Motivational Monday #3!

     Motivational Monday is back once again to save the day, hopefully making your Monday's a little brighter. For those of you who are new to all this, "Motivational Monday" is just a post full of random quotes, videos, music, photos etc. who's sole purpose is to make your day a little easier, keep you going. For some reason, everybody hates Mondays; maybe because that's when you need to return to your duties of work and school but, it doesn't have to that way! Have no fear, Motivational Monday is here!
             Rend Collective - More than conquerors 
                 CLICK HERE TO VIEW MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO

"Seriously friends. Wait until you find someone who you can love wholeheartedly and who loves you wholeheartedly, too. Who you can chill with, laugh with, work with, live with. Who loves Jesus in a way that makes you pursue God more than you ever thought possible. And then marry that person. It’s awesome." - Tori K. Webb

If You Are In A Shell

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“You’ve got to embrace discomfort. It’s the only way you can put yourself in situations where you can learn, and the only way you can keep your senses fresh once you’re there.”

—	Louis C.K. “Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.” —  Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self Reliance

“Until you get comfortable with being alone, you’ll never know if you’re choosing someone out of love or loneliness.”

—	Mandy Hale

“Your life is your message to the world. Make sure it’s inspiring.”

—	TheDailyPositive.com

“

1. If you like someone, wait.
2. Give lots of compliments, even if you’re shy. Everyone else is too.
3. Change. Get a haircut, try new perfume, get new sheets. Become better than you were before.
4. Eat healthier. Learn to cook something fancy.
5. Get up earlier and watch the sun come up.
6. Wear soft clothes, take a bath, drink something warm.
7. Meet someone new, even just a friend.
8. Become closer with your friends and your family. Call your mother. Cry with your best friend. Tell everyone how much you appreciate them.
9. Keep your room clean. Buy some candles. Let the natural light in.
10. Make a list of reasons why you’ll be better off without them. Believe they are true, because they are. 
11. Listen to new music. 
12. Write everything you’re thinking and feeling. Write letters. Write happy letters, sad letters, and angry letters, even if you’re never going to send them.
13. It’s okay to be sad, but not forever. Sadness is not as beautiful as music makes it seem. Lack of sleep makes your eyes droopy, not deep. Wake up every morning and tell yourself you’re going to have a good day.
14. Go to the library. Don’t forget to look in the music section. 
15. Remove them from your life. Get rid of the things they gave you if they make you sad. They’re not worth it. You will never be happy if you continue to hold on to the things that make you sad.
16. Make new memories.
17. Try to find something to appreciate in everything you do or experience.
18. Being alone is okay, you don’t have to surround yourself with people. 
19. Become your own best friend. Buy yourself coffee and drink it alone in a cafe. Take your time. 
20. Learn to love every bit of yourself.

”

—

How to feel better and become better (via skinnyknees, tumblr) “Bottom line is, even if you see ‘em coming, you’re not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can’t help that. It’s what you do afterwards that counts. That’s when you find out who you are.” —  Joss Whedon “A biblical understanding of the Christian life is not ‘let go and let God,’ it’s ‘trust God and get going.’” —  Tullian Tchividjian

Being Christian and an Artist?

     Anyone who knows me personally or even follows me on twitter or my personal Tumblr account knows I practically sweat art. I myself, draw, write, make poor attempts at sculpting (little progress is better than no progress) play and compose piano and guitar pieces and indulge in a little photography here and there. God has blessed me with the ability to see and appreciate the beauty in just about everything, making the world a much more exciting place. Although my love for all the art forms (painting, drawing, sculpting, dance, music etc.) passionately burns a hole in me, I am a Christian before I am an artist. This presents me with the question, call all art be considered "good" art? Yes and no. All art is prompting you to feel something, telling and or conveying a story, therefore, it depends on what the art is persuading you to feel, which is where I then use the word and my better judgement in order to decide this for myself if I shall let the art influence me or not; this especially pertains to nudity in art.

    

     Now, I know I will some very conservative readers  who will probably object to my following statement, which is perfectly fine, I am just presenting the way in which I view this topic.

