Better things ahead.

Do not waste your heart on someone who has left you.

Do not spend your time trying to get back what you lost.

People will let you down, they will walk away...and from that, it takes strength.

Strength to pick yourself back up. The ability to trust people again, to feel confident and know that better things will come. 

Better things will come. 

Things do work out for a reason.

You will learn who you can trust, depend on, who will always be there for you. Sometimes you know who those people are and sometimes they will surprise you. 

Sometimes, I like surprises.

Do not waste your heart on someone who has left you. They were the ones who made the mistake, they walked away, let them live with that. 

Your heart is great, and big and doesn't deserve to sit on the sidelines and wait. To wait for something that might never come, would be to waste who you are. 

Do not waste your heart on things or people who have let you down.

"People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed: Never throw out anyone. 

And remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of each of your arms." - Audrey 

Who you are is amazing. 

Sometimes, at the end of the day when everyone has left you or let you down, the only person left is you. You are capable of change. You are enough. The silence of your soul, to not dwell on the negative that has come...but to think of all the changes you can make, the better things that can come of this heartache.

Do not dwell on a job you may have lost, a friend who has let you down. It is with failure and heart ache that we learn what is important in our lives and who the people are that matter.

Do not waste your time on the bad things that have happened. They happen.

Think about the good people, the people you can trust, the memories you have and the good times that are bound to come. 

It is the people who have let us down that have taught us so many important things about ourselves.

Know this, accept this, relish your thoughts in this belief. The good times are on the way. You my friend, will never be alone. This life is filled with love and possibilities.

"There are better things ahead, than any we leave behind." - CS Lewis

Phenomenal Woman

Self love.

Waking up every morning, making the decision to be happy, to be positive, to be thankful...it can be tiring and it can be hard, but we must push past and prevail. The goodness of life is rich, and the gifts you've been given are plenty and powerful. It's YOU. You possess so much possibility for such amazing things. I hope you know you are capable of anything and everything. Today, be thankful for your body. For your legs and your knees, for your heart and your lungs...treat yourself with kindness, treat yourself. Take care of yourself. Without your body...you would be no where and no one. So be thankful and happy, for what you have is the greatest gift of all, life...and a pretty healthy one at that. So love yourself, every bit. You are who you are, if we were all alike, if we all agreed on everything, the world would be an awfully boring place. So be yourself, be real, be raw...be who you are and do what makes you happy. Stand up for yourself and what you believe in.

************************ 

I know the constant struggle of loving who you are and everything that comes along with it. The fight is hard and it is long and it can last forever, but you can't let it win. We are different, and we are beautiful and that is what makes us powerful. You are beautiful, exactly as you are. Make today a good day, decide that what you have is enough and you are amazing. Don't let the world rule you, you are in control. Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou is a poem a friend of mine sent me, I hope you enjoy it.

Phenomenal Woman

Maya Angelou 

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies

I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size

But when I start to tell them 

They think I'm telling lies. 

I say, 

It's in the reach of my arms 

The span of my hips, 

The stride of my step, 

The curl of my lips. 

I'm a woman 

Phenomenally. 

Phenomenal woman, 

That's me.

I walk into a room 

Just as cool as you please, 

And to a man, 

The fellows stand or 

Fall down on their knees. 

Then they swarm around me, 

A hive of honey bees. 

I say, 

It's the fire in my eyes 

And the flash of my teeth, 

The swing of my waist, 

And the joy in my feet. 

I'm a woman 

Phenomenally. 

Phenomenal woman, 

That's me.

Men themselves have wondered 

What they see in me. 

They try so much 

But they can't touch 

My inner mystery. 

When I try to show them, 

They say they still can't see. 

I say 

It's in the arch of my back, 

The sun of my smile, 

The ride of my breasts, 

The grace of my style. 

I'm a woman 

Phenomenally. 

Phenomenal woman, 

That's me.

Now you understand 

Just why my head's not bowed. 

I don't shout or jump about 

Or have to talk real loud. 

When you see me passing 

It ought to make you proud. 

I say, 

It's in the click of my heels, 

The bend of my hair, 

The palm of my hand, 

The need of my care, 

'Cause I'm a woman 

Phenomenally. 

Phenomenal woman, 

That's me.

Countless Someones.

