one / two / three / four

1. your body is beautiful. don't listen to what society is telling you. don't listen to the negative words society is stuffing into your mind. look in the mirror and point out all of the good - your contagious smile, your imperfectly perfect not-quite-straight teeth, the thirty-three freckles on your nose and cheeks, your lovely brown eyes, your thick lashes, your cute nose. your naturally curly hair that seems to embody the wild spirit you wish you had the courage to show (go ahead and show it, honey; be wild), the curve of your hips, your sun-kissed shoulders, the gentle curve of your back. your body is lovely. your body is perfect the way it is. you are not a collection of numbers or a dress size. you are the quiet giggle and bright soul, the summer sun and newly fallen snow. you are a fierce warrior and compassionate friend. doll, you are gorgeous in your skin.

2. no soul was meant to be stuffed in a box. if you find yourself, all of your personality, trapped inside four invisible walls with seemingly no way out, think positive thoughts and climb out. it's going to hurt - oh, will it hurt - and the journey up and out will be hard, but you were not meant to be who the box forces you to be. you are capable of being exactly who you want to be. truly. you want to be bolder? step out and say what you want, wear what you want, forget about the world around you and be more bold. you want to be wild and free? you take up the keys, pick up a friend, and go exploring a couple towns over. go get lost in ikea. make friends at the farmers market. you have the power to get up and change your life, and if you want to, you do it. change is good. changing to get out of the stupid box you/your peers put you in is even better.

3. if you're feeling angry or upset or anything other than joy, if you feeling like giving up on everything and not being nice to yourself: go outside, take a great deep breath, maybe scream a little, and tear up some roots. literally. forget whatever it is you are wearing, be it your sunday best or jammies or whatever, get down on your hands and knees and rip out some  dead roots, and if you're feeling really angry, rip some live ones too. feel the dirt get stuck between your fingernails, soft on your precious skin. channel your emotions into pulling up the ground. pay attention to the world, breathe in breathe out, rest your tired body on the tired earth.
breathe in breathe out.

4. you are super. no matter where you are - physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally - you have the power to move mountains, to get your act together, to change your position and find north again, to take a step away from what's hurting you and turn towards something positive, to find a new group of friends, to let go of bad influences. you can do it. quit saying you can't because saying you can't is stupid. false: you are not stupid. but in fact, you are smart. you are extraordinary. you are strong. got that, sweetie? you are strong. you've survived this long, and that is proof enough of your incredible strength.

some notes to myself.