I honestly believe that nakedness is beautiful when presented in a beautiful way. We are taught to cover up our bodies, which is fine, I'd rather not see everyone walking down Main Street naked (however it can also be argued that, that is only because we have been taught to scorn nudity) however, the human body is nothing to be ashamed about, rather cherished for the work of art in which God made. Humans as a whole however, have defaced it's beauty, vandalizing it with music video vixens,racy swimsuit catalogs and porn hub; causing it to lose its artistic value. I believe, however, there are many circumstances in which nakedness is pure art, beauty, vulnerability and modesty; it’s all about presentation. Now for a good old Cosby analogy: Think of your favorite foods, everything you've dreamed of eating, the meal that makes you happiest. Now, I am going to prepare that meal for you, all your appetizers, main courses and desserts, and present them to you on the lid of a garbage can. That beautiful meal is no longer appetizing anymore. It’s all about presentation. If you present nakedness in a provocative way, it will lose it’s beauty and artistic value but if you preserve the beauty of nakedness, I believe it is not something to turn your nose up at. Also, nakedness has its time. It can also lose it’s beauty if it is overused; just like when you say a word repetitively, it is as if it loses its meaning and it doesn't sound the same. Nakedness must be presented in Modesty and Moderation in order to capture it’s true beauty.

     

     Now, on to tattoos. This one, I battle with all the time. It's very easy for me to say, I see my body as an empty canvas in which I would love to place beautiful images which reflect the things I love, upon. However, then I am reminded the fact that "my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit" and the fact that I am God's work of art. Jamie, from the the YouTube channel "Jamie and Nikki" once said "Getting a tattoo is like owning the Mona Lisa and then drawing something over it in markers." Which is so true, why deface the work of art you've naturally been blessed with? That's what I tell myself every time I get the urge to get mountain peaks or a world map tattooed on my forearm. Tempting? Yes. Worth it? Probably not. Then, I refer back to Leviticus 19:28 which says: 

"Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I [am] the LORD." 

This can be argued in many different ways. First starting with the fact that most girls get their ears pierced at infancy,it has become a cultural norm,, so what is the difference between tattoos and piercings? Wouldn't that make them both sins? Next, someone could argue that well, if my tattoo and or piercing isn't glorifying the dead, then it does not apply does it? Or if I get a tattoo which has something to do with God, is it still a sin? Valid arguments? Yes. Is it worth the  risk to me? No, I'd rather not take that chance. To my artistic eye, tattoos are ever so beautiful, however if I have to question whether or not it is sinful then, my safest option is not to do it at all. Can you get a tattoo and then repent after, yes but that would be a blatant sin, taking advantage of the Lord's goodness and grace is not an excuse to do wrong but a reason to love and serve God even more fully. 

With that said, I'll guess I'll just have to stick to my temporary, yet ever so realistic, sharpie and henna tattoos.

    I am a Christian before I am anything else, which can become conflicting when pertaining to views on art, however, it doesn't really have much of an affect on my artistry, It has actually allowed me to see things in the ways in which The Lord intended them to be, making them so much more beautiful. 

Now, I hope you don't mind as I shower you guys with some beautiful works of art: (Disclaimer: None of the following photos are my own.)

-Nathia

Where my faith stems from: My testimony

                 

     

        Turns out, I was never TRULY a Christian at all. Not until, about a year and a half ago. I never knew what it truly meant to be a Christian or what it meant to have a relationship with God... I didn't even really know you could have one at that point to be quite honest. All my life I had grown up in the church and I thought, because I had attended Church every week and prayed every night, that I was saved. Little to my past knowledge, being a Christian is much more than showing up to church on Sunday mornings.

