forum For those in need of Encouragement

Started September 10, 2019 by @Echo_6 group

tune

I know by experience that the littlest things can make us sad, but the littlest things can also make us happy. Maybe your friend isn't responding to your texts, but during the time your waiting for that response to possibly never come, try doing some little happy tasks and fun activities. Dribble a soccer ball around your backyard. Play your instrument and/or listen to music. Hop on your favorite video game and destroy those noobs. Watch your favorite show/movie or your favorite YouTuber. Write some more of your book and make your characters do something fun too.
This can go for when you're bored also. I tend to get into some depressing thoughts when I'm alone and have nothing to do, but what helps is just doing small and simple things to get my mind off of life. Maybe that's what you're doing right now, I want to tell you that it'll be okay and there's a valid reason why you're feeling this way, but you can try do something about it.

Wednesday Words of Wisdom:
To become the wise, you must start the foolish.
-anonymous

This is random
But y'all
Kiss that boy/girl/anyone in between
Life ain't infinite
One day you're gonna wish you did

Hey, folks, it's ya boi, taking a break from rewatching Blue Exorcist to maybe offer a bit of positivity and encouragement to whoever is willing to listen! Now, it's the holiday season, and this time of year, things can get to be stressful. Between getting presents for those you love, and organizing/attending parties, not to mention the hustle and bustle of work and school, it can be hard to gather our bearings! To act with compassion and sobriety! I know I've been caught up in things myself. Sometimes we forget in the midst of things, that everyone is human and makes mistakes, and more importantly, to treat each other with respect and kindness. Sometimes we all get too caught up in talking that we forget to listen to what others have to say. Sometimes compassion fatigue sets in and makes our hearts just a little frostier. Like I said, we're only human. So this holiday season, I'd like to spread just a little bit of joy! And thus, I'd like to get some things off my chest.

1. I sincerely love all of you precious beans, all of you angels! I know hard times have fallen upon some of you, and I may not be able to promise you that things will get better, but I can listen, I can be here to offer comfort, and maybe along the way, we can all make some happy holiday memories together 😋! So as you go about your business, and adventures, please remember three things. First, causation does not equal correlation and your existence is not to blame for any ills that befall the ones you love! Second, you are loved, and if the haters talk about you behind your back, it only means you're ahead of them 😉! And second, you matter and you are invaluable as a person!
2. If you're going through times where you're questioning your existence, I want you to think of some things. Your favorite artist and favorite song. Your pets, and (if you have one) your crush and what it's like to be around them. Hot coffee or tea on cold mornings. And baby opossums (they're so cute)! I can't promise you certainty or peace of mind (I can't even guarantee those things for mysslf) but I can guarantee my friendship, my open PMs, and open ears 😉.
3. If you want me to listen to some of your favorite artists, feel free to recommend them, I'll check them out and get back to you!
4. I'd like to apologize to a handful of folks about my lack of role-playing lately (you know who you are) sorry lol feel free to curse me out. _{@Wolfheart and @EvTheBoredRPer}
5. I'm currently working on a poem that'll go directly to this chat! If you'd like to add in a line, feel free! It's gonna be bittersweet lol! I really appreciate it if you do, I'd like to have the poem remind me of y'all and I'll be posting it on New Year's, thanks for everything once more! And with that, we move on to my final point!
6. Have a very happy holiday season, and I hope you guys prosper! I hope school lightens the load that it burdens y'all with, and I hope you have a very happy winter break when it comes! Shuries out!

