth is: we were never guaranteed that we would have the answers for everything or feel certainty in every situation.

that's part of this journey's adventure - to get from where we are to where we want to be, we are required to trust, hope, and believe - and dare to blaze the trail even when the path in front of us looks near impossible.

the secret to life isn't about knowing the future or having the perfect roadmap, but rather- having faith for the future and the spirit of a pioneer.

Money is numbers and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy your search for happiness will never end.

~Robert Nesta Marley~

Read This If Nobody Texted You Good Morning

First of all: Good morning, beautiful.

Is it too late to say that? I know you've probably been awake a while - likely hours or even all day. I know you may have gone this whole time without hearing it - shrugging back to friends and family who asked you how you're doing with a non-committal "Fine" because that is what were meant to do as humans - answer meaningful questions with arbitrary phrases. I know that you may not be fine. I know you may have had a lackluster day. And I know that something as incredibly mundane as a "Good morning" text may have made all the difference in the world. It's okay if that's the case.

It's okay to sometimes ache for those simple and kind-hearted gestures.

Because the truth is that good morning texts are more than a half-hearted means of communication. They are a sign that we are thought of. Cared for. Adored, by someone who may not be immediately present. They are a reminder - one we perhaps should not need but sometimes do - that we are

When I ask you about your first love, I am always secretly hoping that you will say your own name. Now wouldn't that be beautiful - to above all else, have a heart that was proud of itself.

Lose yourself in books, in art, in the haze of new horizons. Lose yourself in curiosity, in knowledge, in passion. Lose yourself in feeling it all, lose yourself in the world, in the stories and the lessons it has to teach you, but never lose yourself in love; never lose yourself in another person. You are your own home-please don't ever forget that.

heal yourself, but don't rush

help people, but have boundaries

love others, but don't let them harm you

love yourself, but don't become egotistical

stay informed, but don't overwhelm yourself

embrace change, but keep pursuing your goals

I wish your parents could have loved you the way you needed.

It had nothing to do with you.

You deserved to have your needs met.

Honor that little kid in you who still is not sure if they were the problem.

Tell them how much they matter.

Rescue them from these old stories.

A small reminder

You are not what you look like. You're the music you listen to, the shows you watch, the art you make, the flowers in your hair, and your favorite blanket. You're not the pimple on your nose or the pudge on your tummy.

You're not your thighs or your teeth. You are the color of your hair. You're the mismatched socks you wear and your favorite sweater.

You're not what you look like or the body you are in. You are what you love.