    At that point and time in my life, I was dealing with a lot of things, some of my main issues were a 5 year battle against depression and learning how to love myself. I was in a dark place, everyone else had given up on me and I had felt as if God had given up on me as well, which was far from the truth; He was probably closets to me than before, I just kept pushing him away with all my worry, doubt and anger. There was a point for about 15 minutes, when I questioned the existence of God and in that moment, life had felt the most valueless, meaningless and hopeless than ever before. After that, I laid there begging God to forgive me for doubting him, even for just fifteen minutes. It had felt as if he weren't there anymore and nothing had value left in it. In that moment I was given a taste of what life would be like without God.. Absolutely nothing. I knew God was still there, I just couldn't feel him because I had never truly had the relationship with him that I needed as a supposed to be Christian. At that time, I had attended a much smaller church than the one I do now and we were told that, that Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we were going to have a guest speaker, pastor Sanforian Dondon, come from Canada and minister.  
That Saturday, I guess you can say I accidentally ended up in church that night, but to God, that was exactly where I needed to be. At the end of his sermon, he asked that anyone who needed physical healing, to come and receive prayers. I sat there and watched as people went up for healing of their legs and arms, joints, etc. I've grown up in the church and was used to seeing others receive healing for various things but never had I experienced it myself. As I was sitting, pastor Dondon then looked at me and said, "Come, you need healing... For your heart. you're in pain."  In that moment, my heart sunk. I wondered, how in the world could this man, from another country, that I have never seen before, know more about me than even my parents or closest friends? I did need healing, my heart was heavy and full of anger, sadness, worry, hopelessness and self-hatred, but how could he possibly know that? It was because it was not him speaking, but him allowing God to speak through him. He prayed for me and I felt the presence of The Lord like never before, it was this sense of peace and love and forgiveness.. It was calming and hopeful. When he had finished praying for me, he made me promise that I would  come back tomorrow, Sunday, and have him pray for me again. That Sunday, he called me up again and from that point on, my life has never been the same. He revealed so much that I had never told anyone. He then went on to tell me everything I had and was going through in detail, he then said, "God hears your cries, when no one else does." He said God says he loves you and everything will be okay, from this day forward, your life will never be the same.  From there, he continued to reveal what God has in store for me and that peaceful presence was bestowed upon me again. I then hugged both pastor Dondon and his wife and to be honest, I never wanted to let go.

   To this day, those words are what I hold on to, Gods Divine Purpose for me is what keeps me going. I know that everything I go through is preparing me for the unthinkable blessings He has in store for my life. Every word of it was true. I see the things God has promised me, unfolding in front of my eyes and it's so exciting. Alongside the great things he is doing for me in the shadows and things i don't even realize, every day I see God do little things for me to remind me he's still here, and is listening and I can't help but smile, sometimes laugh, and thank him. I wish I could hug him, but I know I will be be able to in due time. Feeling the presence of The Lord and his plans for my life is what ultimately strengthened my faith. My personal experience with him and everything he does has done and is doing in my life is where my faith stems from. The way the things that have happened in my life have all eventually added up to make sense, providing me with lessons in which I have had to apply to other situations, making them easier to handle every time, is where my faith stems from. Looking outside and seeing the sun paint the sky in watercolor before it bids us all goodnight and the way my body works as if it is the greatest computer ever made, is what strengthens my faith. No beauty like the ones found in nature can be credited for by an accidental explosion. There is no way. The way my mindset has evolved and I am now able to see the beauty in absolutely everything.. That is where my faith stems from. My faith is strengthened more and more daily because I just find such amazement in things people take for granted. My faith stems from the fact that I have experienced the presence, beauty, goodness, love, mercy, kindness and forgiveness of The Lord for myself. From that point on I was finally able to build the relationship with God that I needed because I was able to understand him more. My love, passion and desire for him burned a hole in my heart that was filled with his love. My relationship with God is much more than Master and servant but Father and child, Support system, the only one I can truly trust, a Lover and a Friend.

   Once I TRULY gave my life to God, it changed tremendously. The way I walked and talked, the things I did, the way I viewed life in general transposed into something so beautiful you'd have to experience it yourself. You can if you're willing. My future seemed so much brighter and I started actually looking forward to life with Christ, rather than wanting it to end. My depression deteriorated and life became easier to handle, knowing I was not the one fighting, but God was fighting for me as long as I allow him to.  Knowing God loved me allowed me to love myself and love him even more. So many things have become so much clearer, my desires, priorities and aspirations have changed. And in the midst if all the chaos going on, the world is still a beautiful place because I have God right by my side, shielding me. 