This is just your friendly reminder that it's okay to not be okay sometimes. You can't be perfect all the time, and sometimes not being perfect is perfect. As some people would put it, "Your flaws make you beautiful. And are the reason I love you."
This time of year can become the most stressful and busy, so this is also a friendly reminder for you to take a step or two back. Breathe for a few moments and look at where you're going before you keep going. Because speaking from experience, sometimes when I get set on something and I think that I need to go in that direction, I will go without stopping. But sometimes if I stop and look at where I'm going, I can see that I'm heading in the wrong way, or maybe I am headed in the right direction and I just need to find a better way to get there. And maybe that's what some of us need to do. I can't say for sure that that's what people need to do, because I don't know what your lives look like. All I can say is that sometimes we need to look at where we're going before we get there, to make sure we're going in the right direction.
Also you're important.
It was going to happen. You all knew it would. I will say that to my grave. And even on my gravestone there will be the words engraved on it, "You Make A Difference."
Smack me if I ever stop saying it. Because it is and always will be very true.
Much love for everyone, Hope you had a good Christmas, stay safe for New Years. And I'm thankful to al of you for being here with me into the new year.

Likewise Rachel!

Hey! If it makes you feel sad, mad, upset, or happy, then it matters!!!
You don't need to brush something off because you think it's not that big of a deal, but if it matters to you, then it is a big deal!
You really shouldn't brush something off because you think it's not that big of a deal either.
Also, if it matters to you, it will matter to your friends and family too, because they care about you and you matter to them.
Wow I've said matter so many times that I don't know if I'm even using it right anymore and it sounds weird now but I hope you got the message. Love ya!

(_{Wants to ask for encouragement because is fricking tired, stressed, worried, insecure, etc. but doesn't want to seem needy)}

Rainy, what's going on? You're not needy, those are feelings we all have at some point. Different situations, most likely, but similar feelings. You are strong. You can do this. Get some good rest in, and you can do this. Just put on some music or whatever helps to relax you, eat a snack, (or a meal) and tell yourself that you can get through life.

(_{Wants to ask for encouragement because is fricking tired, stressed, worried, insecure, etc. but doesn't want to seem needy)}

Rainy, what's going on? You're not needy, those are feelings we all have at some point. Different situations, most likely, but similar feelings. You are strong. You can do this. Get some good rest in, and you can do this. Just put on some music or whatever helps to relax you, eat a snack, (or a meal) and tell yourself that you can get through life.

It’s just… a lot.. and honestly, I just… I don’t know what’s going on to be honest. There’s a lot… but thank you Izzy, I love you bunches <3

I can't convince myself to do anything productive. It sucks. Or even if it's not the most productive thing and I want to do it, I can't bring myself to.

You're welcome Rainy!
That's okay though. It's okay to not know. I love you tooooooo

And Nie, that's okay. I actually have that too. Lowkey needs to do English hw that's due tomorrow, but doesn't want to about at the same time want to do it

:3 <333

And I get that too, I procrastinate way too much

Ikr??

<333333333

I'm pasting an 'advice' thing I wrote to a very distressed friend here in case anyone needs it.
Changed ages and names, ofc.

Stop caring. That's my advice. You're young. It sucks, and I know that you like him a lot, but in the end, we're stupid teenagers; We don't text back. We don't talk to people we like. And we sure as hell don't finish conversations. They is gonna do them, and you have to do you. Maybe you two aren't meant to be together. Maybe you are. Maybe you're supposed to get married and have six children. Maybe you're supposed to be friends. Maybe you're just supposed to cross paths and then go your separate ways. We can't change fate. We can only accept it. There's no point stressing over a person when you have no idea if they're vital to your life in the long run. It's easier to say than do, I know, trust me, I know, but it's not worth it. Please just look at yourself in the mirror and say "fuck it. Fuck it. Fuck it." Because that's all we can do, really– Hope, and stop caring.

can i just add on to this?

there are people out there who are not the greatest and people who will hurt you in every way possible and those people? they don't deserve for you to give them one second of your time. stop caring about the people who aren't worth it. stop caring about the unnecessary. but just remember that we are stupid teenagers. there are people who don't give one sht about you but there are also people who give all the shts. so be a teenager. tell your best friend you love them. show the people that care about you that you care about them. we're young. we're stupid. don't waste your time not caring about the important things we're not going to have in five years. so yeah. don't give a f*ck about who doesn't like you or the things you can't control. go numb to the bad things. but i know that there is at least one thing you love, so don't let the people and things that make you want to go numb make you go numb to the people you really love that love you back.

