You Are Not A Machine. You're A Soul Who Needs Music, Connection, Sunsets, Laughter, And Small Pockets

“Childhood trauma trains us to anticipate other people's needs while ignoring our own. As we heal, we rediscover ourselves.”

— Thema Bryant, PhD

Maturity is not seeking revenge. It's healing and moving on, so you don’t become like the people who traumatized you.

it’s okay to have “unflattering” symptoms

it’s okay to have “embarrassing” symptoms

it’s okay to have “gross” symptoms

it’s okay to have “ugly” symptoms

it’s okay to have “inconvenient” symptoms

via @swatercolor [insta]

Some days it feels like you're not improving at all, no matter how hard and how long you try. And this could be with anything, a new hobby you're trying, new habits you try to maintain or maybe lessons you're trying to learn yourself. Even if it feels like you're not going forward, even if it feels like you're never going to be better, remember when you first started and why. Remember the first day you tried and try to imagine how far you've come already. Its okay if your progress with certain things seems to go slow, progress will always be progress. From here on, you can only grow and do better. No matter how slow, no matter how small the change.

it’s like insane that an ancient writer knew the words i needed to hear a thousand years on and could see me through all that time but also. it’s not surprising in the least bc they felt as i felt and they sang as i sang and they did everything i’ve ever done there is no state of being which they have not already passed i am nothing new i am not alone and that is a great joy to know

you have to admit there are some joys in life that can only be felt due to hardship. a common example is steaming hot showers. it takes a cold day, or a sickness, for someone to experience the joy of a hot shower. you can’t enjoy it in the heat. then there’s the joy of a fulfilling sleep, often achieved through a tiring day. and there’s the joy of a reunion, achieved through separation. and there are many more examples. sometimes difficulty carries a special range of joys and that’s something to be thankful about.

And when someone you care about has a mental health crisis, please keep in mind that it's not About You™️. They are not doing it to you, or because of you, or because they don't value your love. And they can't stop it because it's upsetting you or triggering you. Because it's just NOT about you. Don't make it about you