    With that said, being a Christian is not all flowery. You are not now immune to hardship, in some ways, you now attract it. The enemy does not want to see you go down Gods path, therefore, he becomes angry and he will try even harder to reel you back over to him, throwing hardships at you. However, those are the times you must stand the most firm in your faith and carry on closer to God, Satan cannot reach you there. "Resist the devil and he shall flee." Once he realizes how strong your faith is and you study and utilize the Word of God to fight off the shots from the enemy, he will flee from you. One of the best things about being a Christian is how much I no longer have to worry because I know everything is already taken care of, all I need to do is ask through prayer and believe that through the deeds of Jesus Christ on the cross, It is finished. 
Colossians  1:24-25 "

24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions. 25Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God"

     I am not perfect, I am absolute nowhere near it and I won't be until I am standing in front of God in heaven. I still fall back into sin once in a while, but not purposely and not as drastically as before. I, yes, still find myself getting angry or worried or anxious but I quickly catch myself and remember what The Lord has promised me. Has promised us all. I am human, of course I will feel those ways sometimes but it's only a sin when I act upon those feelings instead of turn them up to God. I have learned instead, to let go and let God. "Grace is not an excuse to do wrong but a reason to love and serve God even more fully".

   Being a Christian is a lifestyle, being a Christian is my life. I have faithfully and fully devoted my life to The Lord, allowing him to do with it, what is pleases. It is no longer my life, it is his. 

I have made the conscious decision to let God carry out his work through me. I have no fears and no doubts, knowing my life is in the hands of The Lord God Almighty, the safest place it could ever be, for he only has plans of the best for me, his child. 

Being a Christian entails giving up your past life in exchange for the much better one God has waiting for you to receive. 

Being a Christian is not about your needs, although, they will be taken care of. Being a Christian is about devoting your life to make someone else's easier, not throwing your bibles but throwing love onto even those who are resistant of if it; leading by example as Jesus did, spreading the good news of The Lord to anyone who is willing to listen, and continuing to pray for those who are not. Approaching people with kindness, generosity, care and gentleness and accepting all with open arms, just as The Father would. Being bold and taking leaps of faith. Being a Christian means being like Christ.

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY #2!

    Motivational Monday is back! Where i share with you inspirational, uplifting and positive videos, music, scriptures, quotes photos and more! I hope this helps at least one of you, providing you with a message you need. Enjoy! And Happy Monday!

- Nathia

    
    Please, I encourage you to listen to this video in its entirety. The messages she provides at the end of the song is powerful and I know someone needs it, that might just be you. Pray with her, accept him, open your heart and receive the Love of God. Your life will never be the same.

           
           CLICK HERE TO VIEW MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO

“Fall in love with someone who wants you, who waits for you. Who understands you even in the madness; someone who helps you, and guides you, someone who is your support, your hope. Fall in love with someone who talks with you after a fight. Fall in love with someone who misses you and wants to be with you. Do not fall in love only with a body or with a face; or with the idea of being in love.” — 
Unknown

“Sometimes God calms the storm, but sometimes God lets the storm rage and calms his child.”

—	TheDailyPositive.com

“Remember, remember, this is now, and now, and now. Live it, feel it, cling to it. I want to become acutely aware of all I’ve taken for granted.”

—

Sylvia Plath “Labels bias our perceptions, thinking, and behavior. A label or story can either separate us from, or connect us to, nature. For our health and happiness, we must critically evaluate our labels and stories by their effects.” —  ― Michael J. Cohen  “Maybe it’s just hard to see what’s right in front of you while you’re frantically searching for it.” —  (via ohlovequotes)   "Something Every Girl Needs To Hear" - Alyssa Bethke CLICK HERE TO VIEW MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO “Our lives are not as limited as we think they are; the world is a wonderfully weird place; consensual reality is significantly flawed; no institution can be trusted, but love does work; all things are possible; and we all could be happy and fulfilled if we only had the guts to be truly free and the wisdom to shrink our egos and quit taking ourselves so damn seriously.” A simple yet powerful daily prayer: "Jesus, reveal yourself to me, I want more of you." Who is Jesus really? CLICK HERE TO VIEW MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO              Matthew 17:20 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed,you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” THE DAILY POSITIVE A Positive Thought in the Morning Can Change Your Whole Day. No Spam, Just Love :) :    Sign up now to receive positive emails consisting of quotes etc. daily! This is to simply lift your spirits and i promise, it is all free. Here is the link: http://dalepartridge.com/