i know that this might not be the best advice in the world. but i've tried not giving a sh*t about anything, and that led to cuts on my wrist and a suicide attempt. so find the things that you really love and keep them close. because we're dumb and young and we deserve to get to be dumb and young for at least a little bit longer. so do that dumb thing and don't give a shit about what people think about you. but please give a shit about the people who actually care about you.

there are so many beautiful things in this world and make sure you find the time to give a sh*t about those things

Thank you awgzvm and Blurry. Both of you are wonderful and amazing and you gave awesome advice.

i'm also going to add something here. it's an edited version of a letter i wrote to someone while they were going through tough times.

hello,

let me start this off by saying how much you're wanted on notebook. and no, i'm just saying that. nor am i saying that now, because you're feeling absolutely terrible. no, we're probably not ever going to completely understand what you're going through. however, you do have a place in this world. you do have friends here.

and… because i feel this is necessary, i'm going to tell you what i told nia. life is cruel. we both know that. and… i like to think of Life as a person. Life has mood swings. violent, rapid mood swings. when Life is down, he takes it out on us. but he isn't all-powerful, so he can only take it out on some of us. right now, we've all been given a quest. it's been ongoing since birth. now, i know that isn't the best comparison, but it works well enough. what is this quest you speak of, you ask? well, it's a quest to survive. to survive in this cold, unforgiving environment we were thrust into at birth. and this quest hasn't been easy. it's never been. but it's getting harder, and we, all of us, we all need to figure out how to navigate the maze that's become our life. the maze, that not only seems to extend in all directions for miles and miles, it is filled with traps and obstacles and holes, with varying depths.

the holes. let me talk about the holes for a quick minute. Life… likes to dig holes. a lot. and they aren't fair. sometimes, he digs shallow holes, ones that require barely any effort to climb out of. other times, he digs deep holes. holes that you can't see the bottom of from the surface. sometimes, it seems as if Life favors others over us. gives riches and money and tips and tricks on how to advance further on our quest to others around you, as if to taunt you. but it is okay. you are you. and every. single. one. of. you. is. a. special. bean. and don't any of you ever forget that. sometimes we fall into the holes. i know what it feels like. well, at least what it felt like for me. it's different for different people, because the situation varies from person to person. but hope is not lost. you can do it. you've fallen into the hole, now climb and fight your way out of the hole! you are capable of this. every single one of you is capable of climbing out of even the deepest, darkest, and most horrid hole. but not many make it out of such a hole. and you know why? because climbing out of those holes requires strength, faith, and the knowledge that you are loved. these holes test you, they push you to your limits, and beyond them. many give up before they make it to the top, thinking that they can't make it.

and that's the way with life. only Life is much harsher, tougher, more strict, chaotic, unpredictable.

yes. Life is tough. he likes things his way, and only his way. but together? we, as a whole, are so much stronger than Life. and that's part of the reason why he tries to tear us apart so much. but you can keep it together! you can do this. i believe in you. we believe in you. the only reason why this world hasn't fallen apart into chaos is because of love and friendship. those are what prevent Life from tearing us all, all of us apart and turning us into lone hermits, growing up and growing old alone. and i believe Life has nearly succeeded, if he hasn't already with you. he has made you believe that you are alone, and that your time in this world has ended. but that isn't the case. do not listen to the lies that Life is feeding you, and i know it's going to be hard to separate the lies from the truth. but if you need help? come to us, come to us to ask for help. we will be there, no matter what it is you need, we'll try our hardest to help you, okay?

that is all, thank you for reading all of this, if you did make it to the end, and… yeah. that's it.

with much love,
izzy <3

Some people saw this in PM but I'm comfortable with putting it out here

Persevere. It's truly an interesting word. Gritty, focused on long-term tenacity. And what does it mean?

"Persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success."

