You are

What are some of the most powerful words in the world? The words that make a difference at the end of the day? 

"You are". 

What comes after these words can make a difference. Whether you say them to someone else, or to yourself. 

You are important. You are brave. You are strong. You are able to handle whatever comes your way. 

These words work, because we all have egos, and when we hear something positive, even in the gloomiest mood, there's a little more spring in our steps. When we hear something negative, we can react in two ways. We can believe it, or we can question it. 

The interesting thing about these words is that we believe whatever comes after them. If we use negative words, then that is what sticks with us, and the same is true about positive thoughts. 

It's difficult to change this habit. We hear mean things, we take things personally, and we ignore them sometimes when we're stuck in a rut. But they do have meaning, and they shape our world. 

Whatever we believe about ourselves really is important, and it really does effect our work and life. When we say "You are" to someone, what you put at the end can effect how they view themselves, and how they view you. 

Some people could look at this post and roll their eyes. I did that, a long time ago, but then I began to pay attention to what I said, what I heard, and what I believed. 

It's one step toward self confidence, deciding what you believe about yourself, and believing in others. 

Because life is hard. We all have painful memories, obstacles and challenges in our lives, but they don't have to be as powerful as we make them. 

Once we create the words after "You are" we are shaping our own reality. 

And we can also remember that "You are" is a complete sentence and "I am" is even more powerful. 

It's okay to be human

It's okay to be human.

It's okay to make mistakes.

Just learn from them,

and don't dwell on them. 

Move forward.

Don't look back.

Do your best.

Don't put yourself down.

Remember that life goes on.

You'll get through this.

One day you will laugh it away. 

For now, it's a mountain you can climb.

It's a bridge you can cross.

It's a step toward learning who you are. 

It's a challenge.

It's a single moment in time. 

Just don't give up

and soon

you'll bloom. 

Never Give Up!

Many of my friends and family are very sad right now, and I'll admit that I'm not in the best situation myself. But just because life gets tough, it doesn't mean we should throw in the towel. 

I've been doing a lot of reading, writing and reflecting, and here are some tips I have found when you're down in the dumps.

Count your blessings: What are you grateful for? What do you appreciate in life? What do you like about yourself?

Do something you love: Watch your favorite movie. Listen to your favorite song on repeat. Take a walk, bring your ipod and just listen to whatever your playlist brings your way.

Meditate: Take a deep breath, close your eyes, then open them to take in where you are. Pretend that you've never been here before. What do you notice? Are there dewdrops on the flowers? Is the sun shining on the snow?

Give Yourself A Break: Are you thinking that you failed? Are you thinking that you can't get past this? How do these thoughts benefit you? They don't. Instead think "I will get through this." "I can do this." 

Talk to someone: You don't have to talk about what's wrong. Reminesce on old times. Laugh at your favorite jokes. Just enjoy each others' company. Smile, Laugh and have fun.

Think about what you can do for others: Are you shopping today? Are you walking the dog? Smile and wave at the people you meet. Tell a joke at the check out line. Compliment someone. You'll be surprised at how you feel helping someone get through their day. All because you acknowledged them.

Turn Lemons into Lemonade: Ask yourself- "What can I do to improve my situation?" And act accordingly. Do you have a lot of time? Use it for your hobbies. Make new friends. Are you stuck in bed? Read, Watch a movie or even write if you feel like it. Come up with ways to enjoy where you are now, until you get to where you want to be. 

All these tips I have probably been advised by people through out my life, but only now, after reading numerous books and reflecting on my own habits, have I truly listed them as goals and habits. Why? Because it's more difficult. It's easier to give up. It's easier to blame the world. It's easier to hold a grudge. But in the long  run, does it reward you? No. 

The greatest reward you can earn in life is looking out from your self made prison and seeing the stars. 

So I hope this helps the people I care about. Those people on tumblr threatening suicide, my friends and family whose frustration builds up and carries over into resentment and negativity. 

If  you don't think that these tips will work for you, think about it this way, if someone you cared about was in this situation, what would you tell them? How would you want them to look at themselves and life?