There's just as much wisdom in knowing when to keep quiet as there is in knowing when to speak up. Use your voice wisely.

In my experience, it is always worth it to find the love that lives inside you. No matter how deep you have to dig sometimes.

It only hurts us to love when we do so with expectation. And that’s not really love, anyway. Love has no expectations, no qualifiers, no conditions. Love is pure, untouched by our mind’s demands, untainted by our desperation and fear. Love can only be beautiful. It can only be divine. No, love doesn’t hurt, not when it’s real. Love empowers. It strengthens. It reminds us who we really are and why we’re really here. Love, more than anything else in this entire world, heals us.

Happiness is not a choice, or we’d all be happy. Let’s stop putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves to be happy all the time, and to pretend we can choose to be happy whenever we want. That’s not how life works. Sure, we can make choices that reflect a commitment to our well-being, and the more of these choices we make, the more likely we are to find ourselves feeling good more often. Healthy choices are within our power, and are important. But we can’t choose happiness, and we just set ourselves up for failure by believing we can. Life is more than happiness, anyway. It’s okay to feel all the things we feel. It’s human. There’s no shame in wanting to be happy, of course. We all want to be happy. But rather than try to choose happiness, maybe we can choose to being kinder and more loving. That we can do. We can work hard to take better care of ourselves, and better care of each other. If we do these things, and we remember that we are all connected, all brothers and sisters, all worthy of love, maybe then happiness will choose us a little more often.

Give people a chance.

Happiness is not found in a life lived for the expectations of others.Rather than seek happiness living my life to please the will of others, I will seek happiness where I know it can be found—living my life to please the will of my heart.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I need to remind myself to breathe. I have to close my eyes and concentrate, even force myself to take a few deep breaths. In and out. In and out. In and out.I know that breathing just happens, without us needing to work at it. But so does stress, and distress, and discomfort. That's when a few deep, conscious breaths can make a world of difference.Can I get an inhale?

Shit works out.

She was a victim, until she decided she wasn’t. Until she realized only she had the final say in her victimhood. That it was a choice. Her choice. Before then, she allowed the actions of others to define her. She allowed painful, unfair circumstances to dictate how she announced herself to the world. She gave up control of who she was, and who she wanted to be, at home—but lost—in a victim’s life. so she made the choice to find herself. She couldn’t take responsibility for everything that happened to her. Bad things happen to us all, even when we don't invite them. But, she could own her response to all of it. everything. The moment she chose to do so, she ignited a strength she’d long forgotten and saw, at last, new possibilitiess for her life. She opened the door to a deeper healing and to endless opportunities for real change. The very moment she chose to take responsibility for her life, she acknowledged her power like never before. And was, never again, a victim.

You have the power to change your life, if you want to. By the words you speak, the actions you take, the thoughts you give weight to. Your choices make all the difference. Your dedication alone will set you on a new path. Are you committed to making a better life for yourself? We make it a priority to discover your happiness? Can you let the past go to create space for the present? Your life will only change if you're willing to make changes, when you consider your peace and well-being and begin to make choices that serve them. One choice at the time. Though growthh is happening every moment, change rarely happens overnight. But it will happen eventually, if you stay committed. And why wouldn't you? This is your one very precious life were talking about.

A happiness trick:do more things that make you happy, and you'll be happy more often.

There is absolutely no point in comparing ourselves to others. Everyone brings to the world exactly what they are meant to bring, and in doing so touches exactly who they are meant to touch.

No one determines your truth but you.You can’t paint your own self-portrait with someone else’s hand.

I finally stopped seeking in others everything I could only find in myself.

We can’t heal what we refuse to acknowledge.

I can’t control my feelings, but I’m learning to have a say in how much my feelings control me.

Your commitment to your happiness and well-being serves our entire world in powerful ways. Stay committed.You change our world for the better by changing your world for the better.

I am continually coming back to the belief that I know nothing, or that there are much deeper places to go with what I think I know. It's liberating, actually. I don't think the biggest questions can be answered with any certainty. I'm becoming more and more peaceful not knowing.

When some things don’t work out, other things do.Some of life’s most memorable and fun experiences happen precisely because things don’t go as planned.

Rather than seek happiness living my life to please the will of others, I will seek happiness where I know it can be found - living my life to please the will of my heart.

Don't waste mirror time criticizing your appearance when you could be spending it complementing the one person who has seen you through all of life's challenges and will get you through all that’s coming. that reflection of yours deserves nothing but praise, for as long as you're able to look in the mirror and see the it.

You have what you need to be happy.

I’ve finally figured out a way to stand strong on my own.

Sometimes my mind goes dark, and every single part of my life goes dark with it. Any happiness I thought I knew gets replaced by a sadness so big it must be for the whole world. I convince myself that I have nothing to offer, and that nobody has anything to offer me, either. I commit to hopelessness. In these dark moments I remind myself, ( because I’d be too lost without the reminder) that what I'm feeling isn't the full truth of the world, not by miles, and that though I can't see it, nothing is as dire as the nightmare my mind conjures, and that i, and the world, will be okay. In time, with hope. Slowly I come out of the darkness again. I reject my mind's devotion to misery and fear, and reroute myself on a path of acceptance and love. I focus on the beauty in our world, and in myself, and I remember that we are family, all of us, and we each matter. We each shine. Certainly.

