Top 8 Inspirational Quotes

I love quotes. From movies and TV shows to authors and songs. If you've been around me, you've heard me quote something at least once a day. Quotes can be funny, sad, angry, happy, and my personal favorite, inspirational. I'd like to share eight of my top inspirational quotes with you.

- "Rester Forte"

This phrase says "Remain Strong" in French. I have the tattoo of an infinity symbol with the word written inside. It was the first tattoo I got and it's a reminder to stay strong through everything no matter how hard it seems.


-"We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars."  (Oscar Wilde)

All of us have our own issues and problems, but some us are looking at the sky and seeing positive things and looking up.

-"Hakuna Matata"

Oh, The Lion King! My all time favorite movie! I'm pretty everyone knows it's meaning, but what kind of fan would I be if I didn't say, "it means no worries!"

-"...You are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you." (Dr. Seuss)

Why try to be someone else when you're the best at being you? Besides, who's going to be you if you are busy being someone else?

-"Be a voice not an echo."

Like Dr. Seuss' quote above, use your own voice and don't let yourself become an echo of someone else's.

-The chapter ended, not the story.

Okay, I'll be honest, this is my own quote. It's inspired by the sayings talking about how you write your own story. It's a reminder that just because you've had something bad happen or you're going through a rough time, doesn't mean your entire book (life) is bad. I wrote it as a suicide prevention thing. Don't end your life because of a bad chapter (day); finish writing your book until your timed death and not the one by your own hands.

-"Ohana"

I first heard this word, like many people did, while watching "Lilo and Stitch" and even though this isn't technically an inspirational quote, it's a good reminder that family is important and it doesn't matter if that family is blood or not. Family are the people in your life that don't use you for their own personal game, so on and so forth. Just remember, "Ohana means family and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten."

-"Spread your wings and fly away."

This quote, or rather song lyric, comes from "Spread Your Wings" by Queen. It helps me remember that I should always reach out, try new things, go new places, and experience life. It also makes me remember that if I'm not happy about who I hang out with, or where I'm at in life because I feel as if it's holding me back, to always spread my wings and go somewhere new to where I can be who I am.

Forgave and Forgiven

I was taught to forgive, but to never forget. I always thought that was a stupid lesson. Why would I forgive someone that had lied to me? That's broken a promise? I never really understood it until recently when I started feeling my emotions. When I started to follow my head, my heart, my faith.

I thought and thought (basically all I do when I'm alone) about everything so much the anger burned inside me like a raging volcano. I couldn't take it anymore. I prayed; God didn't seem to be listening. I tried my own ways to forget. Those ways consisted of drinking and buying "legal weed" (old  friend called it that) with money I NEEDED to save to fit in with a friend group I never actually felt like I belonged in. I thought that if I at least felt like I belonged the other stuff didn't matter. None of it helped. All that anger was still there. It still existed and when those friends and I walked away from each other, that anger hit all at once.

For all of January I wanted everything to end. I was hurting. On February 12th, I threw away all my blades. The next day, I started to praying harder than I ever had. I started flipping through my bible. Not really reading it, but feeling it in my hands. The feel of the leather, the delicate pages I flipped, it felt right.

March came along and I started following accounts on Instagram that are for self-care. I even followed a few accounts that are Christian based. I then found myself at the Christian book rack at Walmart. I bought two books. One for devotionals and one for bible study. I never really done anything with them at that point, but I had them. That counts, right?

The answer to that: NO! I needed to put in the work. April 12th came along and that makes me two months clean. Today, I have ZERO cuts on my body. I am working on my relationship with God. I've come to terms with the fact Pawpaw is dead. I've forgiven my family. Now, I realize that He (God) has forgiven me for the most insane, terrible things I have done, no done, said, and even thought, why can I not forgive those friends?

So, today, I would like to do that. To every friend that I have FELT, has hurt me in some way or another, I forgive you. It's not for you, and it sounds selfish, but it's for me. It's so I can let go of my anger. And maybe just maybe, we can let bygones be bygones. Everything that HAS happened up to this point is the past; even if our parting is as recent as this year. I forgive you. I am forgiven and now I have forgave.