FINAL JUDGEMENT

                          

    When times get hard, we tend to blame, question and stray away from God, looking for comfort in things of this world, when those are the times when we must be closest to him. God wants to help you but you must be willing to receive it. 

    God is not to blame for our problems, he does not create them, God solves them, despite the fact that we are so unworthy; his grace spares us. 

People ask: Then, why does God allow these things to happen to us? 

That is for one of two reasons:

1. He wants to build you up through these trials, for he can see how much it will benefit us and the joy that is coming our way that we may not be able to see in the midst of our troubles.

Psalms 30:5

"For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

2. He has warned you and called out to you, yet you continue to ignore him and in fact, you got yourself into the situation you are in. God gives you a choice to follow him, if you chose not to do so, then consequences will follow. Not because he is angry and throwing them at you, but because you chose to take them.

Here is my newest video, "FINAL JUDGEMENT" where I explain the concept of grace and judgement a little further:

CLICK HERE FOR MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO

"Love is not found in the absence of judgement, but in the presence of it." - Michael Ramsden

Depression: Our journey to happiness

    Caution: May be slightly triggering. But i promise, i will get past all the cons and move on to the pros, i just want to first, use the following quote in order to try to illustrate depression for those who are not familiar with it's grip.
    "Depression is humiliating. It turns intelligent, kind people into zombies who can’t wash a dish or change their socks. It affects the ability to think clearly, to feel anything, to ascribe value to your children, your lifelong passions, your relative good fortune. It scoops out your normal healthy ability to cope with bad days and bad news, and replaces it with an unrecognizable sludge that finds no pleasure, no delight, no point in anything outside of bed. You alienate your friends because you can’t comport yourself socially, you risk your job because you can’t concentrate, you live in moderate squalor because you have no energy to stand up, let alone take out the garbage. You believe you've become pathetic. And you have no capacity to stop the downward plunge. You have no perspective, no emotional reserves, no faith that it will get better. So you feel guilty and ashamed of your inability to deal with life like a regular human, which exacerbates the depression and the isolation. If you've never been depressed, thank your lucky stars and back off the folks who take a pill so they can make eye contact with the grocery store cashier. No one on earth would choose the nightmare of depression over an averagely turbulent normal life.

It’s not an incapacity to cope with day to day living in the modern world. It’s an incapacity to function. At all. If you and your loved ones have been spared, every blessing to you. If depression has taken root in you or your loved ones, every blessing to you, too. No one chooses it. No one deserves it. It runs in families, it ruins families. You cannot imagine what it takes to feign normalcy, to show up to work, to make a dentist appointment, to pay bills, to walk your dog, to return library books on time, to keep enough toilet paper on hand, when you are exerting most of your capacity on trying not to kill yourself. Depression is real. Just because you've never had it doesn't make it imaginary. Compassion is also real. And a depressed person may cling desperately to it until they are out of the woods and they may remember your compassion for the rest of their lives as a force greater than their depression. Have a heart. Judge not lest ye be judged." - Unknown

      Depression is not laziness, not an excuse, nor a choice. Depression is not a connotation for sad nor is it a synonym for having a bad day, a bad week even. Depression is something you must fight every day, It does not last a day, in most cases, it lasts years and tries to swallow you whole in it's darkness. Depression shuts off all your lights and makes you run aimlessly through the seemingly never ending night then walk, still heaving, and then crawl and then just lay there until you one day, the lights start to flicker and for a second, you regain hope. Depression is a battle THAT YOU WILL WIN.