Find people who can handle your darkest truths, who don’t change the subject when you share your pain, or try to make you feel bad for feeling bad. Find people who understand we all struggle, some of us more than others, and that there’s no weakness in admitting it. In fact, few things take as much strength. Find people who want to be real, however that looks and feels, and who want you to be real, too. Find people who get that life is hard, and who get that life is also beautiful, and who aren’t afraid to honor both those realities. Find people who help you feel more at home in your heart, mind and body, and who take joy in your joy. Find people who love you, for real, and who accept you, for real. Just as you are. They’re out there, these people. Your tribe is waiting for you. Don’t stop searching until you find them.9/30/16Then her heart opened wider than it ever had before,and all she saw before her, everywhere she looked, were people to love.

I looked at my life and for the first time felt like I could hold it all. That I didn’t need to let go of anything in order to be whole. That even those things I’d been clinging to had a place in my freedom. That every single thing played its role.

It’s easy to rebuke each other’s opinions, but can we honor each other’s pain? Can we make the effort to see beyond the portraits we’ve painted of one another, and to connect to the humanity that thrives beneath our own assumptions? Can we be relentless in our desire to tear down walls, and to build bridges? Can we be brave and stay committed to the conversations that need to be had?The only thing I know about these questions is that I need to replace the we with I, and begin to answer them from there.One thing I know for sure: I want to become the example I wish to see in others. That's a good place to start.Another thing I know for sure: I love you. You're beautiful. You rock.

One of the most empowering things about being human is the fact that a single choice can change the entire direction of our lives. What are you choosing for yourself?

To all the friends out there struggling while so many are celebrating right now, please know that you are not alone, and you are so loved. I hold you in my heart and send you extra support and love these days, and all the light I know how to muster. I love you.

Aren’t you tired of shutting up? Aren’t you sick of choking down your truth?Aren’t you over nodding yes when you mean no?Then stop—shutting and choking and nodding.You have not come this far to stay silent.You have not endured so much to give up now.You have not awakened just to go back to sleep.Right now is the time to announce yourself. Who are you? What do we need to know?Only you make claim to who you are.Only you decide what’s right, and not, for you.Only you choose how you want to shine.You—only you—get to create your singular life.

I was still water, held by my surroundings.I am now a river, carving my own path.

Making someone responsible for your misery also makes them responsible for your happiness. Why give that power to anyone but yourself?

Friends...we can paralyze ourselves with the need to have all the details in order, with the desire to know all of the hows, with the reasons why we're not quite ready, and whatever other story we tell ourselves to keep from diving into the changes/dreams/goals we know we need to go after in our lives. At some point, though, we have to dive in. You'll never have all the details worked out, and they'll change along the way. You'll never know all the hows, and you don't need to. Nobody does. There will always be reasons you're not ready enough, and always fears that will beg you not to do a thing. Sometimes the only way we can overcome all of these obstacles is by starting, wherever we are, with whatever we have to offer in the moment. Really, just begin.

We decide how much we want our past to be a part of our present.I stopped inviting the past into my life.It took the hint and stopped showing up.

I stayed, to love you.I left, to love myself.

When we open ourselves up to feeling, we can't only open ourselves up to feeling certain things. The same is true when we shut ourselves down. The walls that guard against sadness also guard against happiness.

We are powerful beyond measure,and we must stand powerfully in the face of injustice and hate.United.

How much longer until we finally figure out how to be with one another?How many times do we have to play out this pain?I’m ready for something different.Aren’t you.

If you believe in God,then you’re a child of God.As such, you’re as worthy of loveas anyone who has ever lived. If you don’t believe in God,then you’re a child of Nature.As such, you’re as worthy of loveas anyone who has ever lived.Nothing you can do will make youany more or any less worthy of lovethan you already are, and always have been.You’re as worthy as they come, my friend.Please try not to forget that.

As much as I love to see the sun setting behind a city skyline,and to feel the pure majesty of a wild river or soaring mountain,and to fade, then disappear into a transcendent book, song or film,I am always most astounded, moved and transported by the warmthand kindness of a loving person. Always.

Today, I choose not to take my life for granted. I choose not to look upon the fact that I am healthy, have food in my refrigerator and have clean water to drink as givens. They are not givens for so many people in our world. The fact that I am safe and (relatively) sane are not givens. That I was born into a family who loves me and into a country not ravaged by war are not givens. It is impossible to name all of the circumstances in my life I’ve taken for granted. All of the basic needs I’ve had met, all of the friendships and job opportunities and financial blessings and the list, truly, goes on and on. The fact that I am breathing is a miracle, one I too rarely stop to appreciate. I’m stopping, right now, to be grateful for everything I am and everything I’ve been given. I’m stopping, right now, to be grateful for every pleasure and every pain that has contributed to the me who sits here and writes these words. I am thankful for my life. This moment is a blessing. Each breath a gift. That I’ve been able to take so much for granted is a gift, too. But it’s not how I want to live—not when gratitude is an option, now when wonder and awe are choices. I choose gratitude. I choose wonder. I choose awe. I choose everything that suggest I’m opening myself to the miraculous reality of simply being alive for one moment more.

You change our world for the better by changing our world for the better.

