MATTERS OF

THE HEART
Tahlia Hunter
Matters Of The Heart

Tahlia Hunter
Matters Of The Heart copyright © 2022 by Tahlia Hunter. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever

without written permission except in the case of reprints in the context of
reviews.

ISBN: 978-0-6453591-3-8
 Table Of Contents

Prologue ...............................................................................................1
PART 1: HEALING FROM HEARTBREAK ................................2
This Is How I Choose To Remember You ................................3
I Am Slowly Learning To Let Go Of Everything That Is No
Longer For Me ....................................................................................4
There Is More To Life Than Those Who Walked Away
From You ..............................................................................................5

When You’re Mending Your Heart ............................................6

To All Of Those Who Have Entered And Exited My Life 8
It Is Not Love If It Causes More Pain Than Joy ....................10

Trust That What Is Truly For You Will Find You ................11
How They Love You Is A Reflection Of Them .....................12
One Day, Everything That Once Broke You Will Be The
Reason That You Are Whole .......................................................13
Refuse To Chase Someone .......................................................... 15
True Closure Comes From Within ............................................17
To The Person I Said Goodbye To ...........................................18
The Right Love For You ................................................................21
Losing You Is A Great Loss Too .................................................23
Your Love Is A Reflection Of You ............................................24
When Others Fail To Appreciate You ....................................25
Rejection Is Simply Redirection ................................................27
There Are Times When It Is Necessary To Stay And Times
When It Is Necessary To Walk Away ......................................30
 Table Of Contents

PART 2: SELF-LOVE ........................................................................32

I Hope You Remember Who You Are ........................................33

You Never Have To Feel Lonely Once You Learn To Truly

Appreciate Your Own Company ..................................................35
This Is How You Learn To Love Yourself .................................37
Love Yourself For All That You Are And All That You Are
Becoming ..............................................................................................39

Boundaries Are A Gift That Enable Us To Love Others

Without Failing To Love Ourselves .............................................41
The Most Beautiful Diamonds In The Wrong Settings Are

Incapable Of Shining ........................................................................42

You Are No Less Beautiful Or Worthy When You Are
Feeling Broken Or Less Whole .....................................................45

Forgive Yourself ................................................................................46

A Relationship Is Not Something That Completes You But

Something That Empowers You To Complete Yourself.....48

I Am Slowly Learning To Love And Embrace Who I Am....49

You Get To Decide Your Own Standards For Your Life .....50
Refuse To Settle For Almost ...........................................................51

It’s Okay To Take Time Out For Yourself .................................52

You Can Choose To Love Yourself In A World That

Preaches Otherwise ...........................................................................53

Sometimes We Search For Happiness In The Wrong Places

....................................................................................................................54

Be The Person Who Is Able To See Their Own Worth And

Beauty .....................................................................................................55
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Maybe This Chapter Of Your Life Isn’t About Love ..........56

While There May Come A Time When Someone You Love
Falls Out Of Love With You, Refuse To Make It The Day
That You Also Do ............................................................................57
To The Person Who Has Always Felt Like A Misfit ...........58
When You Are Unable To Find People Who Appreciate,
Love And Celebrate You, You Can Choose To Be This

Person For Yourself .......................................................................59

Be So Full Of Love That Another Person’s Inability To
Love You Doesn’t Affect You ......................................................61

Learn To Appreciate Your Own Company ...........................62

There Comes A Time In Your Life When You Are Fine
With Feeling Incomplete ..............................................................63
Like Flowers, We All Bloom In Our Own Beautiful Ways
.................................................................................................................65
While I May Not Be Enough For Others, I Can Strive To
Be Enough For Me ..........................................................................66
Refuse To Become So Focused On Another Person’s
Worth That You Fail To Recognise Your Own ....................67
The Only Thing You Are Responsible For ............................69
You Are A Continual Work In Progress .................................70
The Time To Love Yourself Is Now .........................................71
 Table Of Contents

PART 3: SELF-DEVELOPMENT ................................................73

May You Discover What Truly Inspires You .......................74
I Hope You Find The Courage To Live A Life That Is Truly
Your Own ...........................................................................................76
Your Temporary Emotions Do Not Define You .................78
There Is A Song In You That Is Waiting To Be Sung ........80
Living Your Life Fully Will Empower Others To Do The

Same .....................................................................................................82
May You Have The Courage To Remain True To Who You
Are ........................................................................................................83

It Is Not That We Are Born Ourselves But That Through

The Journey Of Life, We Become Who We Are ..................84
Allow Your Life To Be Your Message .....................................85
It’s Okay Not To Be Productive Every Day ..........................86
May You Find Joy, Purpose And Passion In All That You
Do ..........................................................................................................87
Your Life Is Not Measured By What You Accumulate But
By How You Choose To Live .....................................................89
Refuse To Allow The Ugliness Of Others’ Actions To Kill
The Beauty In You ..........................................................................91
You’re Allowed To Be Imperfect ..............................................94
This Is Where Happiness Lies ....................................................96
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Pay Attention To What Makes You Feel Most Alive .......................97

There Comes A Time In Your Life When You Find What Makes
You Feel Free .................................................................................................98
Happiness Comes In Many Colours, Shades And Flavours .........99
Your Real Life Is Much More Interesting Than Anything You
Will Ever Observe Online .......................................................................100
Change Can Be A Positive Thing ...........................................................101

The Things That Inspire You Are A Reflection Of Who You Are
.............................................................................................................................102
Sometimes There Are Detours Along The Path To Reaching Your
Final Destination .........................................................................................103
The Path Of Self-Discovery Will Be The Greatest Adventure Of
Your Life ........................................................................................................104
The Stories That Define Your Existence Are The Ones You

Choose To Live By ......................................................................................105

Listen To The Parts Of Yourself That Whisper To You That There
Is More That Exists For You ...................................................................106
Even The Strongest People Feel Weak At Times ............................107
There Are Different Seasons In Life For Growth And Blossoming
............................................................................................................................108
Waiting Is Not Rejection ..........................................................................109
This Is When We Feel Most Alive .........................................................110
I Hope You Refuse To Give Up On Your Life And Yourself ........111
It Is In Darkness That You Are Reborn ...............................................113
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Beautiful Things Take Time To Flourish And Come To

Fruition ..............................................................................................115
Maybe All That You Need You Carry Within You ............117
Not All Burdens Are Yours To Carry .....................................119
May You Learn To Prioritise Your Own Life And
Happiness ........................................................................................120
I Would Rather Live A Life Of Failed Attempts Than One

Of Fear And Regret ........................................................................121

Be Prepared .....................................................................................122
This Is How You Build Your Confidence .............................123

Does This Action Support The Life That I’m Trying To

Create? ...............................................................................................124
Let Your Life Inspire You ...........................................................125
Your Life Is Your Own To Live ................................................126
May The Darkness You Encounter In Your Life Never
Blind You To Your Inner Light .................................................127
What We Seek Will Find Us .......................................................129
This Is How To Achieve What You Want ............................130
Keep Doing The Things You Love ...........................................131
 Table Of Contents

PART 4: HEALING FROM YOUR PAST ................................132

There Is Life That Exists Beyond My Past Experiences 133
Joy Comes To All Of Those Who Have Experienced Pain
...............................................................................................................135
Don’t Base Your Story On Your Past .....................................137
The Experiences Of Yesterday Do Not Dictate The
Potential Of Tomorrow ..............................................................138

You Will Not Find Healing In What Has Left You Feeling
Hurt ....................................................................................................140
Refuse To Allow Your Scars And Wounds To Define
Where You Are Going ..................................................................141
One Single Memory, Situation Or Experience Doesn’t
Define You .......................................................................................142
Life Doesn’t Always Unfold In The Way We Envision ...144

You Have A Bright And Beautiful Future That Lies Ahead

...............................................................................................................146
Why We Continue To Cling To Things .................................148
You Will Miss Out On The Beauty Of The Present Moment
By Focusing On The Regrets Of Yesterday .........................149
Painful Goodbyes Make Room For Beautiful Hellos ......150
This Is How We Grow And Evolve .........................................151
Every Failure Is A Success Story That Is Still To Be
Written ...............................................................................................152
May The Previous Chapters Of Your Life Provide You