That is the definition of perseverance. It's a word that resounds within the dank, deep, narrow caverns of my mind which contains all of the knowledge I possess. It is a word that rises over the lofty, strong mountains of my soul. It is a word that sends chills and hot-flashes through my spine, fire and ice pumping through my blood. In all things, perseverance is king, queen, and ruler. It is a concept that permeates the essence of humanity. We are perseverance, for better and for worse. Persevere is the word that changed everything for me. And I have a very special person to thank for it. It's the thing that lit a fire in my soul, bolstered my willpower to near-impregability, and regenerated my faith in humanity.
And do you know what else?
I hope it can do the same for you.
Because in the end, it's the ability to try, and not always, but sometimes succeed, that is our reward.
It is our freedom.
If you persevere, you will be rewarded in memory. What seems hard to you, will grow easy with time. But there's just one more important thing to factor in.
Rest, the island in the sea of perseverance. Rest, relaxation and respite are necessary for maintenance, and you will need plenty of it.
So please, everyone, persevere. Thank you for your time.

I needed to hear and know this so bad. Thank you.

hey everyone. i know i'm not very active, nor am i close with too many people. but, i know this is gonna be a long month for everyone here.
so, just… if you're reading this, i want you to give it your some today. i know, it's hard to give it your all when you don't have your friends here in person, helping you with homework, and i know this week's already been exhausting. but, you know what? you're gonna be okay. so give it your some today, and maybe you'll be able to give it your all tomorrow.
if you ever need more encouragement, i highly recommend "gmornin, gnite!" by lin-manuel miranda. or just his entire twitter feed. it usually makes me feel better <3

I have something that needs to be said about this virus. Everyone knows the virus that shall not be named. It's everywhere, and spreading fast.
This virus is nasty and is dangerous to an extent. But this is not something to be panicking over. People are overreacting, and treating this as if everyone who gets it is going to die. We're not. This is one of those things that is a nasty bug and we have to treat it as such. This means being calm, social distancing, washing hands and faces, wiping things down, not coughing on people, and staying home when you get sick. This is all simple stuff that literally everyone can do.
Freaking out and saying that this is the end of the world is not beneficial to anyone, or anything. There has never been a moment or time that panic has done any good. It only causes more problems. So, to better handle this, we all have to be calm about it.
Now I understand that there are people out there who have actual mental illnesses that cause them to panic over things like this, and they can't help it. The best thing I can say for people who suffer from those mental illnesses is this, you can't control this virus and that's a fact. But you can control you. You can still see, and hear, and feel. This virus is not going to kill everyone. If you ever have moments where it feels like everything is crashing down and spiraling out of control, just remember, you are still in control of yourself. You can move your fingers. You can see the sunlight. You can hear the wind in the trees, and the cars on the roads, and people talking. You can feel the wood of your table, the carpet on the floor, and the warmth of the sun.
We will all get through this. Just take a moment. Everyone. Take a moment, to step back and breath. Breath slowly for a change. Don't be in a hurry to get everything done. Take time for yourself. And then come back ready to start again.

This has probably been said before. But as of last night I needed it said again, and I'm hoping I'm not the only one. Let's just hope I'm not too late for the person that does need to hear this.

I love you.
I promise I do.
I care about you too.
About your problems, your health. I care that you're alive.
Even if I don't know you, trust me I care.
We can work on getting to know each other, don't be afraid to come talk to me. I'm open.
I'll listen when you're not sure who will. I would hug you if you were having a bad day.
Or even a good one, just because. I'd be there when no one else wanted to hear the big news.
Or the bad news.
I'll be around. I promise I will.
I can try and help you out, or just listen to what you need to say.
I can stand up for you, if you don't think you can.
I can talk to you, when you feel like the only other option is to kill yourself. There's always another way out of the tunnel. It may be the long way, but it's better than killing yourself.
You're important, even if that one person says you aren't.
You're important to me… and I'm sure someone else.
You're alive for a reason, don't just give up.
Even when it's hard, I need you to stay strong, and at least get a couple hours of sleep.
Drink some water.
Eat something… anything if you can.
Don't stress over something too bad. It'll work out in the end.
I don't know how to stress how much I care.
All I can say, is;
I love you.

i don't know you, but i needed to hear that. thank you.