If only I could spend all my days surrounded by people brave enough to open their hearts for real.

Be a person who gives a shit about other people.

I’m super fucking sensitive. I love this about myself only slightly more than I can’t stand it. Sometimes I wish I were an unfeeling stone who didn’t take everything so personally and didn’t need so much space all the time. Feeling can get exhausting fast. Mostly, though, I know my sensitivity is a superpower, perhaps my greatest, and it’s the thing that keeps me loving our world in a profound way, when I’m not too busy hiding from it, that is.

If people aren't able to see your magnificence that's their loss, not yours.

Who are you not to be yourself?

Today is the perfect day to do something daring. Like just be yourself, for instance.

Here's the thing about meditation, as I try once again to make it a habit... Even when I close my eyes to meditate for five minutes, body fidgeting, mind racing and worrying and busying itself with everything but the present moment, I still feel quieter, more relaxed when I open my eyes. Maybe it's just the simple act of giving myself five dedicated minutes of attention (no matter how they play out) to the calm, knowing soul that smiles from within at all of my mental nonsense. We are beings of peace after all. And of love. So much goodness, so much understanding and compassion lives inside each of us, like wide-eyed children, always ready to come out and play.

Be free, my friend.Cry, scream, rage, collapse.Your pain is not too much for us.And though it’s hard to believe right now,your pain is not too much for you, either.Fall apart into a thousand frightened pieces,question everything you’ve always trusted,grieve however you need to grieve.We’ll still be here. So will you.Yes, you will survive this.Changed but stronger.Wounded but alive.Seen, and loved. So very loved.

Everywhere I look I see people doing their best to make sense of this overwhelming reality, and to be kind, authentic human beings despite the many invitations we all receive to be phony, unkind assholes. Sometimes their best doesn’t look like much to me, and I remind myself that my best doesn’t look like much a lot of the time, too. I empathize. We’re all human, and we’re all struggling. Every single one of us, every single day. It’s not my job to police the paths of others, not when it takes so much effort to light my own.

I can’t tell you anything about yourself you don’t already know…WAIT…unless you don’t know you’re an incredibly freaking amazing person with boundless gifts to share…then I can tell you that.

If you can’t forget about all the great pains you’ve endured, as many of us can’t, at least take some time to celebrate the fact that you’ve somehow kept going, in spite of it all. And you’ve certainly kept growing, because of it all.

We can't really know what relationships will last or not last in our lives, romantic and otherwise. What we can do is give the best we've got to the relationships we've chosen for ourselves. We can show up with an open heart and mind, be grateful for the exchange of love, and trust in however these relationships evolve. We can also be grateful for the relationships that have ended, trusting that we received from them something important that has helped to move us farther along our paths.

and then there was that time you sucked down your fear, breathed into it, faced it with a courage that moves mountains, and you stepped right into that thing, that situation, that experience moments and forever before had crippled and controlled you, and had you believing you could never rise up to meet it. but you did, because you could. and you will again, because you can. yes, you can.

She felt wild and unruly, determined and free.

Don't let the lies that darken our world keep you from living within your truth.

We all get in a funk sometimes.It doesn't mean you're failing, or ungrateful, or stupid, or lost. It means you're human.The Funk happens. For all of us. We can’t be happy all the time. We don’t need to be.

I look around and see so much fear, people getting more and more comfortable with their hate, more at ease being mean, more united in their separation. And I think, NO. Not me. I will not get lost in this fearful world. I will not play with bullies. I will continue to be brave and kind. I will speak for real unity. And no matter what, I will never stop loving.

Anger gets me going.Hope sustains me.

He lifted himself out of the darkness of his fears, into a bright new world of possibility.

beneath the pain of your fears, wild and ready, lives your truth, the essence of your singular beauty, hoping, waiting for you to set it free.

He knew his words could not convey the impossible love he felt for her, so he held her stare and hoped (prayed!) she would understand the immensity of it all.

She shot out of her seat, tired of waiting, at last ready to create her future.

Today is a day, like every other day, brimming with possibility. A day to treat people with kindness and respect. A day to move closer to fulfilling your dreams. A day to forgive yourself for absolutely everything. A day to smile with gratitude. Today is a day, like every other day, to create the kind of life you want to live, the kind that makes you feel good and right, the kind of life you were born to realize. Today.

Of course change is hard. It has to be. It carries with it - every single time - the potential to elevate, even revolutionize your life in ways you can never truly realize until you're already transformed, safely on the other side of your resistance and fear. Change is hard, but rarely as difficult as not doing anything.Now is the time - really, right now - to start making those changes you know you need to make in your life. Dive into change, into the sea of possibility it creates, and trust that all the hard work will bring you some deeply wonderful things - like a greater sense of calm and happiness, and a truer taste of freedom.If you can’t dive in, that’s okay. Tip toe, baby step, crawl if you have to. Just keep moving forward, no matter what, into what is already becoming your new and beautiful reality.

I've wasted a lot of time in my life waiting for good things to happen, rather than acting to make them happen.What I've learned?Waiting suffocates power. Acting ignites it.Waiting feeds anxiety. Acting relaxes it. Waiting fuels boredom. Acting repels it. Waiting galvanizes fear. Acting subdues it. Your life will not change any sooner while you wait around for something new. But it just may transform at warp speed once you take action to change it. I'm tired of wasting time, of waiting time. How about you?Act, don't wait.