With The Wisdom To Choose Better .....................................153

 Table Of Contents

PART 5: NEW BEGINNINGS .....................................................155

Let This Be The Year That You Start Over ...........................156
May You Find The Strength To Love Again ........................158
While Things May Not Work Out, Maybe Seeing Whether
Or Not They Do Will Be The Greatest Adventure Ever 160
These Are The Things I Wish For You ..................................162
Choose To Write A New Story .................................................163

There Is So Much For You To Live For ................................164

Trust That Better Times Lie Ahead .........................................165

When I Look Back On My Life, I Want To Be Able To Say
That I Lived Fully ...........................................................................167
May You Recognise Each Day As An Opportunity To Start
Over ....................................................................................................168
These Are The Lessons You Will Learn As You Grow
Older ..................................................................................................169
Let This Be The Year That You Take Control Of Your Life
...............................................................................................................172
My New Year’s Resolutions .......................................................174
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There Is So Much More That Lies Ahead That Is Yet To Be

Explored And Experienced .......................................................175
It Is Never Too Late For You To Become Who You Were
Always Meant To Be .....................................................................176
Sometimes It Is Necessary To Replace The Old With The
New .....................................................................................................177

May You Find The Courage To Live A Life That Reflects

Who You Want To Be ..................................................................178
Choose To Focus On Who You Are Becoming Rather
Than Who You Once Were .......................................................180
It Is Uncertainty That Drives You To Explore The
Unknown ..........................................................................................182
Let This Be The Year That You Focus On What You Can

Create .................................................................................................185
I Hope You Learn To Trust In The Timing Of Your Life 187
The Things I Hope For You .......................................................189
I Hope You Find What Makes You Sing And Dance ........192
 Matters Of The Heart

Prologue

This is just the beginning.

There is much that lies ahead
And there is much that is yet to be explored,
sojourned and experienced.

You are exactly where you need to be

And may trust that things are falling into place
And that better times lie ahead.

1
 Matters Of The Heart

Part 1:
Healing From Heartbreak

2
 Matters Of The Heart

This Is How I Choose To Remember You

I choose to remember you

Not by how you hurt me
But by how you taught me to heal

Not by how you left me

But by how you taught me to never abandon myself

Not by how you broke me

But by how you taught me to rebuild myself

Not by how you dimmed my light

But by how you helped me to shine

Not by how you kept me trapped in a place of

comfort
But by how you empowered me to leave my
comfort zone

Not by how you left me feeling weak

But by how you taught me what it means to be
strong

Not by how you tried to control me

But by how you taught me to be free

Not by who you told me who I was

But by how you taught me to define myself

And above all

I choose to remember you
Not by how you were unable to love me
But by how you taught me
To love myself.
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 Matters Of The Heart

I Am Slowly Learning To Let Go Of Everything That

Is No Longer For Me

I am slowly learning
To let go of the need to feel valued and loved by others

To no longer seek to fill the spaces

Where I am unwanted and appreciated

To no longer seek another person’s approval

Ahead of my own

And to no longer accept rocks

When I am worthy of diamonds.

I am slowly learning to let go

Of those who are only in my life to take from my wealth
Rather than contribute more
And of the practices and habits
That no longer reflect who I wish to be

And I am slowly learning to let go

Of all that has left me feeling unwanted, unloved and
unappreciated
By taking responsibility for my own happiness and wellbeing
And not putting it in the hands of anyone else.

4
 Matters Of The Heart

There Is More To Life Than Those Who Walked

Away From You

There is more to life

Than those who rejected you or walked away from you

There is more to life

Than those who failed to appreciate you

There is more to life

Than those who put you down or mocked and ridiculed you

And there is more to life

Than what didn’t work out for you
And what wasn’t meant for you.

There is joy that awaits you

Peace that is comforting and enduring
Relationships that you will be aligned with
And love that is meant for you

And there is work you are suited to

People who will celebrate and embrace you
Plans that will eventuate
And dreams that will come true.

5
 Matters Of The Heart

When You’re Mending Your Heart

When you’re mending your heart

You must be patient and gentle with yourself
And remember that a broken heart requires just as much
healing
As a broken bone

When you’re mending your heart

You must revisit your beliefs
And examine why you feel hurt, unloved and unworthy

When you’re mending your heart

You must stop counting the reasons you are unloveable
And start reminding yourself of your strengths
And of all the beautiful parts that contribute to making you you.

When you’re mending your heart

You must redefine yourself
And focus on how you can live a brilliant and beautiful life
And redirect your energy, focus and attention
From the person who rejected you back to you.

When you’re mending your heart

You must remind yourself
That those who chose to reject you
Are missing out on you
And that you deserve to be treated well
By someone who is capable of showing up for you

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 Matters Of The Heart

And when you’re mending your heart

You must trust
That sometimes things are meant to leave temporarily in order
that they may return once you're healed and ready
And that what is meant for you will find you.

And instead of wondering why you aren’t good enough for

someone
You should question why you don’t feel good enough for you.

7
 Matters Of The Heart

To All Of Those Who Have Entered And

Exited My Life

To all of those who tried to dim my light

And attempted to keep me from shining
Thank you for teaching me to shine fully
And embrace my own light.

To all of those who chose to abandon me

In times of hardship and struggle
Thank you for teaching me to never abandon myself

To all of those who chose to devalue or diminish me

Thank you for teaching me to value myself and see my worth

To all of those who tried to break me

Thank you for teaching me what it means to be strong

To all of those who tried to silence me

Thank you for teaching me
To find my own voice

And to all of those who didn’t believe in me or support me

Thank you for teaching me to believe in myself.

And to all of those

Who celebrated and embraced me
When I was feeling low
Thank you for your love and support

To all of those who helped and encouraged me

When I was feeling stuck
Thank you for believing in me

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 Matters Of The Heart

To all of those who loved me

Even when it was difficult and I was hard to love
Thank you for teaching me what it truly means to love

To all of those who were with me

During my darkest moments
Thank you for reminding me
That there is love and beauty that exists in the world.

And to all of those who fully embraced me

Thank you for empowering me to embrace myself

To all of those who I have met

Thank you for teaching me
That there are seasons to stand strong alone
And others to embrace companionship

Moments to be your own biggest supporter

And others to lean on others

And there are times to walk alone in solitude and peace

And others to open your heart to warm and beautiful
connections

And to all of those who have entered and exited my life

I value you
I love you
I thank you for the wisdom you have taught me
I treasure the lessons I learnt from you
And with peace
I wish you well.

9
 Matters Of The Heart

It Is Not Love If It Causes More Pain Than Joy

It is not love
If it causes more pain than joy
And coldness than warmth

It is not love
If you feel more hurt than healed
And weak than strong

It is not love
If it causes you to feel more insecure than confident
And sad than joyful

And it is not love

If it causes you to continually doubt yourself
Question your self-worth
And make you feel undeserving of love.

10
 Matters Of The Heart

Trust That What Is Truly For You Will Find You

Trust that what is truly for you

Will find you
And that those who are meant to be in your life
Will find their way back to you.

11
 Matters Of The Heart

How They Love You Is A Reflection Of Them

You cannot make someone love you

The way you love them

You cannot make someone show up for you

The way you show up for them

And you cannot make someone care about you

The way you care for them

As how they love you

Is ultimately a reflection of them.

12
 Matters Of The Heart

One Day, Everything That Once Broke You Will Be

The Reason That You Are Whole

Sometimes what seems to be permanent

Is only meant to be temporary

What seems to be enduring

Is only meant to be fleeting

And what seems to be lasting

Is only meant to be momentary.

Sometimes we have plans and ideas about what will make us

happy
But it is not until we experience these
That we are able to appreciate that they are not for us

And we can refuse to remain trapped

In a place that no longer aligns with us
Because it was once where we wanted to be.

We may trust that life unfolds in its own way

In its own time and at its own pace
And that what is not meant for us will pass us by
While what is meant to last
Will find its way to us.

13
 Matters Of The Heart

And we may come to appreciate

That it is through heartbreak and hardship that we are able to
recreate ourselves
It is through experiencing what we don’t want
That we are able to discover what we do
And it is through facing the greatest depths of life
That we are able to soar to the greatest heights

And one day, we will look back and realise that the wrong
things that hurt us
Are the reason that we are now happy and fulfilled
As losing them redirected us towards what was truly meant for
us
And that everything that once broke us
Is the reason that we are now whole.

