If you weren’t here, the world would beat just a little bit differently. The stars might not shine the same, and the forest wouldn’t whisper your name. The world needs you.

You need to be lost, to be on uneven ground. So, you learn, and you grow. When you struggle, you understand what being grateful really means.

Everybody heals in different ways, at a different pace. You are allowed to want to be wrapped up in someone else’s arms, to fall apart and still hold your dignity. It’s okay to want someone to rub your back and tell you everything is going to be fine. We fight the good fight, and we stand tall on our own, but sometimes it’s just nice to be reminded you aren’t alone.

What are you looking for

Listen to others and yourself. When you listen to the way you act from others, you often find yourself becoming more self-aware. When you listen to yourself, you learn how to set boundaries for other people.

What do you want to be

Do you like loud parties or small, intimate dinners; do you think about choices and consequences; are you there for others or only yourself? The hardest critic is yourself, but self-reflection is good for the soul.

What do I do when I fail

You get back up. You will fail at many things in your life, sometimes over and over again. But the point is to continue forward; no matter how big or small the failure, you are always learning, always renewing.

It gets a little too much sometimes, on the nights I don’t feel enough, hoping you won’t walk away, that you’ll always stay. But I’ll never let go of the person I can be, because I’m so grateful you’re here for me.

You’ve got to stop wondering if he’s still thinking about you, a year after it came crashing down. You’ve got to stop holding on to the girl who was never right for you. Stumbling home in the dark, hoping you’ll stop falling apart. But you are more than the tears that stain your pillows, more than the things out of your control. You are a fresh brew of tea, a sun-filled day in the middle of winter, a stitch to mend a break, life is not over just because you make mistakes.

She wants so much to feel alive, to pull back the covers. But it holds her down, anchors her to the shadows. And I know, I know, I know. I see all the grace inside you, how you shine.

Sometimes feelings are unstable, and people don’t mean what they say. Sometimes words just aren’t enough, and you lose your way. But we’re still moving even if we feel still. Time keeps going, the universe keeps existing, and so should you.