There is no downside to taking care of yourself.

It's important to work on our personal growth, and part of that work is learning, and accepting the fact that we are absolutely enough, as we are. Some of our most profound changes manifest by simply embracing who we've been all along.

A great giftwe can giveto ourselvesis a willingnessto love everyone,no matter what.This frees us completely from the toxicjustificationswe use to hate.

Share your gifts. Learn from the gifts of others.Stay open to whichever role — teacher and/or student — life is calling on you to play. And bring as much acceptance and love to each performance.When we walk through life as only a teacher, we miss out on learning from the world around us.When we walk through life as only a student, we miss out on sharing our unique vision of the world.

A change of attitude changes everything.A bad attitude never leads to a good life.

I am learning to accept everything about myself,even the part of me that struggles to accept everything about myself.

my beautiful friend,even on your darkest day i have benefited from the warmth of your light. and i know i’m not the only one. even when you are not consciously giving, you are still giving so much. with your openness, your kindness, your understanding. see yourself through my eyes, for just a moment. feel yourself through my heart.Allow me the honor of reflecting back to you the love you have shown me, time and again, when it was only real love, and real friendship that could have pulled me from the pain. let me take some of your pain now. I am here. I am yours. You are mine, my friend. I am grateful.

Become more committed to seeing what's right about you than you are to seeing what's wrong, and soon you'll start to feel a lot different about yourself.

You know the doubts. You are good enough. You are important. You are worthy. You are kind. You are all you need to be. You are love.

He used to hide his true self because he feared people wouldn’t like him, or would judge him for being too much this and not enough that. He found himself acting like everyone else, even though his heart wanted to express itself in ways that felt different than much of what he was seeing in the world. His heart grew louder, and he longed to taste a different kind of freedom, one his mind had worked hard to contain in order to keep him feeling safe. But that safety came with a price: his authenticity. Then it occurred to him, some people would judge him no matter who he was or what he did. And that if he was going to be judged anyway, he may as well live his life as authentically as possible and at least be judged for his truth. He also knew some people would love him no matter who he was or what he did, and how much better it would feel to be loved for being real.

I’m in awe of the people who manage their difficult lives with little complaint, those who have suffered more than their fair share of pain, and understand things could have been much worse, those who take the time to be grateful for the important things, and who never give up on themselves or their lives. It's no easy feat to stay optimistic when life has shown you too much darkness, yet our world is filled with these steady, strong, resilient warriors of the light. From them, we have so much to learn.

We can't act cruelly toward others without also being negatively affected by our actions. We really are all connected, deeper than we know. If we can't be kinder to each other simply because it's the compassionate and loving way to be, the less remember that when we hurt others, we hurt ourselves, too. Every single time. Just one more reason to treat each other well.

If you’ve given your all, and it's still not working, it's likely time to move on.

She felt likee doing her part to change the world, so she started by giving thanks for all the blessings of her life, rather than bemoaning all that was missing from it. Then she complimented her reflection in the mirror, instead of criticizing it as she usually did. Next she walked into her neighborhood and offered her smile to everyone she passed, whether or not they offered theirs to her. Each day she did these things, and soon they became habit. Each day she lived with more gratitude, more acceptance, more kindnesss. And sure enough, the world around her began to change. Because she had decided so, she was single-handedly doing her part to change it

When our desire for truth outweighs our fear of change, we make choices that serve an open heart rather than a closed mind.

you are a person, not a shredder.so quit tearing yourself to shreds.

your enoughness is off the charts.

What is true for you?What makes your heart smile?When do you feel most yourself?What do you love to do?Ask yourself these questions, and live your life, as best you can,in accordance with the answers.This is how you taste happiness.This is how you love yourself. This is how you grow.

No one else can stop us from loving ourselves, just as no one else is to blame when we don’t. I promise to stop blaming your for everything I don’t like about myself.

I don’t wish for more time. I wish for more courage to live freely right now.

It’s amazing to consider just how many people smile at the thought of you.

you get to a point when you just don’t want to be pushed anymore. pushed to pretend you’re okay with condescending behavior and disrespectful attitudes. pushed to ignore the determined yearnings of your clearest truth. pushed to engage in conversations and situations that in no way serve your state of peace. pushed to act a bogus part and clap for those who are acting theirs. pushed to be quiet and to stay small. pushed to exist rather than live. you get to a point when it’s all too much, too exhausting, too false. something must change. then you realize that the changes you crave have always been within your power to create. you realize that no one has the might to push you into anything when you are unwilling to be pushed. you realize that you, more effectively than any outside influence, have been your biggest pusher all along. so you stop—pushing and pretending and acting and shrinking. you stop it all, because you can. and you don’t waste too much time regretting that you didn’t do it sooner. you’re suddenly much too busy living your life for such silly regrets.