14
 Matters Of The Heart

Refuse To Chase Someone

When you chase someone, you signal that they are more
valuable than you
When you chase someone, you signal that you require their
validation and approval of you
When you chase someone, you fail to recognise that you are
worthy of being chosen by someone who will choose to show
up for you
And when you chase someone, you fail to appreciate that your
time is too precious to be spent pursuing someone who isn’t
pursuing you.

15
Matters Of The Heart

16
 Matters Of The Heart

True Closure Comes From Within

Healing is loving someone

But understanding that they are no longer meant to be a part of
your life
And moving your separate ways

Healing is appreciating that people often choose to leave you or

reject you for reasons that don’t have to do with you and not
taking it personally when they are incapable of showing up for
you

Healing is understanding
That you should never feel pressured to withhold your love but
simply may redirect it towards places where it is appreciated

Healing is appreciating
That while you may feel hurt
You can smile trusting that you gave things your best shot
And loved fully, wholly and deeply
And it is your actions that define who you are
And reflect your worth
Not another person’s decision to walk away

And healing is knowing

That true closure comes from within rather than externally
And you don’t need another person’s permission to move on.

17
 Matters Of The Heart

To The Person I Said Goodbye To

Please know
That while we may have parted ways
We may no longer talk
We may no longer be in each other’s lives
And may have disagreed and fought

We may have left on uncertain terms

With much left unsaid
You may have chosen to ignore me
And chosen to forget

We may have met new people

And travelled wide spaces and distances apart
We may have changed, shifted and evolved
And each made a fresh start

Though we may have embarked upon new chapters

Of self-growth and self-love
And we may have separate lives and identities
Spent with new people we love

And though I’m no longer the person you remember

Not even close
I will always carry a piece of you with me
Wherever I go.

18
 Matters Of The Heart

When I hear a particular piece of music

I may shed a tear
When I remember
How you once made me feel

And when I recall a certain memory

I may stop and smile
When I remember how it felt
To be in your company for awhile

And while it hurt me a lot

To see you go
And I struggled to hold on
And eventually, let go

I’m much better now

In a much better place
I’ve healed a lot
Thanks to time, distance and space

I’ve forgiven you fully

For what was said and done
And forgiven myself
For being unwilling to move on.

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 Matters Of The Heart

And I will always be grateful

For the special times we shared
And treasure your company, love and affection
And how much you cared.

I hope you have healed

And your struggles have ceased
I hope you’ve found love
And I hope you’re at peace

And though it was hard

To wish you farewell
I will forever cherish your presence in my life
And how your love felt

And as I feel happy

Restored and renewed
I wish you well
And hope you do too.

And please know

That this will remain true
No matter where life takes us
I will always love you.

20
 Matters Of The Heart

The Right Love For You

The right love for you

Will reciprocate your care, effort and affection

The right love for you

Will support and embrace you fully

The right love for you

Will be clear and transparent about its intentions
And won’t leave you questioning where you stand with them

And the right love for you

Will give you the space to be your own person
And develop your own identity beyond your relationship

As love does not mean possession

But investing in another person’s life
And empowering them to unlock their own beauty, love and
brilliance.

The right love for you

Will show up for you
And help empower you to show up for yourself

The right love for you

Will appreciate you
And not take you for granted

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 Matters Of The Heart

The right love for you

Will believe in you
And inspire you to believe in yourself

And rather than simply criticising you

The right love for you
Will help you to grow into who you are capable of becoming.

22
 Matters Of The Heart

Losing You Is A Great Loss Too

I hope you remember

When feeling the pain and grief of losing someone who has
rejected you or chosen to leave you
That losing you is a great loss too.

I hope you learn to walk away

From those who are there in body
But not in heart or mind

From those who are unwilling to put in effort

Or are incapable of showing up for you

And from the places

That distract you from healing
Prevent you from hearing your inner voice
Or suppress who you are

I hope you become more in touch with yourself

And understand that your value is not determined
By another person’s inability to appreciate you
And your worth comes from within
Not from another person choosing to be with you

And I hope you choose to love fully

As the pain of losing someone
Is better than the regret of never knowing them.

23
 Matters Of The Heart

Your Love Is A Reflection Of You

May you understand

That your love, care and affection
Won’t always be returned or reciprocated
But will convey the depth of your heart and soul
And be a reflection of who you are

May you forgive those who hurt you

As they were trying to discover themselves
But choose to let them go with grace
As your heart is too full to accommodate empty promises

And may you appreciate

That you should never feel ashamed of loving someone
Who didn’t love you back
As it says less about them
And more about you.

24
 Matters Of The Heart

When Others Fail To Appreciate You

When you feel tired

Of not knowing what you mean to someone

When you feel drained

From not knowing where you stand with them

When you feel exhausted

From not knowing how they feel about you

When you feel the crushing weight

Of feeling like you are unimportant to them and unvalued

When you feel the heaviness

Of feeling like they no longer care about you

When you feel the sadness

Of showing up for someone
Only to have them abandon you

When you feel discouraged

Due to putting in effort for someone
Only to be then met with halfhearted or minimal responses in
return

When you feel the dull ache

Of being ignored, unappreciated and disregarded

And when you feel the absence of another person’s energy, love
and presence in your life

25
 Matters Of The Heart

I hope you remind yourself of your worth

I hope you remember how incredible, beautiful, loved and
valuable you truly are
I hope you remember to shower yourself with your own self-
love
I hope you recall all that you appreciate, adore and admire
about yourself
And I hope you remember what you deserve

And when it comes time to deal with this person

And address their lack of support
Or inability to show up for you

I hope you are able to think of the person

Who you most respect, look up to and admire in the world
And ask yourself
How would they behave in this situation?
And would they accept being treated this way?
And understand
That therein lies the answer to your struggles
And your next course of action.

26
 Matters Of The Heart

Rejection Is Simply Redirection

Sometimes we love
And our hearts are broken

We dream
And our hopes are shattered

We wish
And our desires are unfulfilled

We give freely
And are left empty-handed

And we care for others

And aren’t loved in return

And those who we once most admired and valued

Do not reciprocate our affection.

Sometimes we undergo a process of loss and heartbreak

And are left feeling broken
And lacking hope

As we fail to realise
That we are not destined to remain stuck in this cycle
indefinitely

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 Matters Of The Heart

And that in life

What lets go of you
Leads you home
What rejects you
Empowers you to embrace yourself fully
And that someone’s lack of love for you
Is ultimately a reflection of them rather than you.

And we feel most hurt

Not when we are rejected
But when we reject ourselves

We feel most sad

Not when others upset us
But when we seek happiness in sources that are unable to
provide it and are left feeling let down

And we feel most alone

When we are strangers to ourselves

And so in order to find peace in our surroundings

We must first find peace within

In order to find joy outside of us

We must first experience joy internally

28
 Matters Of The Heart

In order to feel fully accepted

We must first learn to fully accept ourselves

And that
Not every race is worth running
Not every battle is worth fighting
Not every adventure is worth embarking upon
And not every relationship is worth pursuing

And rejection is simply redirection

Allowing us to become more in touch with ourselves
And more awakened to our own self-acceptance and self-love.

29
 Matters Of The Heart

There Are Times When It Is Necessary To Stay And

Times When It Is Necessary To Walk Away

There are times when it is necessary to stay and persevere

And times when it is necessary to walk away

Thee are times when it is necessary to grow closer to someone

And times when it is necessary to grow apart from them

There are times when it is necessary to connect more deeply

with someone
And times when it is necessary to seek solace and space away
from them

And there are times to believe that things will get better
And times to choose to part ways.

There are many reasons why we choose to hold onto past

relationships that are no longer good for us. Sometimes, we
choose to hold on because we believe that maybe if we love
them enough, show up for them enough and persevere enough,
they will suddenly see our worth and reciprocate our effort and
affection.

