you're a work in progress, my love.

positive pictures come out from negatives developed in a dark room. 

so if you ever find yourself lonely and in the dark, understand that 

life is working on a beautiful picture of you. 

everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Six Words of Advice from Tilopa

Let go of what has passed. 

Let go of what may come. 

Let go of what is happening now. 

Don't try to figure anything out. 

Don't try to make anything happen. 

Relax, right now, and rest.

10 ways to get out of your negative funk!

1. Take a shower or a bath.

You never really feel worse after taking a shower. It makes you feel refreshed, more awake, which in turn brightens the mood. Or get a good book and soak in a hot bath. Force yourself to ease your tensions with a steamy shower.

2. Eat Chocolate.

Break out the chocolate bar and have a snack. It is proven to have anti-depressive effects, and simply tastes damn good.

3. Do your make up or do something to make yourself look better.

I feel better when I look better. When you are in a funk, you’re probably laying around the house in pajamas, being lazy. After you take a shower, put on make up. Even if you aren’t going anywhere, put on clean clothes  and spruce up your appearance a bit.

4. Be around people that love you.

It’s hard to be negative around people that love you, and show it. You can try, but making yourself be with loved ones reminds you how lucky you are to have good family or friends.

5. Be around people that make you laugh.

I’m lucky that my family makes me laugh. During Easter, we were all cracking each other up so much that we were crying, and unable to eat. The food got cold because our silliness lasted so long. Last week I was laughing so hard at work that I snorted. It’s hard to be upset when you are snorting.

6. Write.

Sit down for 15 minutes and write about everything that is stressing you out or bringing you down. Get it out, feel it, and think about it. Then let it go. Sometimes we feel worse because something is wrong, but we keep going on and try to ignore it. Writing is so therapeutic, and makes you realize things that you never would have if you didn’t get it out out of your head and on to paper.

7. Go to bed early.

Just like it’s okay to be in a bad mood sometimes, it’s also okay to not be able to snap out of it. Accept that you are having a bad day and just go to bed early. Get some extra sleep, and remember that tomorrow will be better. Most of the time, I wake up in a great mood just as mysteriously as I slipped into a funk.

8. Be grateful.

Shift your negative focus. Write down five things that you are grateful for right now. Or make a list of as many as you can think of. Even if you aren’t in a positive mood, there is always something to be grateful for.

9. Make a play list of happy music.

Carol King just told me I’m beautiful. Playing this song on repeat works wonders. Make a play list of only upbeat music, and play it loud.

10. Clean up for 15 minutes.

Tidy up your surroundings. Set a timer for short period of time, and do a minimal clean up. Your house is always more depressing to be in when it’s messy or unorganized. It doesn’t take very long to do a little clean up, and has a big influence on mood.

In the past couple hours, I’ve taken a shower, and done my hair and make up, cleaned up the house, ate some delicious food, and laughed with my boyfriend. 

what a wonderful note to read.

 This one’s for you.

I want you to know that life is not easy.  Every day is an unpredictable challenge.  Some days it can be difficult to simply get out of bed in the morning.  To face reality and put on that smile.  But I want you to know, your smile has kept me going on more days than I can count.  Never forget that, even through the toughest times, you are incredible.  You really are.

So smile more often.  You have so many reasons to.  Time and again, my reason is you.

You won’t always be perfect.  Neither will I.  Because nobody is perfect, and nobody deserves to be perfect.  Nobody has it easy, everybody has issues.  You will never know exactly what I’m going through.  And I will never know exactly what you’re going through.  We are all fighting our own unique war.

But we are fighting through it simultaneously, together.

Whenever somebody discredits you, and tells you that you can’t do something, keep in mind that they are speaking from within the boundaries of their own limitations.  Ignore them.  Don’t give in.  In this crazy world that’s trying to make you like everyone else, find the courage to keep being your awesome self.  And when they laugh at you for being different, laugh back at them for being the same.

Remember, our courage doesn’t always roar aloud.  Sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering, “I will try again tomorrow.”  So stand strong.  Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out.