Today, I choose not to take my life for granted.I choose not to look upon the fact that I am healthy, have food in my refrigerator and have clean water to drink as givens. They are not givens for so many people in our world. The fact that I am safe and (relatively) sane are not givens. That I was born into a family who loves me and into a country not ravaged by war are not givens. It is impossible to name all of the circumstances in my life I've taken for granted. All of the basic needs I've had met, all of the friendships and job opportunities and financial blessings and the list, truly, is endless. The fact that I am breathing is a miracle, one I too rarely stop to appreciate.I'm stopping, right now, to be grateful for everything I am and everything I've been given. I'm stopping, right now, to be grateful for every pleasure and every pain that has contributed to the me who sits here and writes these words.I am thankful for my life. This moment is a blessing. Each breath a gift. That I've been able to take so much for granted is a gift, too. But it's not how I want to live—not when gratitude is an option, not when wonder and awe are choices.I choose gratitude. I choose wonder. I choose awe. I choose everything that suggests I'm opening myself to the miraculous reality of simply being alive for one moment more.

i’m afraid i’ll lose you if i share all that’s real.i’m afraid i’ll lose myself if i don’t.

Isn’t it time to start giving yourself the great gift of your own love?

You don’t have to do the same things you’ve always done, if it no longer feels good to do them. Give yourself permission to try something different, something new. Give yourself permission to break away from routine and obligation. Permission to explore, and to soar.

You can’t do everything for everyone, not even for yourself. It’s okay to ask for help when you need it.

I used to listen to all the voices in my head that told me I wasn’t good enough, or that I would fail if I tried, or that everyone would judge me harshly for my truth. I used to let one fear or the other dictate how I chose to live my life. Not surprisingly, my life didn’t change much. I spent a lot of time with regret, and thinking about what could have been. I found myself wishing I’d at least tried to do some of the things I’d been so afraid to do. So I began to. I made the choice to hear all the fearful critics in my head without actually listening to them. I gave them a voice, but no longer a say. I had given all the power to my fear, after all, so it was within me to take it away. And my entire life changed, as every life does once we insist that our fears take a backseat to our courage and desire. Fear may not be a choice, but the commitment to take brave action, despite our fears, is always there for the choosing. I spent enough time obeying my fears. Too much time. Now I listen to different voices, the ones reminding me that no matter what happens, no matter what people think, the great potential of my life, and joy, lives within my commitment to live my life beyond my fear.

My fear whispered to me, I am just trying to protect you.I whispered back, I know, but I’m stronger than you think.

Sometimes I act like I have my shit together more than I do. Sometimes I act like I don’t have my shit together as much as I do. I’m done acting. I’d rather just be okay with however together my shit is at the time, and still do my best to show up, as I am.

I see you. I see your strength and courage, your hesitations and fears. I see the way you love others, and your struggle to love yourself.I see how hard you work to grow, and your dedication to heal. I see your vulnerable humanity, and your transcendent divinity.I see you, and I love what I see.

Why not to choose to believe in yourself, just to see what happens?

Our difference are beautiful yet sometimes connection requires us to focus on our similarities, like the fact that we are all trying, all struggling, all wanting to be seen and to be loved. Perhaps if we start there, with this basic understanding of what it means to be alive, we will grow in our connection to one another and learn to love the beautiful difference that embody our improbable human reality.

Thank you for being such a beautiful friend. I am in awe of you.

I know it’s hard sometimes to recognize how truly beautiful you are, and how truly worthy of love you have always been and will always be. It’s hard sometimes to see the truth of your divinity amidst the closed, judgmental opinions of the outside world, and of your own critical mind. But your beauty and your worthiness have nothing to do with anyone’s opinions, or anyone’s mind, not even your own. Your real truth lives in the heart, and your heart, as big and open and generous as it is, will never stop marveling at your stunning existence.

Um, enough apologies, okay?Just get on with being your badass self.

We can’t always be as brave as we want or need to be. We don’t always make the harder choice, the one we know we need to make in order to change things for real. Sometimes we give in to our fear. We choose known over unknown, comfort over uncertainty. Even though that’s often not ideal—to create our lives from fear—it’s definitely human. And, it’s okay. Our courage doesn’t suddenly disappear just because we choose to ignore it. It may hide for a bit and make us work a little harder for its attention, but it’s always there within us. We are born courageous, after all. Beautiful and brave. Whenever we get tired of playing at life with fear’s rules, at last determined to change things for real, our courage will be there—ready, able, excited for us to let it do its thing.

I’m trusting that the pain of letting go will be eclipsed by the relief of moving on.

I had to break to pieces, so I could reassemble even stronger.

Listen to me, you’ve got this. Seriously, you’ve got this.

Option A:Spend your life trying to get others to accept you.Option B:Accept yourself, and spend your life with others who recognize what a beauty you are.

Compassion grows in the recognition that we are all the same.If you can’t see some part of yourself in every single person you encounter, then you’re not looking closely enough, at the person or at yourself.

We are all many things. Sometimes people get used to us being the one thing they most expect from us, and they don't know how to handle the other many things we are and have to offer. This is not our limitation to own. Let's be whatever many things our heart calls us to be. There's not a lot of consistency in freedom, aside from fluid movement among the many things we are. And that's a mighty beautiful thing.

Everything is not a competition. In fact, nothing is, unless we make it so. Let's stand with, not against each other. We're all bringing our own magic to this world. It's not about "greater than" or "less than.”We can’t be in competition with each other if we just refuse to compete.

We are here to love. Everything else is distraction.

Maybe you’re not breaking down.Maybe you’re breaking through.

