10 year celebration of TWLOHA

I can't believe it was ten years ago that Jamie founded the non-profit organization To Write Love On Her Arms. I am so thankful for them and all the ways they have helped me throughout the years. We need to break the stigma that comes along with mental illnesses and remember that we all need faith,help,encouragement, and other people. Hope is real. 

We will be the hopeful. 

Love Your Melon

I wanted to share some photos I took recently wearing my new beanie that I got from Love Your Melon. When you purchase a beanie another one is donated to a child battling cancer. Their goal is to put one of their beanies on every child's head that is battling cancer. Make sure to check them out at LoveYourMelon.com.

13 Quotes For Single People

Happy Valentine's Day, also known as Single Awareness Day. I thought I would share some of my favorite quotes about being single. I hope some of these words will help others who are struggling with being single, especially around this time of the year. Just remember being single doesn't have to be a bad thing.

1. "It's better to be single with high standards than in a relationship settling for less." 
2. "It takes a strong person to remain single in a world that is accustomed to settling with anything just to say they have something." 
3. "If I'm not with somebody who really excites or inspires me, then I'd rather be by myself." - Blake Lively
4. "The smarter the woman is, the more difficult it is to find the right man." 
5. "Single doesn't mean you don't know anything about love, it just means you know enough to wait for it."  
6. "Don't rush into a relationship. Focus on finding yourself first." 
7. "A busy, vibrant, goal-orientated woman is so much more attractive than a woman who waits around for a man to validate her existence." - Mindy Hale
8. "Don't be a woman that needs a man... Be a woman a man needs!"
9. "Being single doesn't mean that no one wants you, it just means that God is busy writing your love story." 
10. "I'm single and It's staying like that until I'm absolutely sure I meet someone worth the try."
11. "Place your heart in the hands of God and he will place it in the hands of a man who he believes deserves it."  
12. "Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you never know who would love the person you hide." - C. S. Lewis 
13.  "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

15 Things I Learned in 2015

1. How important reading is - In 2015 I read a lot of great books that not only inspired me but changed my perspective. I also love being able to gain wisdom from other people. My favorite book that I read in 2015 would have to be One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. This book has made me realize a lot of things about myself and has made me be more grateful for all the small gifts in life around me.
2. Happiness - It is so easy to think if only I had this item then I would be happy. But that is never ever the case. As I have gotten older I have started to realize more how happiness really is a choice and it does not depend on my circumstances but my attitude towards them.
3. Appreciate the small things - I have tried to start being mindful about all the beautiful things that are around me everyday. For instance, I love staring at clouds and have really begun to appreciate all the weird cloud shapes that form everyday. Also another thing I love is when I pass a field with flowers in it. I want to embrace the small things because one day I may look back and realize they were big things.
4. Being more thankful - Now this ties with #3, but I have realized from some books I have read last year how important it is to acknowledge the people in my life that have impacted me and to make sure they know I appreciate them and am thankful for them. I am so thankful for my parents,family,friends, and also my lovely dog. They all have impacted my heart so much and I love them dearly.
5. Don't stress over small things - There were some things that happened in 2015 that I could not control and just had to let God be in control. This is something that I am constantly trying to improve and grow on, but I can think of some certain instances that I think I handled pretty well and didn't stress over.
6. How important family is - I had some things happen last year that really made me so grateful for my family and I have realized how much my family means to me. I also love my extended family as well and I really hope they all know how much I appreciate spending time with them and how much I love them.
7. Surround yourself with positive people - It can be pretty easy to be associated with negative people. But I refuse to do that anymore. I want to be around people who are positive,encouraging, and really want to grow in life. 
8. Be careful what you put into your mind - This can also be related to #7. I have realized a lot lately how what I read,watch, and even listen to can impact my mind and the way I think about things. I have started to become careful of who I even follow on social media because it really can impact my mood and how I view things.
9. Comparison - A wise person by the name of Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Comparison is the thief of joy." I have realized how easy it is for me to compare myself to others. I have started to try and list certain qualities that I like about myself and am thankful that God gave me. I know this is easier said than done, but I always try to remind myself that I was created in God's image and am worthy in his eyes.
10. Forgive yourself - I made so many mistakes and did certain things I am not proud of in 2015, but I forgave myself and as long as I have learned from my mistakes I think that is the best thing.
11. The importance of music - Music has had such a big impact on my life for years now, but every year I am reminded by how much it really does help my mind. Tenth Avenue North and Hillsong United are some of my top music choices that have really helped me when I needed it the most.
12. We all have struggles - I have talked to some of my best friends about this topic several times and it is nice to know that they agree on this. I am sometimes guilty of looking at other peoples lives through their social media accounts, like instagram. I see their life and assume they don't have any struggles. But now that is not always the case, some people are just better at hiding their problems than others.
13. The importance of friendship - I am so thankful for all of my good friends that I can easily talk to and also trust. Friendship is such a beautiful thing and I am so thankful for having people who not only encourage and inspire me, but can handle my weird self.
14. Being content being single - Now some people may see this and laugh because I am not so great at being content being single. But I have improved a lot in this area, but still need so much more improving. I guess the struggle for me is that I don't know of anything different than being single so it is hard to not wonder what being in a relationship is like. Especially since these past years a lot of my friends have gotten married, engaged, or gone through multiple relationships. But I am trying to remind myself of all the positives about being single. Even though this is a hard subject for me to talk about, at the end of the day I am really happy I am single.
15. How important my faith is - At the end of 2015 I got into a car accident by a hit and run driver. Thankfully it was not a bad accident and God kept my mom and I safe through it all. But it really made me rethink my life a lot and what I am living for/what I believe in. I want to constantly grow in my faith and this accident was a reminder that my faith is so important to me. And to me this was the greatest thing I learned this year.

Even though I learned so much in 2015, I have so much more to learn and improve on. Here's to hoping that 2016 is an amazing year and a year full of not only growth, but spiritual growth as well.