Grief & Guilt

Today, this week, was full of so many blessings and naturally I wanted to tell Pawpaw about it. I started grieving over him once again. I was looking through my scrapbook and in that moment, I realized I wasn’t crying because I missed him. I do miss him, but I was crying because of my guilt over him passing. 

My guilt of blaming my family for leaving me alone at his funeral. For letting me grieve him by myself. But in reality, I am the one who pushed them away. I could have went to them at any moment and said “Hey, can we talk about Pawpaw?” and I can’t think of a single one who would have said no. I could have, no, should have, jumped in at any moment with my own memory when my family was talking about him. 

I feel guilty because I turned my back on God after Pawpaw passed away. After all, He’s the one who took Pawpaw away from meBut also, I know that’s not technically true. Yes, God says when it’s someone’s time to go, but God didn’t TAKE Pawpaw away from ME. He let Pawpaw cross over to Heaven because God knew Pawpaw wouldn’t want to see the world the way it is today and maybe he saved Pawpaw from more pain that the cancer would have given him; only God knows that. 

Back to my family guilt, even though I kept saying “I know I’m not the only one grieving” in all honesty, I thought I was/am. Because I wasn’t the only one who lost him. Now, I know...I understand that’s not true at all. We’re all just on different paths of grief and life in general. 

With all of this said, I know I am the one who has to make peace with this. I know I am the one who has to ask God to forgive me for turning my back on Him and blaming Him for my selfishness. I know I have to answer to the truth coming out. But I am ready and now, I am making a public apology to all of my family. Because I don’t know what else to do. I don’t know how to word it any other way because I’m still trying. 

So, to my entire family: I am so sorry I put blame on you. I truly know you were/are grieving an important person that WE have lost. I know I have been selfish, I have been unforgivably hateful and so many other things. But please know, I am trying and remember what I’ve just learned: Pawpaw isn’t here physically but he’s always here through OUR memories and the love he left us. 

——————————————-

Dear God,

I have blamed my family. I have blamed you for my own selfishness. For my own hurt. Please forgive me for this. I know everything is in your time and your way. Please keep reminding me of this. And thank you for reminding me that one persons hurt doesn’t make another’s less. We’re just different at expressing things. 

—Amen—

Lies & Help

Have you ever thought about how many lies you've been told? Like, maybe the friend that told you they wanted to hang out with you but in reality they really don't. They're just being "nice." Or maybe when even a family member tells you that they love you, but in reality they're only saying that because you're related and they feel "obligated" to say it. Maybe a person tells you that they miss you, but in reality they only thought about you because you're the one who messaged them first.

I think about this very often. Maybe I have trust issues or maybe I'm just scared of being hurt. Call it whatever you want. All I want to say is, if you don't want to hang out with the person, don't make plans and then cancel. If you don't miss the person or love the person, don't tell them that you do. You can cause more heartbreak and hurt with words than you think. You could be the reason they go home and cut themselves or take too many pills or just flat out commit suicide.

Also, if you see someone hurting, don't be afraid to ask them what's wrong or ask if they need anything. That means so much more than you think. A simple act of kindness can change so much in a persons life. Would you want someone to know you're hurting and just walk away? I can answer that for you...no, you wouldn't. No one wants to feel like they're alone. So, why would you just walk away from someone who's hurting when you wouldn't want that done to you. Even if the person says nothing and that they don't want to talk about it, you took the chance and they'll remember it and it'll possibly help them in the future and you'll know that you tried to take that step.

All I ask, is that you try. Try to help people. Try to show people you care. Try to make a positive impact. You may be the only positive thing a person will see that day or will ever see in their lifetime.



NOTE: I wrote this in 2017, when I didn’t want to make to even the next day (that’s why birthdays are so important to me). I was in a dark place. Even with all the dark stuff I shared, it seemed no one was listening.

That’s why I wrote this. Because I know what it’s like to not be listened to. But now? I found my own path out of that darkness, I still have bad days, but everyone does, I urge you to please, please listen to the others. I am okay, I’m happy. I share darker things now, to show you never know what’s going on in someone’s head. Because I USED to be there.

There are people out there who on the edge, and I made a promise after I finally stepped back from the edge myself, that I would do my best help others get off that edge.

I am here for you. No matter what.