It's easy to waste too many words—and too much energy—on nonsense we don't even care about. What a relief it is to start giving time and energy to what matters most (whatever that is for you). We choose what gets our attention. Why not choose things that are worthy of it?When he chose only to speak about things he absolutely believed, knew to be true, or really cared about, he was delighted by how much less talking he needed to do.

You are not your mind. You don’t have to believe the lies it tells you about yourself.

With each day that passes, it becomes more and more clear that the most true way to make it through this life is with the deepest possible commitment to compassion and a relentless dedication to love.

Love is not quiet.Love is loud and clear. Love makes noise for justice, against all injustice,and never forgets those most vulnerable.I am seeing, more clearly than ever,what Love demands,and I will do my best to answer its callwith conviction, and an open heart for all.

A few things to remember:You are beautiful, just as you are. You are as worthy as anyone who has ever lived. Your voice doesn't just matter but is needed.Your love makes a profound difference.Your compassion serves us all.We are family.We'll figure that out someday,with a lot of dedication and hard work.It will be worth it.I love you.

I’ve come to understand that life is a constant letting go.

Shout out to the noisemakers. Our world needs your voices.Make noise for justice.Make noise for inclusion.Make noise for empathy.Make noise for our planet.Make noise for civil rights.Make noise for women’s rights.Make noise for compassion.Make noise for LOVE.

beyond the hurtbeyond the angerbeyond the blamebeyond the judgmentbeyond the expectationbeyond all of the noisethere is just love.If you stop before you’ve made your way to love, then you haven’t gone far enough.

Hey, Beautiful…There is room for all that you are and everything you have to offer our world.Share yourself.

There is so much we’ll likely never agree on, but can we at least agree to be respectful and kind to each other anyway.

Wait. Take your foot off the pedal. Instead, let your creativity drive you.

The most important thing in life is actually pretty simpleJust love, beyond every instinct there is not toThings will happen then. Good things

Yes, I'm a fan of living some part of each day with my head in the clouds.

The most beautiful thing I've ever seen I'm likely to see again and again in countless forms. Ah, thank you life.

I love when my mind focuses on how wonderful I am and lets all the other (less generous) thoughts recede into the background. You're wonderful too, by the way. Way wonderful.

There's so much love in this world.

Now is the perfect time to start making those changes you know you need to make.

We have to figure out a kinder way to connect with each other, and practice at it every day. Make it a think we love to do. One of our favorite things, in fact. Until it becomes our only way of being.

Trust and be patient. You are making it happen, in your own way, it its own time.

a wish... that we may, each of us, with utter regularity, melt into the truth of our inescapable beauty.

Breathe deeply and remember to love.

It's not enough to open your eyes. You must open your heart as well.

A little creativity can make something ordinary, extraordinary, and something extraordinary that much more so.

No matter what's going on, I keep coming back to the one intention that makes the most sense:Just love.

We’re all going through shit.Each one of us, in our own way.Let’s remember that, when we see each other on the street,in stores, at work, and at home. Everywhere.Being human comes with lots of complications and probably too many hardships. We all struggle.So let’s be good to one another, and cut each other some slack.

It is love, has been love, will always be love that makes the biggest difference in our world.

Remember to tell those you love just how much you love them. Tell them why too. Let them know what a beautiful difference their presence makes in your life. Remind them they are unique and wonderful and important. And then toss in a kiss for good measure.

We're not on the same page right now, but that's okay. Were still in the same story, and there's still so much more to be written. I won’t put down my pen if you won’t.

My mind loves you so much it wants to own you. My heart loves you so much it wants to set you free.

Why spend your time fighting to make a damaging reality work? Be willing to move on from the people and situations that don't serve your heart. You are capable of creating relationships and circumstances rooted in respect, equality and love. But you have to believe you deserve them.

When someone rejects you, for whatever reason, that rejection reflects their wants, not your limitations. you are in no way defined by the rejection, or the acceptance, of anyone else. your worth depends on no one. and as hard as it can be to see it as such, there is just as big a gift in not connecting with those who don’t see your value, as there is in uniting with those who do.

I will love you through everything. Can you do yourself the same honor?

We have to be willing to acknowledge the good, or all we bring is bitterness to the bad, and that doesn’t help make things any better.

We loved each other.We hurt each other.We left each other.Now we hate each other.Let’s not stop there.Let’s finally forgive each other.

Will you ever stop needing to be right?Will I ever stop needing you to be?

Forgiveness and Blame share an apartment, but not for long, because Blame can’t live with Forgiveness, and Forgiveness can’t live with Blame.

I’ve found a new kind of home in us, and I’m ready to move in for good.

I do love you, but I can no longer wait for you to figure out how to love me in a way that makes us both feel good.

I love you, and I know you love me too.I’m just not sure that’s enough anymore.Don’t we both deserve more than this struggle?

Life changes completely when Love comes first.I don’t need to know you to love you. I’ll start by loving you and see what I come to know from there.

If you want to change someone, start and end with yourself. You're all you've got control over.yes, other people can change.no, you can’t change other people.

Don’t stay because you think you can change him.You can’t change him.Maybe work on changing yourself so you don’t feel compelled to stay with menlike him in the first place.

I changed for the better when I quit expecting others to.