"I want to leave a trace. Some mark upon this world. Proof — visceral or intangible — that what I did here mattered. That somewhere in this grand scheme of things, I did not waste my time on this earth, that everything that was given to me was used, that every talent that I had I employed, that every last shred of my effort and my heart came to bear somewhere in something or someone. Many someones. Countless someones." - CrossFit Lisbeth

http://crossfitlisbeth.com/

CrossFit Lisbeth is one blog I love. Everything is so inspiring, meaningful, passionate. I find you can relate so much of your life to the posts. When I read this one...about having a meaningful life...it hit me. Life...this thing were doing...everyday, this is it and it's a big deal. 

We have a lot more than most and we are extremely fortunate. Every day I deal with people who are going through crisis, loss and heartache...I am empathetic and I feel for them. I send love out into the world, with hope that some day it will reach them. The sadness and realization that life is short and precious, has given me a new outlook and complete appreciation for my life. Each morning I wake up thankful, I appreciate who I am and what I've been given. I want to be big, and bold and raw. I want to make a difference and be powerful. 

I will be. 

I am.

I don't want to get to the end of it all and know that what I was given was wasted and I let the days, moments and love, simply pass me by. I want to appreciate and give and spread, share and love and create. What can you do to make your life powerful? To create change and help others? Think big and think with love...you can make a difference. Set goals and create change within your life.


I am first to admit, I have taken far too many things for granted and spent too much of my time complaining over the smallest of problems. I need to stop thinking of the problems, the worries...and see the big picture. To find within that big picture, everything. To appreciate all the little things that make it so great, so big and so powerful.


This life, this world is powerful. You are powerful.

Help create power within your life and within others. Your life is meaningful. You are here for a reason...don't let it pass you by. 

Be thankful, for everything and everyone. You have touched thousands of lives and help this world see love, every day.


"This is failure. It’s that moment when you realize that a choice you made, or something you did, has fully changed the course of your life. But what matters even more than this truth is what you do choose to do once you know it. The tendency may be to curl up in the fetal position and wait for things to improve. But if you can somehow manage to take a breath and look around you, you might just spot another path you hadn’t seen before. It may not be easy to walk, especially the beginning. But all that really matters is that it’s there."-Sarah Dessen

You want appreciation? Look out into the world. Enjoy the smell of rain and freshly cut grass. Smile at the world and it will smile back. The good will come...even though being patient can be painful...sit tight, it is on it's way. Realize this life is a blessing...and there are miracles around every corner. 


I hope you feel thankful.

Good things.

"We accept the love we think we deserve.”

- Stephen Chobsky

I hope on the cloudiest of days, the rainiest of moments and the hardest of times, you feel love. I hope through all the pain and heartache, you find a reason to smile. I hope you know you deserve love. You deserve to be loved and respected, by yourself and others. You need to realize and believe this more than anyone.

I hope you aren't too hard on yourself.

You deserve good things. Not only good things, but the best things. I hope you never settle. The moment you settle for less than you are worth, you ultimately end up failing no one but yourself. So get out there, and find love. Whether it’s love for your life, your job, love for yourself or even love for another. Maybe you want to find the meaning of your life and find a passion and flame that will never go out. Maybe you want to find that one person you will spend the rest of your life with…just maybe. So do it, get out there and be you, be real and be raw. Open yourself up to experience and change. I want you to feel passion and happiness for your life.

You deserve it.

And maybe, just maybe…you’re out searching for love for yourself. Because at the end of the day, you are still your worst critic when you need to be your biggest fan. So make it about you. This life is long and it’s tough and things won’t always go your way – that is a given. You will never make it through life if you are selfish, but in this case, think about yourself. Go searching for what will make you happy, what will make you feel loved…maybe just go on searching to find nothing, nothing at all but happiness. To appreciate everything you encounter and understand that the quest for self-happiness, comes from self appreciation, self love and sending love out into the world. Take each day as it comes, and send as much love out into the world, smile at strangers and walk with a sense of confidence. This life is yours, you are in control and happiness and love – they are on the way.

In the end, you want to do what makes you happy and be with who makes you smile.

On second thought...maybe if we stop searching and trying so hard, maybe if we just left life to unfold how it must, appreciating and being thankful for every day…maybe then it will show up,  clear as day: the love we were meant for, the love we deserve. 


And not only good things, but the best things.

