this is for you.

You are as beautiful as the stars in the sky or a perfect rainbow because you were created uniquely and that makes you beautiful, forever and always. You are more beautiful and far more powerful than you could ever imagine. You're strong. Don't let words get to you any day. Open your heart and see how beautiful you are. Let the world see you and not just what they make you out to be. Be you. It's the best thing you could ever be. When you feel like giving up, please don't. You're too strong for that. I promise.

=)

make the most of all the stress?

stress: physical or emotional tension; emphasis; pressure.

People always say that "dealing with stress makes you stonger." It may be true that stress makes us stronger but why does it have to be so hard to handle sometimes. When it makes us feel like there is a mountain on our backs and we feel like giving up because we can't see the point anymore, we need to keep going. We can't give up. I think there just may be a reason for all of our stress problems. I think we go under so much stress so that we can appreciate it more when our lives are going "normal" and things are going "smoothly." Apparently, everything is a lesson and the "stress lesson" teaches us that we can get out of those dark days and that there are better days are ahead. I'd still like to know why is has to be so hard but I understand that it can show us strong and powerful we can be.

"It Always Rains the Hardest on the People Who Deserve the Sun"

Clearly, a lot of stress and hard times means that we're special. Overcoming it and finding a way to smile makes us more powerful that we've ever known ourselves to be before. We can get through the dark days. It's possible. We just have to know that we can never give up hope!


These are somethings I look to when I'm stressed:

and MUSIC =]

It may be silly but they do relax me a lot and I love them.
listen to Faith by Jordin Sparks

"when the sky is darkest, you can see the stars. when you fall the hardest, you find how strong you are. Close your eyes rest a while, it's been a long long day. So come on baby baby, have a little faith."

-Jordin Sparks

Taking the world by storm, obviously.

Have you seen it yourself yet? Have you witnessed the storm of people and organizations who want to let the whole world know that they are beautiful. There are so many people doing everything they can to let the people everywhere know that you matter, we all matter.

There are so many people that feel so alone, in fear that they are not enough. What we don't realize sometimes is that there are a bunch of place where you can receivve support. I know that this is identical to my last post but between then and now, I've stumbled on a lot of support places and it hit me that the world isn't filled with heartless people despite what so many of us have thought for so long. It turns out that there are many people who have hearts big enough to love themselves, the people close to them, and, saving the best for last, complete strangers!

I'm thankful for each and everyone of them. Although I see all these people with big hearts spreading their love everywhere, I know that there are still people who will judge and disrespect others and they probably always will. It still gives me hope that so many people try each day. Thank you so much beautiful people!!!


PS.

• did you see #egibitow trending on twitter? , it means every girl is beautiful in their own way. it was started by http://twitter.com/davidegib


• have you checked out http://twitter.com/projectbeauty or http://twitter.com/girls_with_guts ?


• visit http://operationbeautiful.com/


• and http://myspace.com/_youarebeautiful


• and http://twitter.com/uarebeautiful


• and http://twitter.com/beautifulnotes


• this is wonderful too: http://dove.us/


• this: http://project-beauty.webs.com/


• http://christablack.blogspot.com :) amazing story!


• http://girlswithguts.com. =)
  

there are so many others and if I missed one, you're very welcome to tell me about it and I'll add it.

girls with guts :)

A 12 year old girl who was sick of the bullying at her school created a website that could serve as a safe place for girls to gain confidence or talk to someone when they feel alone. Her courage and willingness to help really inspires me and gives me hope. We need more girls who are brave enough to stand strong for what they believe in despite what others will say. At 12 years old, I probably would have just dealt with low confidnece by crying in my room or ripping up a lot of paper. I'm glad that she started this website. She knew she wasn't alone and felt the need to help the other girls who were probably in the same situations. I don't know her, I just saw her story on the news one morning but I am SO proud of this girl! She is helping so many people. Check it out! http://girlswithguts.org/


this would be her awesome Mission Statement:

"Girls with Guts is an empowerment website to give all females, regardless of age, the confidence to stand up for themselves NO MATTER WHAT!!

This website will be a place where females nationwide can come to relate with others about problems they may be having in school, work or at home. It is Girls with Guts mission to help instill the confidence a female may need to overcome bullying, peer pressure or violence.

Confidence comes with self-worth. When a female knows in her heart that she has value and that she means something she can overcome any problem life may throw her way. At Girls with Guts we know that sometimes it is easier said than done, but when you come to this website know you are not alone. You may be having a problem that someone 1800 miles away is also having. We can get through anything TOGETHER!

For those situations that can't be fixed with a pep talk or advice we can refer you to someone that can help if you want us to. This website will always give you the option to maintain your anonymity.Lastly Girls with Guts will be a place to make true friends...the type of friends that help you get through the hard times and celebrate with you in the good times!