I forgive you, but I won’t forget what you did…not in some threatening, I don’t really forgive you kind of way… but just because what you did was shitty and really hurt me and I can’t imagine it suddenly disappearing from my memory. In a way, it’s even cooler that I’ll remember that shitty thing you did to me, and you’ll remember that shitty thing I did to you. That means we didn’t need to forget that we hurt each other in order to love each other still. We figured out a way to forgive each other, for real, and still be friends. How beautiful, yes? Let’s never forget that, either.

She wished she liked him more.She wished she loved him less.

Let's never stop holding each other's hands.We all need to have our hand held sometimes.

Vulnerability supported by love is perhaps the most powerful catalyst for real connection.

Our differences are beautiful, yet sometimes connection requires us to focus on our similarities, like the fact that we are all trying, all struggling, all wanting to be seen and to be loved. Perhaps if we start there, with this basic understanding of what it means to be alive, we will grow in our connection to one another and learn to love the beautiful differences that embody our improbable human reality.

Find people who can handle your darkest truths, who don’t change the subject when you share your pain, or try to make you feel bad for feeling bad. Find people who understand we all struggle, some of us more than others, and that there’s no weakness in admitting it. Find people who want to be real, however that looks and feels, and who want you to be real, too. Find people who get that life is hard, and who get that life is also beautiful, and who aren’t afraid to honor both of those realities. Find people who help you feel more at home in your heart, mind and body, and who take joy in your joy. Find people who love you, for real, and who accept you, for real. Just as you are. They’re out there, these people. Your tribe is waiting for you. Don’t stop searching until you find them.

And then it hit me—I don’t have to participate in these toxic conversations.But if I choose to, I can set a different example. I can bring love to the moment, regardless of the response.I can choose to be kind, no matter what.My power lives in my love.

Often we have to remind our minds that the job of asshole is already taken.

I'm realizing that some of my greatest (or at least most determined) genius lies in my ability to procrastinate.

Books and workshops and gurus are great, but the very best teacher for your mind is, and will always be, your heart.

We rarely find answers in the distractions. But oh what possibilities live within the quiet of solitude.In my fear to be alone,I distracted myself away from the deep beauty of my own solitude.

Compassion will lead you to extraordinary worlds your fear doesn't dare visit.

How can we expect the world to change if we are unwilling to change ourselves? We hate the haters, judge the judgers, and refuse to forgive the supposed unforgivable. We are hypocrites, most of us, comfortable condemning others for the same things we do. Like sheep we follow, like wolves we attack, like fools we listen to the loudest voices, even when they scream nothing but hate. We are lost in our desire to be like everyone else, and paralyzed in our fear to be ourselves. We are desperate to feel safe amidst our cries for retaliation and more wars. Where is the common sense? If we want to end war, then be peaceful. If we want to know love, then stop hating. if we want to find happiness, then let go of negativity, and befriend gratitude. real change isn’t born from making the same choices over and over, especially choices muddied with insecurity and fear. we can’t wrest ourselves from darkness by turning out our light. everything just gets darker then. Let's worry less about changing the world and more about changing ourselves. That, we can do, each one of us. With commitment and work. And a single candle does wonders in even the darkest of nights.

there are no quick fixes. If we want our lives to change, we have to do the work.

You get a medal for being tough.

listen to me,you’ve got this.seriously, you’ve got this.

The only way to free yourself from all the anxiety you’re feeling about the difficult conversation you know you need to have is by having the difficult conversation. It’s time. It’s been time. You’ll survive it. Just be brave and start talking.

If only I could spend all days surrounded by people brave enough to open their hearts for real.

Many of us have gotten so used to playing to the expectations of society, of our families,of our friends, and of our minds, that we don’t even allow ourselves to consider who we really are or what we really need. We ignore the callsof our hearts, giving our lives, instead, to thedemands of an outside world built on fitting in.We can stop this, right now. We can choose to listen to ourselves, to heed our deepest callings,whatever they are. We can give ourselves thefreedom to be whoever the hell we want to bein this world. Right now, if we choose to.And why wouldn’t we?

Make noise for justice.Make noise for inclusion.Make noise for empathy.Make noise for our planet.Make noise for civil rights.Make noise for women’s rights.Make noise for compassion.Make noise for LOVE.

Only when I quit lying to myself did I discover the real beauty of my truth.

You were born beautiful, and you remain beautiful.

I will forever remind you that you are gifted, strong and beautiful, exactly as you are.Will you forever remind yourself, too?

Such beautiful strength lives in uncompromising humility.

Cheers to all the Rebels out there who care way too much about Art and Truth and Magic to fall in line with the mundane task of fitting in.

I'm a sucker for sweetness. Intelligence, creativity and a sense of humor mean little to me if a person isn't also kind.

I had to learn to see my shadow and hold my pain in its fullness with acceptance and forgiveness so that I could release the hate I felt for myself and quit hurling it blindly toward others.

Then her heart opened wider than it ever had before, and all she saw before her, everywhere she looked, were people to love.

When love fills your heart, all bridges lead to something wonderful. (All roads and tunnels too!)

You don't have to change yourself to meet the expectations of others. CIOs who not only accept you, but celebrate you for who you are. Give your time and energy to the ones committed to truth, the brave souls working toward a life of authenticity. Let that be your tribe, and you their family. Open yourself to connections formed from a pledge to be real.