"My life is damn near perfect, but every once in a while I think about 'that guy', and the fairytale thing we once had. I wondered if we'd still be together, because the minute it got hard, the minute it stopped being a fairytale, I cut and I ran. Real life is hard. Real life takes work. Real life is sometimes thoughtless and mean, but that doesn't cancel out the love. So if you don't love this girl, walk away. But if you look at her and you know she's the one, you owe it to yourself to give it a second chance.” 
- Private Practice 

You are.

"We have to learn to be our own best friends, because we fall too fast and too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies." - Roderick Thorp

Do not take yourself for granted.

Your alarm goes off, you roll over...take a look at the clock, maybe hit snooze a few times. Roll over a few more times, stretch and squint your eyes and start to wake yourself up and out of bed. In that split second between leaving your bed and starting this bright and shiny new day, you are faced with a decision: who are you going to be today? We all may think that who we are each day depends on the circumstances and situations we are faced with, the people we interact with, the daily communications we have shape our days - part of it is true, but mostly, how your day is going to be is up to you.

No matter what happens to you, good or bad, it's all how you handle it. Each thing that flies at you, something that happens and comes out of left field, the thing that blindsides you at 2pm on some idle wednesday...those are the moments we have to make a quick judgement on: how are you going to react, how are you going accept and handle this? How can you take the good out of this situation and create a positive, constructive reaction?

During that split second that you wake up and get out of bed, the most important relationship you are going to have that day is going to be with yourself. I think too often we take for granted how we are feeling. By that ...I mean how YOU are feeling. What's up? How's your morning? How was your sleep? What are you dreading? Waiting for? Anticipating? We have all these thoughts that swirl around in our heads. They, for the most part, control our reactions, our communications, our attitudes. If we don't like the person we are, things are going to get lonely, and fast.

"If people put you down enough you start to believe it. The bad stuff is easier to believe...you ever notice that?" - Pretty Woman

Too often we put ourselves down, tell ourselves we can't, we're not good enough, we aren't capable of this or that. Stop, stop right there...you CAN and you ARE good enough. We all have that little voice in our head that puts us down time after time, but there is also that little voice of confidence. It might be so quiet and so passive that we barely can hear it...but it's there. So listen and listen good. Believe in yourself and like yourself. If you find you have too many things that bother you, change them. If you can't, think about a few good things about yourself.

Now stop...tell yourself 5 good things about yourself, 2 things you are good at...and 1 thing you are going to work out. It's all about self improvement and self love. Who we are being is going to send a message out to the world...I want my message to be: HELLO WORLD, I'm here to make a change, I'm going to be happy and passionate and filled with love and I'm going to send that out into the world.

So stop being your own worst critic, that job is far too easy and it seriously gets old. Start thinking about the good things you possess, your great qualities, attributes, anything and everything. Start looking in yourself and you'll find them in others. Love yourself, each and every bit. And in that split second you have to make up your mind on who you are going to be that day, decide that you are someone of greatness, who possesses the power to make a difference and help others. Decide that you are not alone, and you will handle everything that you are dealt today, with care.

Do not take yourself for granted.

Times are tough,

"When things go wrong, you’ll find they usually go on getting worse for some time; but when things once start going right they often go on getting better and better." -C.S. Lewis

I think sometimes, conflict and heartache and problems..they only make us stronger. In the moment we want to break down, cry or curse at the world. Usually after you do it, you’ll sit there wondering why you were so mad in the first place. Things happen, bad and good…and for the most part when something bad happens, something that tears down our walls we’ve spent so long building, the things that make us lose hope and meaning…those are the important moments.

These moments will be monumental. They will only make you stronger, more compassionate and empathetic. They will give you understanding and more appreciation for all the times when things were good. Sometimes, realizing you don’t have all the answers isn’t the worst thing, from there you can start asking the right questions.

"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." 

— Marilyn Monroe

Being able to take a step back from what you’re doing and ask yourself what you were doing wrong can help you excel into change. To change your life for the greater, the stronger…the happier. Maybe the bad times come, and they break us down, but from there we get to re build. Re build our thoughts, our emotions, our appreciations, relationships, our worlds. Even though sometimes we take a step forward, only to move two steps back...there will be a reason for it. Maybe you aren't ready, maybe you are meant for something better, greater, something that suits your life and who you are meant to be. 

Of all the different roads you could have followed, the different decisions you have made in the past...have all defined who you are today. Things happen for a reason. Those reasons are hard to understand, and even at times they are hard to accept, but there is always a reason. 

"Everything will be okay in the end. 

If it's not okay, it's not the end."

