Aphrodite Made Me Do It

your life is short and

all the more precious for it.

I do not seek

to tell you how to live, only to live at all.

to not fear the day.

to know you are stronger

than what has hurt you.

to know that you

will triumph.

give yourself permission to explore every aspect of your being:

the parts they call feminine and the parts they don’t / the parts that would make your mother gasp / the parts that are deemed unacceptable and undesirable / the parts that are hungry / the parts that are angry / the parts that are hurting / the parts that make you feel good / the parts that make you feel guilty / the parts you’re not proud of / all of it / every bloody, ugly bit

We use labels to help explain ourselves to others. They don’t define us. We define them. If a word isn’t working for you, make it work. Pick it up. Make it yours. Or put it all the way down and pick up other words. Make new ones. Language evolves and revolves around you.

Accepting this body

did not mean convincing myself

that it was beautiful; it meant

giving myself permission

to exist regardless.

The same way

she rose from the sea,

you rise like a phoenix

from the ashes of things

that no longer serve you.

You mythic bird.

- make art

- plant trees

- read

- practice a skill

- teach yourself something

- learn to cook

- go for a drive

- make a new playlist

- sing

- meditate

- get organized

- travel solo

- go for a walk

- volunteer

- go stargazing

- take a long, hot bath

- declutter

- go to a museum

- garden

- write a poem

It’s important not to isolate yourself when you’re healing but it’s also important to be able to sit quietly with yourself

the idea that romantic love makes you whole

It is simple. You believe in the triumphs of love despite growing up in full view of its defeat because you are brave

love that doesn’t last is still important / not everyone is meant to stay forever / love teaches lessons / love is more than the lessons it teaches / it does not have to be heavy / it does not have to be requited to be worthwhile / no one owes you their time or their affection / cherish your friends and the family you find with them / love has little to do with blood relations / and more to do with who you choose to bleed for / it’s okay to walk away from things that don’t feel right / your love will not always look like everyone else’s / you will not always grow it the same way / you will not always express it the same way / people can love each other and still be bad for each other / people can love each other and still be incompatible / love never means you have to stay / it means your heart is open / fight to keep it that way

Love knows only love