“In today’s society, There is a very small box, That both women and men live by. Inside this box are things we have been told since the day we started breathing on our own. How to look, how to act, how to be happy. And in order for society to work you either have to have both feet firmly planted inside of this box, Or be shamed for tip toeing out of it. For men, the constant weight of needing to find a nice wife and supporting your family both financially And emotionally is almost unbearable. For women, however, the expectation is much more unrealistic. The expectation is much more than just being feminine, And allowing everything to be done for you. You have to be thin, but must have curves, you need to be kind and soft yet hard and independent, you should want to be unique yet act and look like everyone else. You have to obey every single rule society makes up for you. Wear makeup, If you don’t you’ll seem like a lazy slob. Wear makeup, But not a lot, you don’t want to seem too insecure. You must wear provocative clothing, but not because you want to. Constantly having a male tell you you’re beautiful, Is the only way you’ll ever actually be happy. Being shy and wanting to stay in makes you the boring friend, Being loud and going out makes you the immature rebellious teen. And all of these expectations make’s young girls look at magazines and decide that they no longer want dinner. Or lunch. Or breakfast. All of these expectations make older girls walk down a dark street with keys in between fingers, For the fear of a man deciding she is good enough, But not in the way she wants to be. I will speak until my voice is hoarse, and I will type until my fingers bleed, To let young boys know that they can wear pink and be a stay at home dad if they want. I will speak until my voice is hoarse, and I will type until my fingers bleed, to let young girls know that they don’t need makeup, or a man to tell them that they are beautiful to believe that they are. Remember the whole box idea? I want to completely demolish it. I want the box to completely disappear, to vanish in a matter of seconds. Because inside that box, Are things that won’t make everybody happy. To some people, Happiness isn’t in a lover, Or their family, Or money. And to others, Happiness is in a lover, In their family, Or in money. To some people, Happiness is helping others, Or traveling around the world, Or even working a bit more than they should. This box is driving people to have insecurities, In the places only happiness should be. Inside that box lays judgment Inside that box are things that not everyone wants, or needs. Some people don’t need to find happiness in the ideal perfect boyfriend or girlfriend, Some people have already found it inside of themselves. Little boys and girls don’t need to be taught how to be happy, They need to figure out what happiness is to them, On their own. Teenage girls don’t need to miss meals, They need to know that their body is the only thing that will ever truly be theirs, And it’s beautiful. Teenage boys don’t need to worry about doing sports all year round, And always paying for their date, Because they need to take some time for themselves, And know that they don’t need to do sports to make their parents happy. They need to know that they can spend their money on more important things than a girl. And because adults don’t need to compete about who has more money. Whose child is the most talented, And who goes to better golf clubs. Because money doesn’t equal happiness. Because the number in your bank account doesn’t define who you are. I’m so tired of hearing the notion that numbers define who we are as people. Your weight, your age, your GPA, are all just numbers. Numbers that decide if you’re are in good health. Numbers that decide if you are capable of being mature or not. Numbers that decide your future. Reality is, Olympians with gold metals can weigh 300 pounds, 12 year olds can be smarter than college kids, And the happiest person in the world, Walt Disney, didn’t even graduate High School. Numbers can’t tell you how kind you are, Or describe the look in your eyes when you talk about something you’re passionate about. You don’t need these numbers constantly on top of you, Life doesn’t need to feel that exhausting. Once this box is perished, The world will be able to breathe a little easier, Fall asleep more soundly, And be able to smile in their own shoes, Instead of attempting to fit into someone else’s. Once it is known to make kind judgments instead of harsh assumptions, I’ll be able to breathe a little easier, And fall asleep more soundly. I hope one day, People will have enough acceptance to know, That it is okay for two people of the same sex to be happily in love, That it is okay for girls to feel confident, And it is okay for boys to feel insecure. I hope people will soon learn, That what makes someone else happy is none of their concern, I hope people know that it is okay, To pick their mental health over you, And to want to be alone sometimes. That it is okay to be selfish when necessary. Because once the world is this accepting of people who are different, And start working with them instead of against them, We can accomplish wonderful things. Things that people in today’s world can’t even comprehend. If this box can disappear, Kids will be able to be kids for a little longer, And adults can enjoy being an adult a little more, People should enjoy being people a little bit more than they do right now. The bottom line is, People shouldn’t feel the need to impress unimportant people with things that don’t make them happy.”

1. you toss away the key that unlocks the room that you hid everything you don’t want to remember into a familiar ocean that smells like your tears, but looks forgiving when demons start to drown with a smile. you’re not dying, it is only nostalgia. so keep throwing the key away even if it keeps reappearing every morning under your eye lids. hide enough feathers under the bagginess and i promise one day— it’ll all make sense
2. stretch your heart and exercise your rights to feel everything and nothing all at once. throw in a couple of your favorite songs in there for good measure. ask your favorite memories about where they left happiness and listen to the words carefully because you may never hear them again. for all of the pain that you’ve been through, somehow, some way— you still believe and that’s magical all on its own. that’s something that i admire about you. you still believe in the goodness and the light just takes you away. a lonely walk down roads you swore off, today is the day that you’ll kiss your own wounds and those scraped knees will heal before you know it. a thousand times over, you’re alive. you are alive.
3. your worst fears are trending. you’ve disliked yourself for so long that liking yourself is something that’s quite foreign now. like a forgotten language, an ancient one. a tongue that is no longer spoken around the lands of your soul. you are the sky. you are the stars. you are the sun. you are the universe itself. the very idea of existence inside of your mind’s eye. today you feel lighter, tomorrow you fly. if your heart is anywhere to be found, please remind yourself to be easy. easy like the way flowers bloom when we check up on it daily. a stem here. a bud there. a petal too tiny. a blossom too great. your innocence inside of a love poem written to your greatest love— yourself.

• Be sure to drink some water. if you dont like the taste of it, drink a soda or add flavoring to the water. drink some OJ. AJ. Chocolate milk, or make some tea or coffee. 
• Eat. at least something small. a granola bar or maybe a few grapes. a pb & J sandwich or eat some candy. 
• please do not forget to brush your teeth or hair. if youre drained or cant put much effort do one or the other. 
• when did you last take a shower? go take one. Too drained or mentally numb? get a washcloth and wipe your face and take a shower when you feel better. 
• change clothes. i dont care if its from pjs to a new set of pjs. do it. 
• bathroom. do you need to use it?
• change your underwear. please do. it feels great believe me.
• feel like crap and dont want to do much? do a quick 5 minute cleaning whether its ridding trash, or taking dishes up or quickly cleaning off your bed for you to lay back down and stare out the window.
• play a game on your phone. that shit just helps sometimes.
• feel groggy? open a window. too hot? place a fan near your feet. 
• room stink cause its trashy? take out the trash. spray some febreeze or essential oil or a candle. 
• do some laundry. 
• dont wanna watch tv cause nothing good is on? put on some cartoons and use it as back ground noise. 
• 5 minute stretches. 
• read a book or a page or so. 
• reorganize something small.
• sit on your front or back porch if you can. 
• lay in a sunny warm spot of your home. 
• cry if you need to.
• make up your bed. its worth it. 
• dust something. 
• get out of the chair or bed for a bit. 
• give your eyes a rest from technology. 
• play some music whatever your mood is.
• take your damn meds. they will help you. its okay.

GIF by ppaction