I think sometimes, it’s when you are at your weakest that you are the most creative. The possibilities that lay before you may seem far away, but they are endless. You are not alone, nor will you ever be. To be beaten down, experience loss and heartache, to feel as though you've hit rock bottom...stop, there is hope. Things will get better and from here, you will only be stronger, wiser and better. 

Don't let them break your spirits and bring you down. Time heals everything, and so does a little love, so spread it. Things have a sneaky way of falling back into place.

Today.

"I believe that we are who we choose to be. Nobody is going to come and save you. You’ve got to save yourself. Nobody is going to give you anything. You’ve got to go out and fight for it. Nobody knows what you want except you, and nobody will be as sorry as you if you don’t get it. So don’t give up your dreams." - Barry Manilow

It's time to stop being scared and to actually start living. To start seeing things, not just as they are...but how much they are worth. To look out at this world and see all the absolute beauty in it. It's sad how it takes us a loss, or an extreme heartache to have us realize how good we 'once' had it. HAVE IT. How good we actually have it. Stop, and consider your life. You are fortunate. If we were to wear all our problems on a t-shirt...after you see what others might be dealing with, you'll probably realize you have it pretty darn good. So be thankful, for all the life, your health, the love and the beauty you have in this world.

Stop making excuses, stop waiting. You need to dream big, challenge yourself and go after what you want. Even if it's the most extreme of  dreams, and seems next to impossible to come true, go after it. Set your goals high and have faith in who you are and what you can achieve. Nobody is going to do it for you, they aren't going to push you. You can't always rely on someone else's confidence and what someone else might think of you. It comes down to what YOU think of you.

It's tough - this thing called life. I get it. We seem to have more bad days than good. We seem to be let down by others more than we are surprised by them. But we can't give up. There is happiness and love, and light at the end of it all. The tough times will pass and things will get better. They WILL get better, life goes on. You need to have faith, faith in yourself. Nobody is going to do it for you, you need to believe in yourself.

You don't want to regret things in your life. You don't want to let things hold you back - don't let anything or anyone control you. At the end of your life, when everything comes together, you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do or didn't say than the things you actually did. Regret - it doesn't have to be something we focus on and dwell in...regret is just an experience, and when bad things happen to us we learn, we grow from it. Everything has a reason and with everything comes a lesson. Learn from it, experience is necessary to understanding, understanding about our life, our world and others. We need heartache and pain to appreciate the good. To make us realize what we have and how fortunate we are to have it. Don't wait for something bad to happen for you to realize all the wonders you have in your life. They are endless.


"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

a healthy mind in a healthy body.

Mens Sana In Corpore Sano

I first came across this saying in a book I read a few years back. At the beginning I loved it, because I thought it sounded beautiful. The way the words roll together, latin is such a lovely language. One that has died out long ago, and yet is still used every now and then. The translation to english: A sound mind in a sound body; physical and mental health; A healthy spirit, mind, soul in a healthy body. Depending on who interprets the saying, it can come out either way...for me it's everything and all three: spirit, mind and soul. 

No matter how you take it, this saying sings to my heart. The words resinate perfectly with my goals in life and what I hope to achieve. Better yet, what I will achieve. When I get up in the morning I hope for balance, within my life, my world, my love. I want that healthy balance between the good and the beautiful, god and our pleasures. But most of all, I need a healthy balance in my body. I find when you come to a crossroad or a conflict, generally your head is telling you one thing and your heart another. Logically, you might understand why something may or may not be, logically it makes sense. But your kind little heart, does not feel the same. When the two don't align, chaos soars through your soul. To understand something logically but not have it feel comfortable with your heart is a steady struggle we all might face each day. We encounter problems we understand but don't like, things that will hold us down, keep us back - we get it, but it doesn't settle quite right.

Mens Sana In Corpore Sano.

A healthy mind, spirit, soul in a healthy body. You can work forever towards optimal health. To be in the best shape of your life, strong as heck...but you may feel amazing physically, but how about mentally? Do your feelings align? I know from experience I've pushed myself to limits I wasn't prepared for, with a workout or a diet, thinking I was achieving a healthy state that I wanted. My mind however, wasn't able to deal with it; cutting calories, working out too hard for too long. The epic battle of the body. Now when I wake up in the morning, I ask for peace within my soul. To simply love myself, for everything that I am. My personality down to my toes. It's not just about being strong, but about feeling strong. To love my soul, who I am, to accept everything I have been blessed with. For then, I can love all of me. It all comes down to being something and feeling it just the same.