30
 Matters Of The Heart

We choose to hold on because we still harbour hope that they

will one day change or things will one day return to exactly how
they once were
We choose to hold on because we remain attached to the
relationship and feel that we will never experience anything like
it again
We choose to hold on because we believe that we aren’t
deserving of better
And we choose to hold on
Because we would rather be with someone or be in a
relationship than be on our own

However, in choosing to hold on, we fail to recognise that love

is not a static or stagnant force but an ever-shifting and
evolving energy
And that sometimes life’s difficulties and hardships can cause us
to retreat within, seek space and solitude and move in different
directions

And no matter how much we may desperately want to make

things work, we have to accept that we are incapable of
changing another person’s mind
And all we have power over is our own actions and reactions
Our ability to show up fully for ourselves
Our ability to believe in our self-worth
Our ability to prioritise our own happiness and healing
And our ability to appreciate that while temporary periods of
turbulence and struggle in relationships are natural
No relationship should come at the expense of our own peace
and wellbeing.

31
 Matters Of The Heart

Part 2:
Self-Love

32
 Matters Of The Heart

I Hope You Remember Who You Are

I hope you are reminded of your beauty

On the days when you feel ugly or unattractive

I hope you are reminded of your strength

When you remember all you have endured and lived through

I hope you are reminded of your brilliance

When you remember all that you have achieved
And are capable of accomplishing

I hope you remember that you are loveable

When others are incapable of showing up for you

And I hope you remember your worth

Whenever others are unable to see it

And I hope you understand

That the most painful betrayal you will ever experience
Is betrayal of self

The most painful loss you will ever experience

Is loss of self

The most painful destruction you will ever encounter

Is self-sabotage

And the most painful doubt you will ever feel

Is self-doubt

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 Matters Of The Heart

The worst lies

Are the ones we tell ourselves

The worst tragedy

Is that which is self-inflicted

And that when others hurt or wound us

We don’t need to take their judgements to heart
Or take their criticism personally
And elevate their opinions of us
Above our opinions of ourselves
But can choose to be reminded
Of all that we love, value and appreciate about ourselves
And choose not be reduced by the words or judgements
Of those who have not walked through life in our shoes

And so
May you make mistakes
But continue to learn and grow from them

May you fall and stumble at times

But continue to pick yourself back up

During the shifting seasons of life

May you still choose to celebrate yourself

And on the days

When life rears its ugly head
And when people hurt you, attempt to bring you down or reject
you
May you remember how powerful, beautiful
And worthy you truly are.

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 Matters Of The Heart

You Never Have To Feel Lonely Once You Learn To

Truly Appreciate Your Own Company

I hope that during the difficult seasons

And storms of life
You remember
The precious wisdom
That nothing lasts forever

I hope you clutch onto the positive memories

I hope you find meaning in the messiness
And hope in what appears to be hopeless

And on the days you feel alone and isolated

I hope you understand
That loneliness
Is not a symptom of a lack of company
But of a lack of being fully in touch with yourself

Not of being unheard and unseen by others

But being unable to fully see yourself
and your worth and magnificence

And not being unappreciated by others

But being unable to value yourself.

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 Matters Of The Heart

It is not something that can be mended or fixed

By the love of others
But through your self-love radiating outward
And becoming infectious
Towards all those who you meet
Before being reflected back to you

And that loneliness

Is valuing another person’s company above your own
And then feeling affected by their absence

And loneliness
Is prioritising other’s opinions of you above your own
And time spent with others
Above time spent in solitude

While true liberation comes from realising

That you are not defined by
The empty words
Or broken promises of others

You are not limited by

The limitations others place on you
Or the lack of love you received
From those who didn’t love you back

Your self-worth is not restricted by

Those who are incapable of seeing your value

And you never have to feel lonely

Once you learn to truly appreciate your own company.

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 Matters Of The Heart

This Is How You Learn To Love Yourself

You learn to love yourself

By learning to appreciate the small things about yourself that
you like:
Your gifts, talents, abilities and strengths
And the warmth, love and care you are capable of radiating to
others.

You learn to love yourself

By seeking who you truly wish to be
Ahead of seeking to impress others

You learn to love yourself

By seeking your own approval and acceptance
Ahead of seeking the approval of others

You learn to love yourself

By understanding that it is your own love
That sustains and nourishes you
And enables you to love others

You learn to love yourself

By appreciating everything you admire about yourself
And recognising your flaws and insecurities
While refusing to be defined by them
Because you understand that you are so much more.

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 Matters Of The Heart

You learn to love yourself

When you meet yourself
And discover who you are
And give others the freedom to do the same

When you show up fully for yourself

And commit to living in alignment with your own vision for
your life
And become too busy pursuing your own goals and dreams
To compare your life with the lives of those surrounding you.

You learn to love yourself

When you remind yourself of how strong you are
And all that you were capable of living through
And when you recall how far you’ve come
How much you’ve learnt
And how much you’ve grown

And you learn to love yourself

By being patient with yourself
And appreciating
That it takes a lot of work and effort
To learn to love yourself
But that it is the adventure of a lifetime
And you are truly worth it.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Love Yourself For All That You Are And All That
You Are Becoming

Love yourself
For all that you are
And all that you are becoming

For the size of your heart

The strength of your spirit
And the depth of your soul

For your ability to be gentle

When you have experienced the roughness of life

For your ability to withstand

The storms and trials of life

For your bravery and courage

And your ability to remain standing
And to pick yourself up when you fall

Love yourself
When you feel most bruised and broken
And incapable of putting the pieces of your life back together

Love yourself
When you feel sad and weary

Love yourself
On the days when you shine and sparkle less

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 Matters Of The Heart

Continue to love yourself

Regardless of what comes your way
How others may treat you
And how you may temporarily feel about yourself

And through it all

Always remember that you are deserving of love.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Boundaries Are A Gift That Enable Us To Love

Others Without Failing To Love Ourselves

Sometimes we give of ourselves fully

Without boundaries

We love without restraint

We listen to others
While not listening to our own inner voices

And we value the desires of others for our lives

Ahead of our own

And as a result
We are left feeling bruised, battered and weary

And we discover
That boundaries are a gift
That enable us to love others
Without failing to love ourselves

Care about others

Without failing to care for ourselves

And show up for others authentically

Without failing to show up for ourselves.

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 Matters Of The Heart

The Most Beautiful Diamonds In The Wrong

Settings Are Incapable Of Shining

Sometimes in life
We await opportunities and experiences
That never arrive

We await apologies
That never come

We await acceptance and love from others

That we never receive

We anticipate relationships
That don’t eventuate

We possess hopes, dreams and wishes in our hearts

That remain unfulfilled

And despite our best efforts

Things don’t unfold in the way that we once envisioned.

There are places and environments

That don’t welcome us

People who don’t value us

And dreams, desires and hopes

That don’t work out for us

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 Matters Of The Heart

But these serve to remind us

That the most beautiful diamonds
In the wrong settings
Are incapable of shining

And that rather than choosing to be let down

By all that disappointed you

You can choose to gather all of your experiences

Collect each broken thread
And weave together a beautiful tapestry
That is perfectly complete

And celebrate your wholeness

Despite the things, people and events
That tried to break you

Celebrate your courage

Despite all that tried to scare you

Celebrate your strength

Despite all that tried to overwhelm or overpower you

And choose to be joyful

Choose to be yourself fully
Choose to let go of all that is holding back
Choose to leave behind doors that have closed
And embrace new ones that are opening

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 Matters Of The Heart

Choose to be better
Choose to break free from past limiting beliefs

And know that you are beautiful

Not because of all that you have endured or achieved
Or other people’s capacity to recognise your worth and
brilliance
But simply because of who you are.

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 Matters Of The Heart

You Are No Less Beautiful Or Worthy When You

Are Feeling Broken Or Less Whole

May your heart be filled with peace and hope

May you always be open to new possibilities
And may you never lose sight of all of the beauty, goodness and
special times
That lie ahead

May you cultivate gratitude from within

May you celebrate each small step you take
And may you trust in the path that lies ahead
What you are working towards
And where you are going

May you not feel discouraged or disheartened

When things don’t unfold in the exact way you hoped
And no matter how unstable you feel
No matter how uncertain you feel
And no matter how unworthy or unattractive you feel
May you continue to work on yourself

And may the moon

Which shifts and evolves during its different phases
But continues to shine in the darkness
Remind you
That you are no less beautiful, magical or worthy
When you are feeling broken
Or less whole.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Forgive Yourself

Forgive yourself
For the times when you abandoned yourself
And neglected your needs

Forgive yourself
For the times when you stumbled and fell
And said or did things that brought you shame

Forgive yourself
For the times when you were not living in alignment with your
own goals
And were suppressing your authenticity

Forgive yourself
For the moments when you deprived yourself of the joy and
love you deserved

Forgive yourself
For the times when you were too afraid to act
And pursue what you wanted
And chose to prioritise other people’s needs above your own

And when you said “yes” to the things that were wrong for you
And missed out on better opportunities

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 Matters Of The Heart

And forgive yourself

For the times when
You behaved in a way you weren’t proud of
And didn’t live up to your full potential

And trust that you will heal from your past

That you are now wiser, stronger, calmer, clearer
And more loving
And that you now know better.