To those of you currently battling depression:

Hello my fellow warriors,
   There are certain things i know you will hear all the time: "It will get better" "This too shall pass" "There is light at the end of the tunnel" and these statements are true, but many times, what you aren't told, is, yes, i PROMISE, In time, happiness will find its way back to you, but, It won't be easy, you cannot expect it to be, but it WILL be worth it. Please, be patient. When you get out of this, happiness will be like gold to you, it will be even more enjoyable than before, You were given this fight because YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH to defeat the darkness. Please, do not give up on yourself, I am rooting for you. I know the people around you may not understand, you may be called lazy, you may be called angry, bitter, asked why all you wear is sweatpants or why you hide under so much make up; why you spend so much time in your room, in the dark and told to "get over it"' asked why you "can't take a joke" or why you never smile.... Forgive these people, for they truly do not know. No one can truly understand how you feel unless they have been there themselves, which is why it may get lonely sometimes, but i promise you, you are not alone. I've been there, and i've gotten out and i promise, if i can, you can too. In those 5 years I was fighting, I lost a lot of people I thought would stick with me forever, but then realized, some of those people were only holding me down further. I've been to the lowest of lows and still managed to float back to the surface. When you hit rock bottom, there is no where else to go but up, It's cliche but ever so true. I always held everything in, not wanting to burden anyone with my problems, which was a poor choice, because then eventually, the pressure would build up and i would explode. The thing is, i never really had anyone i felt comfortable talking to, because i knew they wouldn't understand which would make me feel even more distant from the rest of the world... "abnormal" i guess. Or the few times i would try to reach out for help and my hand would get slapped away, so i just stopped asking.  

    It's not that i didn't want help, it's that i didn't know the right place to find it. And this is why I am here, I am here to give you a place to run to when you feel like you can no longer go on. I am here here to share parts of my story in order to let you know that I DO understand and i want nothing more than to be there for you, whether it's for advice or just to have someone who will listen. This does not need to end in any way but you finding happiness and i am here to help lead you to it. I know what it feels like to have seemingly absolutely nothing to look forward to but, I found the strength to hold on and get out. I had that strength all along I'm here to help you discover yours faster than I did. There is so much to look forward to, when you get out of all this, you will emerge from the darkness, a thousand and one times stronger than ever before, your perception of the world will transform and everything seems so much more beautiful. In a way, I guess i can call this my twisted blessing, because without everything i went through, I would not be the person i am today. I would not see things the way I do now and I would not value certain things as much as I do now. I PROMISE YOU, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, IF YOU KEEP FIGHTING, YOU WILL COME OUT OF THIS VICTORIOUS. Force yourself to get out to bed and break habits, depression wants you to lay in the darkness all day, do not feed it, do not give it power over you. Fight and when it tries to fight back, fight harder. You are stronger than these thoughts, you are stronger than these feelings, you are stronger than the blade and the self harm, you are stronger than your scars. You are stronger than everything trying to keep you down; throw them out of your way. Delete all those mourn-worthy songs on your phone and get leave the people who are bringing negativity into your life, behind. Many times I found myself doing a much needed "friend cleanse". Surround yourself with people who love you and not only want to see you happy but are willing to help you get there. Run (exercise is proven to increase the chemical in your brain which makes you happy) listen to uplifting music, engulf yourself in positivity. You will get through this, and you don't need to do it alone, You can always reach me at my email ( asknathia@gmail.com) my ask (http://www.ask.fm/natvice) or my twitter (http://www.twitter.com/NathiaWray) or you can get further guidance by calling one of the numbers located in the following link http://natvice.tumblr.com/suicidehotlines .
Hold on my souldiers, this battle is not over until you have won.
To those of you in recovery:

