No. 8 BELIEVE

Do you believe in fairytales?

In the magic of words, imagination

In folklore, myth, legends lost to time

treasures forgotten at sea

Infinite secrets of the universe?

Take a second to decide if you do

and I promise you

That if you believe in the magic around you

Your life will have adventure,

if you believe in yourself,

my love, you can do anything!

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In a calm state - dare yourself to believe that anything is possible. Keep your eyes open, taking in the feelings and sensations of your environment. Feel how big the world is.

Dream of something - however big or small, just hold it in your heart. Dare yourself to dream of anything. I don't care what it is - this is a first step to recovery. Your life will have endless adventures if you start to believe that they can happen.

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Whenever, if ever, you feel like the walls are caving in, like your brain is all foggy, or you're crying so hard you think you might throw up - I need you to breathe . Emotions can be overwhelming but you were put here for a reason to feel the range of human experience.

Through your nose, slow deep breaths. Don't hold your breath. An ice pack on your face can help with the crying and extreme anxiety if you have it.

If you are ever considering self harm, drawing on your skin with a washable non-toxic marker can help satiate that urge, and help trick your brain away from SH as well.

Think of your brain as a super computer that can be rewired with the right positive subliminal messaging. Positive affirmations make a difference, and every step counts.

There will be days when you feel like your life is over and you want to give up- like the world is caving in and and your powerless to do anything but watch it burn. Learn in those moments the pain and the beauty, the sheer range of your emotions. Your capacity to feel everything that you're feeling. What made you feel this way? Was it a trigger or is everything piling up into overwhelm? How long have you been feeling this way?

Check in with yourself.

Do I need to ask someone for help? Can I do this alone? Am I ready to seek help? These mental health check-ins are extremely important and vital to your overall well-being. With the right help from the right people, combined with your own sustainable effort, little by little you will be able to self-soothe. You will figure out what works for your body, what heals you and makes you happy, and what made you so damn sad in the first place. Honestly maybe, you aren't drinking water, don't go outside, and aren't taking your vitamins! It could be a range of factors effecting your mood, energy levels, and overall quality of life.

The big takeaway being - dream that big dream, don't give up, and there are resources out there if you're ready and willing to look for them. But - I get it - sometimes you can't get out of bed, there's mental; and physical exhaustion - this is when we ask for help or set one goal for ourselves. Take things one step at a time, moment by moment. Wherever you are in your journey I am so proud of how far you've come.

-It's okay to not be okay,

Love,

Liv