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 Matters Of The Heart

A Relationship Is Not Something That Completes

You But Something That Empowers You To
Complete Yourself

A relationship is not something that completes you

But something that empowers you to complete yourself

Not something that provides purpose

But encourages you to seek your own purpose

And not something that keeps you stuck, stagnant or feeling

small
But something that inspires you to grow.

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 Matters Of The Heart

I Am Slowly Learning To Love And Embrace Who

I Am

I am slowly learning to spend more time in solitude

And to enjoy being alone

I am slowly learning to improve my focus

And be fully present in the moment

I am slowly learning to treasure time spent with loved ones

And to cultivate more meaningful connections

I am slowly learning to love and embrace who I am

Despite my weaknesses and imperfections

And I am slowly learning to let go of the need to control

everything around me
And to instead focus on what I am able to create.

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 Matters Of The Heart

You Get To Decide Your Own Standards For Your

Life

For the times when you don’t feel good enough

May you be reminded of the fact
That at even your best
You will never be enough for those who are incapable of seeing
your worth
Or unable to appreciate you

That you can choose at any moment in time

To improve yourself and your life
Or change whatever you don’t like about yourself
That is within your power to control

And that you get to decide your own standards for your life
Rather than living by someone else’s.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Refuse To Settle For Almost

Refuse to settle for “almost.”

Being almost happy
Almost appreciated
And almost loved
And as a result
Being left feeling desperate, unappreciated and unloved

By choosing to fully show up for yourself

Fully express yourself
Fully pursue your dream and goals
And fully love and embrace yourself.

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 Matters Of The Heart

It’s Okay To Take Time Out For Yourself

It’s okay if you feel the need to hide from the world

It’s okay if you feel sad or are struggling

It’s okay if you feel less productive

And it’s okay for you to take time out for yourself
Until you’re feeling like you again.

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 Matters Of The Heart

You Can Choose To Love Yourself In A World That

Preaches Otherwise

You can choose to love yourself

In a world that preaches otherwise

You can choose to love yourself

Despite your flaws and imperfections

You can choose to love yourself

Despite your past mistakes

You can choose to love yourself as you are

Despite being told your entire life
That you are not enough
And that you need to do better and be better

And you can choose to love yourself

Even when others are incapable of loving you.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Sometimes We Search For Happiness In The Wrong

Places

Sometimes we search for happiness in the wrong places

We look for depth in what is shallow and superficial

And we seek approval

From those who are incapable of appreciating us
And recognising our potential

But at any point in time

We may learn to find love, joy and peace within
Learn to embrace our own beauty, talents and strengths
Learn to become our own greatest supporters
And learn to listen to our own inner guidance.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Be The Person Who Is Able To See Their Own

Worth And Beauty

Be the person
Who is able to see their own worth and beauty
And therefore
Better able to see the beauty in others

Be the person
Who refuses to settle
When they know their potential
And that they deserve more

Be the person
Who is at peace with where they are in the present
But is not afraid to grow

And be the person

Who believes in themselves and their dreams fully
Even when others around them fail to do so.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Maybe This Chapter Of Your Life Isn’t About Love

Maybe this chapter of your life

Is less about love
And more about self-discovery

Maybe it is not one of finding a relationship

But feeling whole and complete on your own

And discovering that the love you have sought within others
Lies internally

Maybe this chapter of your life

Is one of exploration and soul-searching
Discovering who you are
Buried beneath the various labels, titles and roles
You have been assigned
And discovering who you wish to be.

Maybe this chapter of your life

Is about healing and growth

Making peace with your past

Learning to be alone
Rebuilding yourself
And feeling empowered to reach your full potential

And maybe the next chapter of your life

Is better than what you envisioned
And what lies ahead
Is greater than what you imagined

And the ending of your previous chapter

Signalled a beautiful new beginning.

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 Matters Of The Heart

While There May Come A Time When Someone You

Love Falls Out Of Love With You, Refuse To Make It
The Day That You Also Do

While there may come a time

When someone you love
Falls out of love with you

Refuse to make it the day

That you also do

And understand
That regardless of whether you find the right person
You can choose to be the right person for yourself.

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 Matters Of The Heart

To The Person Who Has Always Felt Like A Misfit

To the person who is judged, criticised

Labelled as a misfit
And shamed for being different

And who feels unclear and uncertain about the future

And remains tied to the past

May the weight you are carrying

Of past burdens, pain and regrets
Subside
May you learn to let go of external judgements
And celebrate who you authentically are
And may you become who you have always wanted to be.

May you trust that on the path towards becoming your best self
There will be people who appreciate, uplift and celebrate you

May you refuse to give up on your dreams

Because your environment is not conducive to them

May you refuse to doubt your light

Because someone else is incapable of seeing it

And may you appreciate

That the sun doesn’t shine
Because someone else gives it permission
But because it is in its nature to.

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 Matters Of The Heart

When You Are Unable To Find People Who

Appreciate, Love And Celebrate You, You Can
Choose To Be This Person For Yourself

I hope you find the courage

To love deeply
In a superficial age

To cultivate meaningful connections

In a world full of shallow ones

To believe in goodness
Despite the darkness you have faced

And to pursue what uplifts you

Overcome your fears
And heal from what has hurt you.

I hope you take comfort in the fact

That your soul is not meant to experience the same pain and
grief twice

And you take pride

In the mountains you have moved
The battles you have conquered
And the challenges you have overcome,

I hope you appreciate

That there are beautiful things within you
That you don’t want to go to waste
Such as your gifts, talents, abilities
And potential

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 Matters Of The Heart

And I hope you refuse to allow your song to remain unsung

Dreams to remain unaccomplished
Goals to remain unachieved
Talents and abilities to remain unexplored
Gifts to remain unshared
And your story to remain unwritten.

I hope you know

That you have a place in the world
And deserve to take up space
And remember
That you are loved and worthy
Even when you don’t feel that way

And when you face moments of struggle and setbacks

I hope you refuse to give up on your life
And yourself.

I hope you appreciate

That you deserve to feel loved
In the same way that you love others

You deserve to feel valued

In the same way that you value others

And you deserve to be chosen

In the same way that you choose others

And when you are unable to find comfort and companionship

in those around you
Or people who appreciate, love and celebrate you
You can choose to be this person for yourself.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Be So Full Of Love That Another Person’s Inability

To Love You Doesn’t Affect You

Be so full of love
That another person’s inability to love you
Doesn’t affect you

Be so full of joy
That another person’s misery
Doesn’t drag you down

Be so full of peace
That another person’s stress
Doesn’t make you feel anxious

And be so full of confidence

That another person’s insecurities
Don’t cause you to lose trust in yourself.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Learn To Appreciate Your Own Company

When I think back on all of the moments when I’ve

felt most happy
I find that many of them were spent alone in my
own presence

When I reflect on all of the times

That I’ve felt the greatest peace
I find that many of them were spent in solitude

And when I look back on all of the most important

paths in my life
I find that they were travelled solo

And so I’ve come to understand

That in order to best treasure time spent with
others
I must first learn to fully embrace and appreciate
my own company.

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 Matters Of The Heart

There Comes A Time In Your Life When You Are

Fine With Feeling Incomplete

There comes a time in your life

When you are fine with feeling incomplete
As you appreciate
That you will always feel as though you are never fully finished
As you are a continual work in process
And you can love yourself in the process of becoming your best
self.

There comes a time in your life

When you learn to fully appreciate
That no one has it all
However perfect their life may look on the outside
As we each possess secret insecurities
And wrestle with hidden struggles and challenges
That others are often unaware of.

