“One of the most courageous decisions you’ll ever make is to finally let go of what is hurting your soul.” – Brigitte Nicole
“The world needs more storytellers, dreamers, change makers, & action takers.”
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
“Keep going, because you did not come this far, to get this far.”
“Don’t let anyone tell you that your independence is the reason for you being single. Your strength as a woman isn’t the cause for your loneliness. You’re alone because you’d rather not entertain a weak man.” – r.h. sin
“It’s ok if you fall down and lose your spark. Just make sure that when you get back up, you rise as the while damn fire.”
“Nothing will ruin your twenties more than thinking you should have your life together already.”
“You are not too old and its is not too late.”
“I’m on the hunt for who I’ve not yet become.”
“And suddenly you just know it’s time to start something new and trust in the magic of beginnings.”
A little over a month ago I was really struggling… My mental health was in tatters and my physical health was not much better. I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t eating, I was making mistakes at work, and pulling away from my family and my friends. I don’t really remember what it was triggered by, I just remember I was drowning.
I was scrolling through Pinterest, looking for nothing in particular. When I saw this pin, it was a pastel colored background with the phrase “Just Breathe”.
And I did.
I did.
In and out. In and out. Breathe in for 4 counts. Breathe out for 5 counts. In and out.
I have never really been one for affirmations… Maybe I’m too jaded and broken. But that image. The frankness of its command? Demand? It spoke to me.
So, I went looking for more.
I found some that acknowledged my struggle, applauded my strength, and just eased my weary heart.
I wanted to carry them with me, not just in my mind, but somewhere I could see. I needed to see them. So, I grabbed a permanent marker and wrote them out, on my arms, and on my thighs.
I felt like I was donning armor, I felt stronger.
“You’re not a mess you’re brave for trying” “Sometimes its okay if the only thing you did today was breathe” “Just breathe” “I will win. Not immediately, but definitely.” “Real is Rare” “She persisted”
Since that day I have not needed my marker tattoos. But I still seek out quotes that speak to me and collect them, like pebbles.
They give voice to the words I cannot speak, ease my heart with no expectation of return, and strengthen me in such a simple way.
I want to share with you some quotes I have collected. Maybe they will help someone struggling, maybe they will just be.
Real is Rare.
Be gentle with yourself, you are doing the best you can.
Until I’m ready, let me be. I have to heal myself.
You wake up every morning to fight the same demons that left you so tired the night before, and that, my love, is bravery. – thislifethismoment.com
Your healing is about you. It doesn’t need a stamp of approval. Don’t worry about how long it takes or how ugly it may seem. Its about you.
What a beautiful thing it is, to be able to stand tall and say, “I fell apart, and I survived.”
No matter how chaotic it is, wildflowers will still spring up in the middle of nowhere. -Sheryl Crow
And here you are living despite it all. – Rumi Kaur
I forget how to love myself most days, but I keep trying, I keep trying. And that alone is a victory. – Alison Malee
…and sometimes, life is just hard, and some days are just rough… and sometimes you just gotta dry before you can move forward… (and all of that is okay) – www.bravegirlsclub.com
I also have some links to other blogs that have collected quotes to help when you are struggling here and here.
I do hope this collection helps someone as it has helped me. Please share feel free to share this post and follow me on Pinterest.
“The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.”
“You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choice.” A Universal Paradox – Tweegram
“Do the best that you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better” – Maya Angelou
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive, and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” – Maya Angelou
I was bored at work and the white board we had been using to write our “needs list” on was empty. (We had just switched to using a computer program)
Morale had been on the lower side and I wanted to do something that would make people smile, even just for a second.
A quick look around Pinterest, some dry erase markers, and a q-tip. And VOILA!
The smiles they brought were worth more than I could have ever realized.
And I wanted to do more!
So, I asked the managers if I could use the board to draw pictures, write quotes, and just promote positivity. They didn’t mind as long as it did not interfere with my work, so I went full steam ahead!
I started out small. I wanted to see how the staff responded.
Everyone seemed to like it!
Next I wanted the staff to get involved. Get them talking!
As you can see it was a hit! As each person shared their favorite story on the board, they would share these beautiful memories of it with others while they worked. It was such a wonderful thing to see!
So, about every 2 weeks, I would do a new board.
This one is probably one of my favorites.
Sometimes I was able to celebrate certain holidays!
Eventually I began to feel the boards were becoming less needed and I was starting to run out of ideas.
But I had a few more things to say before I would put down my dry erase markers.
And its this last one that I really wanted people to see.
So now I’m taking a break. To recharge, to regroup, and to come up with some new ideas!
But I hope this inspires people to bring positivity into their workplace, their life, or just give them a smile.