To my fellow champions, 
CONGRATULATIONS, you've made it!
    There will be days when familiar feelings emerge and that may become scary, but i promise you, keep fighting and ignoring those feelings, they won't trouble you for long. Sometimes, in recovery, you are constantly worried, waiting for sadness to emerge once again, waiting for something bad to happen because that is the same old routine you're used to, that nothing good can come your way without 5 bad things to follow, but I promise, it's okay, the darkness over. Enjoy this newfangled happiness, don't spend your time worrying when it will end, you've earned this. Recovery is the time when you rebuild your village after the war. yes, there will be some days that are better than others, but remember all that you've fought off and how far you've come, you absolutely cannot turn back now. Expect those familiar past feeling to try and creep up on you, they will try but don't let them succeed. Sometimes, there is a twisted sense of comfort in those feelings because, that's what you're used to and change can be frightening but, don't fall for it, there is no glamour in sadness. You are new and the strongest you have ever been, nothing can bring you down as long as you learn how to remember where you came from without going back there. When life tries to throw a curveball at you, remember all the bullets you've dodged and wounds you've healed, how hard you've fought and how far you've come. Of course things aren't always going to be peaches and cream, but that's life, things happen, it's your job to determine how you react and how you let it affect you. Don't ever, for a second think you don't deserve the happiness coming your way, and yes, there is even more to come than you have right now. Build a positive community, build a support system, with a handful of genuine people who have made it out of the dark as well.  Surround yourself with positivity, stay in the light and know your limitations. Remember it's okay to let go. Live every day one day at a time and don't think too far ahead, that'll only stress you out. And most of all, BE PROUD OF YOURSELF. I sure am proud of you

To those of you who have never experienced depression:

How to help
    One thing that irks me is when people use "depressed" "anxiety attack" or "panic attack" as a synonym for "bad day" "startled" and or "stressed". Those are not the same thing, and people tend to take others less seriously when they reach out for help because of that, they are just seen as over-exaggerating. 

1.  Do not mock/dumb down the pain of others. Also, be considerate of others feelings, no matter if they show signs of depression or not. You never know what someone is going through. I was the queen of a fake smile, to this day, nobody really knows what went on in my head. Following things up with "I'm just kidding", doesn't soften blows or excuse your statements either. You never know what people are going through, treat everyone with delicacy.

2. They are still people. They just handle things differently than you: Just because you don't understand something, does not mean it is abnormal. Don't talk to someone with depression as if they are inhuman or pitiful, that will only push them farther away and make them feel even more alone. Depression is not a choice and those with it, should not be exiled for it, they should be brought closer. 

3. However, sometimes, the best thing you can do for someone is to leave them alone. This all depends on the person, the circumstances and the extent of time. I know personally, I need a break from people. I cherish my alone time every day, it gives me a chance to just stop and relax. Give them the advice, love and support that you can, and then let them have time to breathe and soak it all in. After, check up on them, daily. Send a text just to let them know you were thinking about them, ask them how their day is going and how they're feeling, let them know you are always here for them whenever they need it.

4. Some people just need a listening ear: You may not understand what that person is going through, however, if they reach out to you, sometimes they just want someone who will listen. Some people, just need you there. Don't ever make them feel like a burden, then they will just stop coming to you all together. Be there for them as much as you can and reassure them that you WANT to help them, not that you're doing it out of pity. If you think the situation is too much for you to handle, do not take in on all by yourself, If it gets too serious, then yes, tell someone WHO YOU BOTH CAN TRUST to help intervene (EX: if say, one of their triggers for depression is their life at home, i definitely would not suggest going to their parents, but another trusted adult, pastor and or counselor instead. They may (Will) be upset with you, but you're doing it because you care for them). Do not ever feel like this persons life is your responsibility, as much as you would like to help, there is truly only so much you can do, which is give them your love and support. Depression is a battle of the mind.

Signs someone may be depressed:
(These definitely are not all of them and some people may not show any signs at all, but here are some)

- Irritability/always angry 
- Loss of interest in passions 
- Deteriorating hygiene,
- Talking about/ hinting at death a lot, especially placing it in a positive light.
- Lots of time in the dark/always sleeping/insomnia  
- Long sleeves in summer  (Could mean hiding scars)
- Immense weight loss or weight gain in a short period of time

    "The greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."
    

Keep fighting, 
- Nathia