~Shandon Mark age 12, Founder of Girls with Guts.org"


here are some other cool places to find advice or a friendly confidence boost.
- http://operationbeautiful.com/ (beautiful notes and stories)
- http://twitter.com/projectbeauty (positive tweets, the best tweets.)
- http://girlswithguts.org/ (see above=])
- http://dove.us/ (Dove's Self-Esteem Fund)
- http://twitter.com/girls_with_guts

Your Words.

I have seen so many people holding back from saying what's really on their mind. I have to honestly say that I don't always speak up either. Why do people tend to hold back sometimes. Our voices are so powerful. We are so powerful. It's a shame that we can't always see that we can have an impact on others. What makes us afraid to try to make a difference? I know for me, it's the fear that no one will appreciate it or the won't understand the point I'm trying to get across. I was planning to post positive messages all over school but I kept rethinking my idea because I wasn't sure how people at my school would react. I thought that I would maybe get into trouble or that people will write negative things on them or take them down. I shouldn't have worries like that in my mind. I shouldn't have to rethink doing a good deed because I'm afraid of what others will do.

That night, I read my devotional book to help with my confusion and the last sentence of the passage of said, "You never know how someone will react to an act of love."

We should not be afraid to share our love and our passion to help others. We should be able to raise our voice without the fear of being hurt in return. We're made to love and be loved. The first step, I would guess is to love and then you will recieve love in return. I'm not an expert on this but hopefully, people who had this problem will overcome it. We all have the power to love and help others. You matter. We all matter and we are all more powerful than we could ever imagine. Let's not be afraid to use it for good.

We are so beautiful.

a beautiful video featuring operation beautiful notes (via operationbeautiful.com)

love love love it!

:D

Do onto others...

The people who tease and judge others must not be able to see how beautiful they really are. How is it possible that you could see something that is precious and beautiful and then treat it like it doesn't matter? Look in the mirror, I know it may be hard sometimes but you need to see how beautiful and special you are. We are all beautiful and special and we should all be treated that way. I'm sure that all children have been told a million times that we should treat others the way we would like to be treated. What makes us forget that? What makes us think that it's okay to do the total opposite? What has our society become? They teach us to be ourselves and people will like us but no one even begins to protect us from the people who will bring us down for showing the world who we really are. WHY?

I should not have to decide between wearing a shirt with the faces of the three boys who saved me or wearing a shirt that puts me in a place to be teased, judged, and made fun of all day. It just isn't right.

Why is the opposite of being just like everyone else an open door to judgement, harsh criticism, and teasing. Some people have the power to just block it out and not let it get to them. What happens to the people who haven't learned to do that yet? What happens to them? We shouldn't live like that anyway! It's no one else's buiseness what music we should like or what clothes we should wear. Why can't we just live our lives like their golden since that's exactly what we are. Beautiful, precious parts of nature that that deserve to be treated as such! This madness needs to end!!!

My Get Up and Go Playlist.

To go along with my new room and my happiness list, I've decided to make a series of CDs to play as I get ready in the morning. I've chosen upbeat songs that will hopefully pave the way for a great day. It's like a confidence boost in music form. I'm not finished yet. There are still some songs that I want to buy from iTunes like "Bennie and the Jets" by Elton John and Tom Cochrane's "Life Is A Highway" among others. I'm also taking suggestions. I think that any upbeat, feel good songs like these will really determine someone's outlook on the day ahead. Happy songs make people happy and happy people won't let negativity get to them.

"Before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who cannot speak."

some of my reasons to smile (:

I'll be starting my senior year in 4 days so I think that it's time I start my reasons to smile list. I'm going to take it to school with me everyday so I can look at it when I need a little pick up. I'll post a small portion of it here. (:

• Open Up Through Secrets 2.0 on facebook
  
• seeing Honor Society walk about 5 inches infront of me
  
• the tweets from http://twitter.com/projectbeauty
  
• Jonas Concerts =D
  
• The picture I took of Kevin Jonas and Christa Black(two of my favorite people)
  
• Seeing Jordin Sparks
  
• Seeing Demi Lovato
  
• Seeing Honor Society
  
• my awesomely decorated room
  
• a blog to vent

I would post a couple pictures but the internet hates me at the moment.

=D

here are some pictures that I took myself in Tampa. I haven't done anything to them....

School Promise

Today, I went with my mom to bring my 5 year old brother and my 3 year old sister to their first day of school. After I got past how cute the uniform was and how adorable it is to see little kids with giant backpacks, it hit me that these kids will hopefully be future doctors, lawyers, policemen, musicians, or anything else that they could imagine. I know that I'm only in high school but it's still amazing to see these little kids who have a world of possibilities! Hopefully, most of them haven't experience the true hard hits that the world can throw at us.

They will learn so much! They're like clean slates. I don't think preschool and elementary school teachers get the credit they deserve. Every surgeon and lawyer needed to learn how to read first. Everyone was taught how to add apples and oranges before they were taught the periodic table. They need so much support. I think that kids start losing passion about their education when they start losing support. Education is the begining of the future. It's funny how some people forget that.

Children are our future. Let's hope they stay away from all things that will bring them down.