And there comes a time in your life

When you discover
That sometimes we feel small
Because we create so much space for others in our lives
That we don’t leave enough room for ourselves
To expand and grow

Sometimes we don’t truly know who we are

Because we invest most of our time, effort and energy in getting
to know others
Rather than getting to know ourselves

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 Matters Of The Heart

And sometimes we may feel as though we come in parts

to those around us
As the arms that can embrace them
The shoulders they can cry on
The lips that can speak compliments and kind words to
them
And the ears that can listen to them
And they see us as the people who can love them
Rather than the people they can love.

And it is essential to make time for ourselves

To ensure that we aren’t left feeling depleted, exhausted
and empty from continually giving to others
At the expense of our own wellbeing

And sometimes this may mean setting boundaries

And distancing ourselves from those who continually
take
Without providing anything in return.

But while there is nothing more painful and difficult than

letting go of or distancing yourself from someone you
love
There is nothing more beautiful than moving forward,
flourishing and becoming the person you were always
meant to be.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Like Flowers, We All Bloom In Our Own Beautiful

Ways

Understand
That there will be people who try to drag you down
Disempower you and diminish you

And there will be times

When you feel discouraged
By your flaws, weaknesses and insecurities

But that one dead tree doesn’t detract from the overall beauty of
a forest
And like flowers, we all bloom in our own beautiful ways.

And just as trees

Lose and shed their leaves
We undergo periods of loss, heartbreak and release
In order that we may grow and blossom once again.

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 Matters Of The Heart

While I May Not Be Enough For Others, I Can Strive

To Be Enough For Me

I will speak
Even when others attempt to silence or suppress me

I will sing
Even when I feel scared or self-conscious

I will continue to stand for what I believe in

Even when others doubt me or disagree

I will stay strong

When life seems against me

I will heal and rebuild myself

When life’s traumas and tragedies attempt to break and shatter
me

And I will always remember

That while I may not be enough for others
I can strive to be enough for me

And if others reject me, dislike me

Or disapprove of me
They are welcome to shift their focus elsewhere.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Refuse To Become So Focused On Another Person’s

Worth That You Fail To Recognise Your Own

We often believe that love is meant to heal us

Restore us and renew us
Automatically fixing all of our problems

And when things don’t measure up

We are left feeling discouraged, disappointed and weary
As we have failed to realise
That love is meant to enhance and accompany our lives
Rather than repair us

And sometimes we become so focused on making another

person our everything
Rather than sharing what we have with them and enriching
their life

Sometimes we focus so much on pleasing or impressing others

Rather than living our own separate lives

And sometimes we focus so much on nurturing our

relationships with others
Rather than nurturing our relationship with ourselves

And we should refuse to become so focused on another

person’s worth
That we fail to recognise our own.

67
Matters Of The Heart

68
 Matters Of The Heart

The Only Thing You Are Responsible For

You are not responsible

For fixing a heart that you didn’t break
For changing how others behave
Or for changing how they see you
And what they think of you.
The only thing you are responsible for
Is becoming the best version of yourself.

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 Matters Of The Heart

You Are A Continual Work In Progress

You are a piece of art that is constantly being remoulded,

reshaped and expanded
A portrait that changes continuously
And a story that unfolds continually.

You are not supposed to be perfect in your present form

As you are a work in progress
And no masterpiece
Was ever completed in a single day.

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 Matters Of The Heart

The Time To Love Yourself Is Now

Sometimes our souls are left feeling tired and weary

When we experience struggle, pain and heartache
And we lose sight of the future
Because we feel so dragged down by the past
And we forget that we are worthy of happiness and what we
desire
We are capable of forging a better path and brighter future
And sometimes we know what to do
But we don’t trust ourselves

But in time
We discover that there is life that exists beyond our broken
hearts and failed dreams

And that you may choose to step out of the race of life
And discover your own lane

Allow your love for your new self

To be greater than the wounds of your past

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 Matters Of The Heart

And find the courage to

Choose yourself
Over those who don’t choose you

Choose yourself
Over your past pain and heartbreak

And choose yourself

Over the things that have attempted to bring you down:
Your fear, pain, uncertainty and past limiting beliefs

And stop waiting for someone to show up

Stop waiting for someone outside of you to save you
Stop waiting for external forces beyond your control to
shift
Stop waiting for others to give you permission
Stop waiting for perfection
Stop waiting for outside approval
And stop waiting for the perfect moment

As the time to love yourself

To fully embrace yourself
To pursue your dreams
And to live fully
Is now.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Part 3:
Self-Development

73
 Matters Of The Heart

May You Discover What Truly Inspires You

May the words you hear and utter

Heal you rather than wound you
Uplift you rather than drain you
And soothe you rather than stress you

May you discover what truly inspires you and motivates you
And elevates and energises you
But until you do
May you keep on exploring, adventuring and discovering
All that makes you fall in love with living.

May you move at your own time and pace

And embrace your own natural rhythms of life
Rather than feeling rushed by those around you

May you see past experiences

Through new eyes
Viewing past failure, pain, mistakes and disappointment
As valuable learning opportunities
To continue to expand, evolve and grow
And may you choose to celebrate and honour your past
While embracing all that lies ahead.

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 Matters Of The Heart

May you choose to be sure of yourself

Your beliefs and values
And all that you truly want

May you choose not to change yourself

Conceal your identity
Mask your authenticity
Or hide your voice

May you choose to act like the person

Who is worthy of the love
That you long to receive

May you remember

That when
Doors close
And opportunities are missed
You can always create new ones

May you remember

That there is no other time
But the present moment

And may today provide you with the wisdom you seek
To choose well
Live well
And create well.

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 Matters Of The Heart

I Hope You Find The Courage To Live A Life That Is

Truly Your Own

I hope that you experience a love

That enriches you
And uplifts your soul

I hope you experience moments

That ignite passion and joy within you

I hope that rather than seeking to be worthy of others

You strive to feel worthy from within
And worthy of becoming your best self

I hope you come to fully appreciate and understand that

You are more than your past pain and heartbreak
You are more than your past guilt and shame
You are more than your scars, flaws and imperfections
You are more than your previous struggles
You are more than your temporary relationships
You are more than your moments of self-doubt and insecurity
You are more than your worries and fears
You are more than your limiting beliefs and bad memories
And you are more than the person others chose to see you as
Or how you were left feeling when others hurt you.

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 Matters Of The Heart

I hope you understand

That’s it’s okay to feel lost
It’s okay to be in a phase of exploration
It’s okay to question your past beliefs and ways of
thinking
And it's okay to experience periods of uncertainty
But that you don’t need to remain trapped in these spaces
forever
And can strive to heal, gain wisdom and find clarity

I hope you have the courage to do the things that you’ve

always wanted to do
And become the person you’ve always wanted to be

And above all

I hope you find the courage to live a life
That is truly your own.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Your Temporary Emotions Do Not Define You

Some days you will feel weak and vulnerable

While other days you will feel courageous and strong

Some days you will feel unworthy and undesirable

While other days you will feel valued and loved

Some days you will feel beautiful and attractive

While other days you will feel ugly and ordinary

Some days you will feel capable of conquering the world

While other days you will feel incapable of conquering the day

Some days you will feel capable of overcoming challenges and

problems
While other days you will feel that the mountains of life are too
tough to climb

Some days you will thrive, flourish succeed

While other days you will stumble, fall and repeatedly fail

And some days you will feel lost

While other days you will feel found

As you are destined to experience both

The highs and lows of life
The ups and downs
And the rollercoaster of emotions
That make up the human experience

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 Matters Of The Heart

You will experience moments that take your breath away

And you will grow, expand and evolve
While remaining attached to previous ways of being

You will wrestle with past fears and insecurities

While continuing to move past them
You will make progress in some areas
While remaining stagnant in others
You will feel fear as well as excitement
And pain as well as joy

But you will come to appreciate that your temporary

emotions do not define you
But rather, it is your actions that carve out your
character
And you can choose to celebrate the times
When you succeed
Cultivate meaningful connections
And achieve everything you set out to accomplish

So that on the days when you lack confidence

You can be reminded of all that you are capable of
And of who you truly are.

