Words Have Power by Dominique Fields (classic books for 11 year olds txt) 📕

You aren’t any less of a person because certain people can’t understand your illness. 

This is for all my people who suffer from a mental illness such as anxiety, depression,  bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc. We have come upon a time where this conversation is taking place more than it has in the past. We still have a long way to go though. Most people do not or cannot talk about their problems because others have a hard time empathizing. Sometimes it’s hard to explain what’s going on because you can’t even explain it yourself. I fight with this myself. I don’t know what’s wrong half the time and I  sure can’t articulate it. Whether someone can understand your pain or not does not make you any less of a person. You are not weird or crazy, you’re just misunderstood. That’s okay. I understand you and many others do as well. Worry about and take care of yourself.  It’s the priority.

You are strong in your weakness. 

I am still working on this concept. I have always worried about coming off as weak.  Vulnerability has power. Experiencing your feelings is strong. Weakness is strength.  When you allow yourself to really feel your emotions and express and communicate them, you not only heal but become stronger. I know this. I preach this. I don’t necessarily do it. It is easier said than done. Remember, you are strong in your weakness.  I try to. 

You are much more than your opinion of yourself. 

This goes back to my sentiment that you should talk to yourself as if you’re talking to someone you love. We tend to be harsh on ourselves and save all of our love for others.  Let’s end that. You should be the best person you know. You should be your own inspiration. You should be the most beautiful; both inside and out, human being you see when you look in a mirror. Confidence is amazing. Humility is spectacular. Self-worth is priceless.

You are a silent warrior. 

Every fight you fight, you come out with a victory. Every fight you fight on your own,  you’re a warrior. Now that doesn’t mean to suffer alone or suffer in silence. It just means that if you can’t find any support, you hold it down on your own. Every day that you wake up and fight the good fight makes you a soldier─ a warrior.

You don’t have to pretend to be okay. 

Let me repeat that. You don’t have to pretend to be okay. The majority of the time, we want to remain strong and act like everything is fine. That eventually leads us to a breakdown and cause a mess within our own mind. You’re not always fine and that’s okay. You’re not always fine and that’s okay. You’re not always fine and that’s okay. Got it?

You’re doing a good job. 

I don’t know if anyone has told you this lately, but you are doing a good job, no, a great job. We sometimes feel as if we are not doing enough. Sometimes getting out of bed is doing enough. Whether you see yourself as failing, struggling, lacking, disappointed, or any other self-deprecating image, just know that you going on every day and putting forth energy throughout the day is a win. You’re doing a good job, babe. 

My anxiety of revealing myself to the world without fear of judgment or criticism from others as well as myself will disappear. 

Have you ever felt the need to “water” yourself down? Maybe felt too nerdy, too loud,  too goofy, too weird? I used to. I always felt too loud and too goofy for others. I felt ignored and less important and even annoying because I liked smiling. Like laughing and being happy was something to be ashamed of. I used to be very welcoming and open, but when I got to college that came to an end. You can even ask my parents, they’ll tell you that I’m not the same sweet, shy, little girl. It is true, to an extent, that the world can turn you cold. I am here to tell you to be yourself because someone is going to feel it. If not,  screw them. I guarantee you probably don’t need them.

I am strong and confident knowing I will get through this challenge with a greater awareness of who I am. 

As a control freak, any blip in the road or unexpected obstacle I came upon really threw me off whack. I would get so upset and it would stay on my mind and spirit for days if not weeks. I was a train wreck when I graduated college and real life hit. During that challenge, though, is where I found my strength and peace, I understood when to pick my battles. Life is one fight after another with a two-second break in between and you have to learn how to block and stay energized. Challenges are hard and sometimes inconvenient. It is up to you to learn from it and become stronger and more confident in yourself.

I release all of the ties that bind me to this anxiety and depression. 

I remember when I graduated from college receiving my master's. I had worked for my program as a graduate assistant and was receiving a stipend that ended the month before I  graduated. I was working as an unpaid intern for a company that I had hoped would propel my career in Public Relations. I had to work the summer