To find that perfect balance between a healthy state of mind, a sense of peace in our soul and allowing our spirits to be free, all within the elements of a healthy body. To take care of who we are, what we eat, what we do, how we feel. Every day we put our bodies through hell. We challenge our minds. It's not only about taking care of our bodies, but understanding that it all starts in our heads, in our souls. A dream, a thought...a goal. If you want to be healthy, start with your mind. Set your standards high on what you want and how you're going to get there. Challenge yourself everyday and treat yourself well. You need your body. You need your knees, your back, your hands...thank them, for everything they've given you.

My thoughts here, are that I strive for the perfect balance between my mind and my body. I want them to align and to understand each other. I want to feel complete, healthy and free. To feel the balance and acceptance between my mind and my body; they will one day understand. I strive to not only take care of the health of my body, but the health of my mind, spirit and soul as well. You can't have one without the other.

A happy heart, comes from a happy spirit.

Potential

The Laughing Heart

your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

Charles Bukowski

This poem came recommended by a friend; he talked of how strong and powerful the poem was and that I had to experience it for myself. I've re-read it five times since I first came across it this afternoon. It's a funny thing how strong of an affect a poem, a quote or a book can have on you. It can help you relate, understand or even see your problems as clear as day. I think sometimes reading and understanding what someone else feels can help you understand yourself. By being honest about their feelings and problems and experiences helps you feel comfortable with who you are being and what you have experienced. Understanding that someone else can let their walls down, can give you the strength to see your life in the light of day, and really help you see yourself.

This poem is powerful and filled with passion. Behind every dark moment there lies opportunity. With every decision we make, it's all chance. We need to realize our potential and the strength we have to actually be able to get out of bed every day and decide to actually live our lives. The extreme miracle it is that most of us have a roof over our head, food in our bellies and family to laugh with.

Our hearts will forever be full if we surround ourselves with love and opportunity to grow. Life is a series of thousands of tiny miracles. We need to realize this and cherish our moments, our days, our lives.

I hope you realize your potential and know what your life is capable of achieving. I hope you see that every day is a miracle and take advantage of all your possibilities.

Never, ever settle.

Anger & Darkness

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." 

I think what we've learned over the years is that anger doesn't make anything better. Hate, it doesn't make you any stronger. It dampens the situation. Those emotions make you bitter and green with envy. Anger and hate create conflict and troubles and worries. Nobody ever made someone feel better by being mean to them. Nobody ever bettered their situation by being cruel to others. You cannot drive out the darkness in your life with darkness. You need love, and light and strength. Love and happiness in your life brings about other love, light and happiness. 

Decide to fight your demons with your light and your love. To live your life in darkness and jealousy would be to never live to your absolute potential. Drive out your demons with love. Help others, show them the way with good behavior and a kind heart.

I think if we constantly look back at our lives with a sense and urge for revenge, we are living for the wrong things.  Where is your strength coming from? Where is your love and happiness coming from? How can you spread that? What goes around, comes around. If you send anger and hate out into the world, it will come back to you. If you send love and positivity into the world, you will eventually reap the benefits.

"Because in the end the love you take, 

is equal to the love you make." 

- The Beatles

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We need to set the standard high and start with us. Show others the way this world ought to be. Live your life with care, passion and kindness. Spread your love, do not let your anger win. The little things that try to tear us down, bring us down and complicate our lives, they cannot get the best of us; they cannot win. Shine your light, and others will do the same. Share a smile, a laugh, your heart with others. 

"Be the change you wish to see in this world." 

- Gandhi

Start with you.

Happiness.

“Some people are settling down, some people are settling and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies." - SJP

I think what it all boils down to is whether you are happy. Happy with your life, your relationships, your jobs, your friends, yourself. If at the end of the day, what you have is enough, you feel happy and complete, it shouldn't matter what other people think. Sometimes, we need to be selfish, in order to go after what we want. We may hurt others, and we may let people down in the process. But it is important to make mistakes in this game, it's how we learn. Apologize, be sincere and ask for forgiveness.

I refuse to settle for anything less than happiness. If you are doing what makes you happy, being with who makes you happy... than you are on the right track. That is enough. 

"If you always do what makes you happy, at least one person is pleased" 

- Katharine Hepburn

Always be honest with yourself and others, never settle and always send love out into the world. It will eventually find it's way back to you.