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 Matters Of The Heart

There Is A Song In You That Is Waiting To Be Sung

There is a song in you

That is waiting to be sung

There is a battle in you

That is waiting to be won

There is a message in you

That is waiting to be shared

There is a story in you

That is waiting to be written

There is a wish in you

That is waiting to be fulfilled

There is a passion in you

That is waiting to be expressed

There is a dream in you

That is waiting to be pursued

There is a path in you

That is waiting to be followed

There is a mountain in you

That is waiting to be climbed

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 Matters Of The Heart

There is love in you

That is waiting to be fully felt and shared

There is a warrior in you

That is waiting to fight

There is an artist in you

That is waiting to create

And there is a caged bird in you

That is waiting for permission to fly
And I hope that you will choose
To set it free
And allow it to soar.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Living Your Life Fully Will Empower Others To Do

The Same

Your pain will transform you

Into your highest self

Your choice to embrace your authenticity and uniqueness

Will set others free to do the same

Your capacity to love others

Will send ripple waves of love and healing through the universe

Your love for yourself

Will be magnetic
Radiating outwards

Your ability to express your gifts

Will spark joy in others

Your capacity to show up fully as yourself

Will encourage others to do the same

The beauty you find in yourself and are able to express

Will awaken the beauty in others

Writing your story

Will inspire others to write theirs

Becoming your best self

Will motivate others to take similar action in their own lives

And living your life fully

Will empower others to do the same.

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May You Have The Courage To Remain True To

Who You Are

May you have the courage

To remain true to who you are
To explore the inner depths of your soul
To embrace your gifts, talents and abilities
To learn from your past experiences
And to express and feel your emotions fully
While not being defined by them.

May you rise above

Whatever has attempted to hold you back
Or keep you from shining

May you find the strength

To share your voice freely and openly
To spread your wings
And soar freely

May you find the bravery

To love without limitation
Dream without restriction
Give generously and abundantly
And act as a guiding light for others
Illuminating the way when they are trapped in the dark

May your soul find lasting peace

May your spirit experience lasting joy
May you feel at home within yourself
And may you become
Who you were always meant to be.

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It Is Not That We Are Born Ourselves But That

Through The Journey Of Life, We Become Who We
Are
Sometimes it is necessary to get lost
In order to find your way back to yourself

Sometimes it is necessary to walk alone

In order to learn to better appreciate your own company

Sometimes it is necessary to figure out who you aren’t

So that you can learn to fully embrace who you are

And sometimes it is necessary to try new things

Experience new adventures
And forge new paths
So that you can figure out
What best aligns with you.

Sometimes it is not that life changes you

But that it reveals yourself to you
It empowers you to grow and evolve
It uncovers elements of your identity that once remained
suppressed in the shadows
And it shows you how strong and capable you truly you are

As it is not that we are born ourselves

But that through the journey of life
We become who we are.

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Allow Your Life To Be Your Message

Allow your life

To be your message

Allow your words

To speak love, light and healing

Allow your heart

To feel healed and renewed

Allow your eyes

To be open to the beauty in the world

Allow your smile

To express warmth and kindness

Allow your soul

To be calm and at peace

Allow your mind

To be clear and at ease

And allow yourself

To dare to be imaginative
Dare to be expressive
And dare to be brilliant.

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 Matters Of The Heart

It’s Okay Not To Be Productive Every Day

It’s okay not to be productive every day

It’s okay to require periods of renewal and rejuvenation
It’s okay to take time out to rest and recharge
It’s okay to take a break from the continuous hustle and bustle
of life
And it’s okay to withdraw and seek space and solitude.

Sometimes it is necessary
To take the time
To focus on what you need from the day
Rather than what the day needs from you

And to appreciate
That rest is not a reward that you earn
But something you require
That is an essential form of sustenance.

Just as no one is capable of winning at chess

Simply by moving forward
In the same way
Life sometimes requires us to take out time for ourselves to rest,
reroute and re-envision where we are going

And sometimes we come to appreciate that there’s a difference

between
Fatigue that is empty and unnecessary
And tiredness that is gratifying

And it is necessary
To take time out to reflect on
Where you are directing your energy, focus and attention
And to redirect it back towards yourself.

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 Matters Of The Heart

May You Find Joy, Purpose And Passion In All That

You Do

May you find joy, purpose and passion in all that you do
In the adventures you embark upon
And the paths you take
And if not, may you find the courage to reroute or walk away
From the things that are no longer meant for you
And seek new spaces and opportunities

May you find the things

That make you excited to wake up
Activities that are meaningful to you
Experiences that uplift you
And projects and pursuits that ignite you

May you be gentle towards yourself

And forgive yourself
For the times in your past when you stumbled
Failed or made mistakes

May you embrace moments of being alone in solitude

As equally as moments of being surrounded by those you love

May you embrace new periods of self-growth, self-love

And transformation

May you find magic in the mundane

Comfort in the ordinary
And happiness in the small moments of life.

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May the next chapter of your life

Be one filled with excitement and enthusiasm
For all that lies ahead

And may you feel truly alive

And discover what it means
To fall in love with living.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Your Life Is Not Measured By What You Accumulate

But By How You Choose To Live

Today, you get to choose who to be

How to feel
And where to stand.

May you choose to be joyful

Choose to cultivate gratitude
Choose to be at peace
Choose to look on the bright side of life
And choose to celebrate your small achievements and successes

Choose to be kind and gentle

Choose to be warm and loving
Choose carefully how to spend your time
Choose wisely what is deserving of your energy

And rather than being defined by your external environment

The boxes others put you in
Or the labels others place on you
Choose to define yourself

And understand
That everything surrounding you is temporary
Including your current situation and experiences
Full of ups and downs
Highs and lows
And twists and turns

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And ultimately
Your life is not measured
By what you accumulate
But by how you choose to live
Touch other souls
Contribute meaningfully to the world
And cultivate meaningful connections.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Refuse To Allow The Ugliness Of Others’ Actions To

Kill The Beauty In You

In the coldness of the outside world

May you discover the inner warmth of your soul

In the messiness of life

May you trust that things will fall into place

In the brokenness of life

May you remember that you are whole

In the pain and discomfort of life

May you find comfort within

In the stress of life

May you find the ability to recharge and feel calm

In the sadness of life

May you find hope

And in the darkness of life

May you discover your own light.

May you not allow the ugliness of others

To kill the beauty in you

May you find the courage

To face your fears
And overcome your insecurities and limitations
Acting in spite of them

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And when life is hard

May you trust that one day
Things will no longer feel so heavy

May you find the strength to start over

May you discover your passions and what drives and motivates
you
May you discover all the things that you most love
And the courage to pursue them

May you find a secret place within you

To feel safe and at home

May you find your voice

And the ability to freely express yourself

May you dig deep within yourself

To uncover your inner thoughts

And may you find

What touches your soul
Enriches and uplifts you
And inspires you
To live more fully and purposefully.

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You’re Allowed To Be Imperfect

You’re allowed to be imperfect

You’re allowed to fail
You’re allowed to recognise your flaws, weaknesses and
insecurities
And you're allowed to still be figuring out your life

And you're allowed to start over

You’re allowed to redefine yourself
You’re allowed to strive to improve yourself
And you’re allowed to desire better for yourself.

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 Matters Of The Heart

This Is Where Happiness Lies

Happiness lies
Not in a relationship or accomplishment
Not in following in the footsteps of others
And not in external validation from others

But in following your own intuition

Listening to your own guidance
Embracing yourself
And feeling at peace within.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Pay Attention To What Makes You Feel Most Alive

Pay attention to what uplifts you and brings you joy

Pay attention to what ignites your imagination
Pay attention to what makes you feel most alive
And pay attention to the life you want to create for yourself.

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 Matters Of The Heart

There Comes A Time In Your Life When You Find

What Makes You Feel Free

There comes a time in your life

When it is necessary to give yourself closure.
To put an end to certain chapters
And farewell previous situations.

When you fully appreciate

That the actions of others are completely beyond your control
And understand
That just like in a video game, we all have avatars and move
through the world with particular gifts, strengths, talents and
abilities that are unique to us.

When you find what makes you feel free

Trust that you will find love
And trust that you will discover purpose and passion in living

And when you consider

Who you would you be if no one else was judging you
Who you would be if you let go of the opinions, judgements and
expectations of others
And who you would be if you followed your own inner
guidance
And lived a life that was true to you.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Happiness Comes In Many Colours,

Shades And Flavours

One of the toughest lessons you will ever learn is that your life
may seem perfect externally, you may be surrounded by people
who love you and you may have a fulfilling career but still feel
empty and unhappy within.

