“Notes to self: 1. Live authentically 2. Work ambitiously 3. Choose courage over comfort 4. Money makes me feel secure, not happy 5. Everyone thinks they’re right 6. Alcohol feels good at first and becomes a burden later 7. Worrying is praying for your worst nightmare 8. Material luxuries are best when limited 9. Keeping expectations low is a good strategy 10. It’s never right the first time 11. Everyone who is vulnerable is interesting 12. Most things distract you from realizing it’s easy 13. Trust what you want, not what you think you will work 14. Walks exude inspiration 15. Over time, I get better at everything and take it for granted – Raad Ahmed”
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I invite travel, paid creative opportunities, unexpected financial gifts, and aesthetically pleasing spaces into my life at this moment.
“Stop worrying about your identity and concern yourself with the people you care about, ideas that matter to you, beliefs you can stand by, tickets you can run on. Intelligent humans make those choices with their brain and hearts and they make them alone. The world does not deliver meaning to you. You have to make it meaningful… and decide what you want and need and must do.”
— Zadie Smith, On Beauty
I want to acknowledge all those who are making decisions to explore the unknown this year. Whether that be trying a new craft, going to therapy, attending school, traveling somewhere new, changing your look, practicing new behaviors and ways of being, reading a new author, applying for a job, starting a creative project, beginning a healing regime - or really doing anything that feels like a step into new territory. It’s important to recognize how much courage it takes to leave an established comfort zone in order to grow. Even if you’re taking baby steps you are still moving forward. You are brave. Keep going.

you know those moods where you just wanna cut everything and everyone off n just fall asleep for like two weeks

Every once and a while you get a glimpse of the person you could be. Grab that. Hold on to that. Work for it. Nothing is out of reach.

Jessie Reyez

take me to art museums and make out with me
But they said to not touch the masterpieces
Well somebody’s gotta pin the artwork to the wall
When the hoe from salvation army glances at me



