She’s as real as it gets and there ain’t no way around it. There’s a road that’s been through hell and she’s been down it. She’s been mistreated, she’s been lied to, she’s seen her share of trouble. But that girl, she’s the beauty in this trouble.

Beauty in the Struggle – Bryan Martin

While I Look back over my life, there have been many beautiful moments and those that have burned and left scars. To those who get the privilege to hear my stories, they are amazed at my strength, courage, and determination through enormous struggles. Amid those struggles, I wanted to give up, give in, and frankly, disappear. Even though I would walk around and pretend everything was fine. The breakdown was always just under the surface. Being conditioned as a child to sit still and look pretty doesn’t do well for an adult who doesn’t know how to deal with emotional upheaval.

While walking through the trials and tribulations of this life, it is easy to become overwhelmed, feel abandoned, or defeated. Life’s perspective allows you to see how strong you are after you have walked through those dark times.

Uncovering your true strength is found only when you have hit rock bottom. Finding the light at the end of the tunnel is a life skill that must be practiced, and practiced often to not get sucked into a negative thought pattern. Healing inner wounds and hurts carried around since childhood is both very challenging and yet very rewarding especially when done alone.

I wouldn’t recommend doing it alone, but if you must, I am living proof you can and will survive.

As a child, I was always told, “It’s always darkest before dawn.” As much as I hate to admit it, those words still ring true after all these years. Our demons seem to show themselves when the day is done, and we have nothing else to keep our minds occupied. The darkness of the night is sometimes the hardest for those struggling with painful past experiences. Being alone with your thoughts can make you believe the worst about yourself.

All we need to do is find a glimmer of hope to keep us going. Unfortunately, finding that glimmer in those moments of darkness can test your inner strength in ways you never knew existed. It doesn’t matter where you are on your self-healing journey, the practice of finding the good is always difficult. The complexity of finding hope is a battle we must never give up on.

Ever.

No matter what.

You are worthy of love. Remember that.

Perspective: the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance

– Merriam-Webster

I find it amusing that everyone’s view of the world boils down to a difference in perspective. No two people see the same situation, even if standing side by side in the midst of it. Many factors cause our view of the world to be different. Our upbringing, other life experiences, our personality, and most importantly, our ability to love and forgive—both ourselves and those around us.

As a child, in Sunday school I remember learning that if we wake every morning with a grateful heart, the world tends to look much brighter.

Being grateful in painful moments isn’t always easy.

When the world is dark and not going the way you would like it to go, it’s much easier to keep that dark cloud over your head. ‘Let go and let God’ is a phrase my close friends say. Ha.

Well, I say, if only God could tell me his plan for this little control freak.

I for one would be a much happier and less anxious person.

I wish I could be more like Elsa and just ‘let it go.’

Therapy taught me we don’t get what we want out of life. We get what we need, regardless of how those situations make us feel.

YEAH, let that sink in.

We are here to learn, grow, and leave a legacy. By choosing to live a life full of grace and lead with love in our hearts, even if it’s in the middle of a proverbial fire, we can and will accomplish hard things.

It takes considerable work. Everyday.

Sometimes minute by minute. It’s a conscious choice. Surprisingly no one is perfect. We all lose our way, and that is when life teaches us the most valuable of lessons.

Life is what happens to you, while you’re busy making other plans.

Beautiful Boy – John Lennon

Knowing what you want from life and understanding that life most likely won’t allow that to happen is VERY Humbling. Knowing what matters to your heart and how you want others to remember you is something we must take the time to comprehend. These are the golden reasons to keep going in the dark time. Remember, your heart is still beating in your chest. You are still breathing, and this, too, shall pass. You are a shining example of strength for those around you.

This world is full of beautifully dark moments. Feeling like you are damaged isn’t a reason to give up because being broken can also be beautiful.

-🦩