The world is best viewed through the lens of your heart.

The moon, right now, is even bigger than my love for it.

We all have choices. What are you choosing to believe about yourself, and about your life Believing you don't have a choice is a choice.

He had no idea how to deal with the staggering amount of grief he felt, so he looked to the sun and blinded himself with its light.

Do you ever feel this way?It's usually a tough realization, but it makes moving on that much easier. And it creates more space in your life for those who do get you.Oh, my love, you never really got me, did you?

Please don't tell me not to be sad. I know you don't like to see me hurting, but my sadness is mine to feel, not yours to heal. Let me be sad. It will pass in its own time. It always does.

Maybe you're holding on too tight, and the magic comes in letting go.

If you can’t see some part of yourself in every single person you encounter, then you’re not looking closely enough, at the person or at yourself.

when you hate others, you hate yourself.when you hate yourself, you hate others.when you love others, you love yourself.when you love yourself, you love others.there is no separation.

Being right is massively overrated, especially when it comes at the expense of being compassionate and kind.

Approaching this day with optimism and fire, with patience and determination, with compassion and love.

When you give to others, you give to yourself.

The more attention you put into being more loving, the more loving (and loved) you'll become.

There's just no time for hatred. It's lazy and destructive. We can all do better. Our world needs us to.I love you.

I can think of no greater way to live my life than with as much love as I can give, as often as I can give it.

And then it hit me—I don’t have to participate in these toxic conversations. But if I choose to, I can set a different example. I can bring love to the moment,regardless of the response. I can choose to be kind, no matter what.My power lives in my love.

Kindness danced through the streets,leaving warmer hearts and smiles everywhere it dared to show itself.

You are positively beautiful and I love you. Pass it on…

Your past and your pain will certainly impact you,but they don’t have to define you. You get to write your own definition.

Don’t count on cheerleaders once you start living a life more reflective of your truth. They may not want to do somersaults and backflips for your awakening, not when they’re still asleep. Don’t let that stop you. Most of us have only been trained to cheer for conformity, to commend those who are just like us. But aren’t you bored of being congratulated for fitting in? Aren’t you tired of ignoring your heart’s requests?Don’t wait for cheerleaders. Be grateful if they show up, but you show up regardless, with or without them.You will never be defined by the reception you get from others, only by the truth with which you receive yourself. Be your biggest cheerleader. Love yourself. And applaud every single step you take toward truth.

The more accepting I've become about all the pieces of myself—even the crazed, hysterical ones—the more relaxed I've become with who I am.And then one day you figure out how to be more peaceful with all of your hysteria, and suddenly you’re not as hysterical so often.

We can't always know why things happen the way they happen, or why a person makes the choices they do. Knowing why isn't necessary to move forward, unless we make it so.You may never find out why. Don’t let that keep you from moving on with your life.

Love doesn't pity, nor does it resent. Love understands that, no matter our circumstances, we are all equal. We are all the same. We are all worthy of Love.Some have it harder than you. Some have it easier than you. Love them equally.

at last he understood that he has always been forgiven and worthy of love,and that no one could take that from him, that not even he could take that from himself.

My love and anger are in deep conversation these days, teaching and learning from one another. I'm doing my best to stay open to all of it.I’m curious to see what love does with all my anger.

Sheep sheep are adorable.Human sheep, not so much.Think for yourself, for flock’s sake.

I have yet to figure out a better way to combat hate than to love harder.

You can forget how to hate, but you can never forget how to love.

You are all kinds of beautiful and I love you like crazy.

I will forever remind you that you are gifted, strong and beautiful, exactly as you are. Will you forever remind yourself, too?

Shame lies. All the time. About everything. Don’t believe your shame.

If you need to scream, find a safe place, then scream.

Just remember to say THANK YOU sometimes, for all of these everyday extraordinary gifts.

So many powerful, inspirational, insightful, hopeful and connected speeches today. It's been a joy to feel the energy of the women's marches all over the country and world. Feeling optimistic and energized.

Just because you don't like something doesn't mean it's bad.

No" works just fine as a complete sentence. You don't have to explain yourself.I said no, then stopped talking.

I can’t apologize for who I am any more. Even better, I have no desire to.

I won’t stop until I can look at myself in the mirror in love with the person I see.

Love is not blind.Love sees everything and says yes to it all.

In acceptance, I am grounded. In vulnerability, I am strong. In love, I am whole.

I keep forgetting how important it is to just be still sometimes. Without a phone, or a TV, or a friend. Alone. Quiet. Connected to nothing, and everything, all at once. Undistracted

less apathy,more empathy.

After so many years struggling to keep up with you, I finally realized we’re not even running the same race.

We can disagree with one another without being raging, judgmental, spiteful, self-righteous lunatics. Can’t we?

So much possibility lives within the beauty of your authenticity. Be real.

Let them judge you.Let them misunderstand you.Let them gossip about you.Their opinions aren’t your problem.You stay kind, committed to love, and free in your authenticity.No matter what they do or say,don’t you dare doubt your worthor the beauty of your truth.Just keep on shining like you do.

The fact that you don’t realize how wonderful you are only makes you more wonderful.

Let’s quit trying so hard to be some version of a normal we’ve never really been.