That no matter how much outside approval you may receive

and outer success you may achieve, you will still go through
periods where you feel insecure, that you are hard to love and
that you don’t belong. You will still feel overwhelmed and
exhausted at times. And you will still experience moments when
you question yourself and doubt your own strength, beauty and
abilities.

Sometimes the hardest seasons of life

Teach us that happiness comes in many colours, shades and
flavours
Not just in large accomplishments
But in small moments of joy

Not just in relationships

But in appreciating our own company

Not just in success

But in doing what helps us feel at peace

And not just in working hard

But also in quiet moments of relaxation

And it is okay
To not constantly feel energised, exuberant and uplifted.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Your Real Life Is Much More Interesting Than

Anything You Will Ever Observe Online

May you learn to be fully present with those surrounding you

May you learn to see the world through your eyes rather than
a screen

May you focus on cultivating deep and meaningful

connections
Rather than superficial ones

May you focus on meaningful, rewarding pursuits

Rather than meaningless, unnecessary distractions

And may you always remember

That your real life is much more fascinating, interesting and
exciting
Than anything you will ever observe online.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Change Can Be A Positive Thing

Sometimes it is challenging to view change as a positive thing

To view shifting seasons as good
And to view new chapters as exciting.

Sometimes we are afraid to make changes in our lives

Because we don’t want to let go of what we are used to,
comfortable with and familiar with
And we fear the unknown

But when you change

This often indicates that you are learning, daring to question
things, refusing to settle and finding what suits you best

And every finish line

Marks the beginning of a new race.

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 Matters Of The Heart

The Things That Inspire You Are A Reflection Of

Who You Are

What you are inspired by

Attracted to
And what resonates with your soul
Is a reflection of who you are capable of becoming.

It stirs something deep within you

As it is awakening your potential
And reminding you of who you are.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Sometimes There Are Detours Along The Path To

Reaching Your Final Destination

Sometimes there will be detours along the path to reaching your

final destination
Sometimes there will be hindrances, roadblocks and obstacles
that you will face along the way
Sometimes things won’t unfold in the exact way you once
envisioned

And sometimes people are quick to praise and celebrate other's

achievements
While disregarding the path and process that took them there.

But taking a longer path towards achieving your goals does not
make you inferior
Taking more time than others to attain success does not make
you any less worthy
And experiencing temporary periods of darkness
Does not mean you won’t eventually find your way

And so may you choose to aim high

And not allow the depth, width or height of a goal to scare you
But trust that with enough small, dedicated steps
You will eventually reach your destination.

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 Matters Of The Heart

The Path To Self-Discovery Will Be The Greatest

Adventure Of Your Life

The path to self-discovery

Will be the greatest adventure of your life

As you will learn to stop depending on others

To make you feel loved, accepted and approved of

You will be able to stand tall, proud and confident in who you
are
You will be less swayed or negatively affected by the
judgements of others

And you will understand

That taking the time to love, care for and nurture yourself is not
selfish
As self-actualisation allows you to best serve and assist others

And you will feel more empowered to fully express yourself

And live a life that better reflects who you are.

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 Matters Of The Heart

The Stories That Define Your Existence Are The

Ones You Choose To Live By

There will be days

When you feel heavy and trapped in pain
And days when you feel lighthearted and free

There will be days when you feel like hiding from the world and
closing yourself off
And days when you feel like expressing yourself openly

There will be days when you will feel shattered, broken and
empty
And days when you feel strong, valued and whole

And there will be days when you feel like taking on the world
And others when you feel like taking out time for yourself

And while there will be all kinds of days you experience

And all kinds of stories you tell yourself
The stories that ultimately define your existence
Are the ones you choose to live by.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Listen To The Parts Of Yourself That Whisper To

You That There Is More That Exists For You

Learn to listen to the parts of yourself

That whisper to you
That there is more that exists for you

Understand that you are not stagnant

But are continually unfolding
And are multilayered

And refuse to allow another person’s negativity

To cloud your judgement
Or their perception of life to shape yours.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Even The Strongest People Feel Weak At Times

When you face periods of struggle and difficulty

When your hopes result in disappointment
And when your greatest attempts result in failure
Leaving you feeling isolated and alone

May you take comfort in the fact

That even the strongest people feel weak at times
Even the most confident people feel insecure at times
Even the most successful people question themselves at times
And even the most energised people feel exhausted at times

And may you celebrate

That you had the courage to try
That you were brave enough to put yourself out there
And that you were bold enough to make a move

May you
Speak to yourself the words you wish to hear
And give yourself the love you wish to receive

And may you understand

That it is okay to take your time to become clear on what you
want
It is okay not to feel rushed
And it is okay to redirect yourself
And to refuse to allow roadblocks, self-doubt or insecurity
To prevent you from moving forward.

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 Matters Of The Heart

There Are Different Seasons In Life For Growth And

Blossoming

Life is not always as easy and effortless as we envision.

Sometimes it is more murky than clear
Dark than light
And difficult than straightforward.

Sometimes on the path to growing stronger

We experience periods of heartbreak and loss

And on the path to gaining more clarity

Things seem unknown and uncertain

As there are different seasons in life

For growth and blossoming
For shedding and releasing
For stillness and action
And for work and rest

And during the difficult times

We may trust
That new seasons lie ahead.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Waiting Is Not Rejection

Waiting is not rejection.

It simply signals that what is for you
Has not yet arrived
And you are not lost
But are simply finding your way.

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 Matters Of The Heart

This Is When We Feel Most Alive

We feel alive
When conquering old fears
Embracing the unknown
Exploring what is new
And discovering our hidden talents, strengths and abilities.

We feel alive
When pursuing our passions
Expressing ourselves creatively and authentically
And being fully present in the moment

And we feel alive

When focusing on things that are greater than ourselves
Developing a clear sense of purpose
And finding fulfilment and meaning in living.

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 Matters Of The Heart

I Hope You Refuse To Give Up On Your Life And

Yourself

I hope you read words that uplift you and console you
I hope you don’t allow dark thoughts to cloud your vision
And remember that others who have come before you
Have felt similar things
And have successfully navigated through them

I hope you find a place of peace, solace and comfort within

And I hope you find a love
That is healing
That provides you with support and strength
And helps you to love yourself more

One that builds your confidence

Builds you up
And helps you to shine
And one that both protects you and allows you to feel free

I hope you know that you matter

And feel like you have a place in the world

I hope you remember

That you are loved and worthy
Even when you don’t feel that way
And that you may choose to walk away
From the stories you no longer belong in.

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 Matters Of The Heart

I hope you appreciate

That while what was broken
May never be able to be rebuilt
What is built in its place
May be superior to what was ruined.

And I hope you view failure

As a chance to become a better learner
And view falls as an opportunity to travel higher

And become like a wildflower

Enduring storms
And growing in places that no one expected.

And I hope you remember

That you are more than
The places and people who did not welcome you
Put you down
Or rejected you

And when you face moments of struggle and setbacks

I hope you refuse to give up on your life
And yourself.

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 Matters Of The Heart

It Is In Darkness That You Are Reborn

It is in darkness
That you are reborn

It is in times of difficulty
That you are empowered

It is in being dragged down

That you learn to be free and soar

It is through becoming lost

That you are able to find yourself

It is through feeling pressured to say yes

That you learn to say no

And it is through being bruised, battered and broken

That you learn to heal and mend yourself
Listen to your heart
Listen to your inner voice
And grow more in touch with your soul.

You can be a fighter

And still feel fear

You can be a hero

And still experience moments of weakness

And you can try new things

And still feel uncertain of the future.

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However
You will not find healing
In what has left you feeling hurt

You will not find peace

In what has left you feeling broken

You will not find comfort

In what has continually caused you pain

And whenever you find yourself contemplating

Why they left
Questioning why they hurt you
And wondering how things would be
Had life turned out differently
Instead pay attention to how beautiful it is
That you get to write your own ending
Fill in the next pages of your life however you choose
And create your own story
Regardless of whether they return to you.

And be reminded of the fact

That you are not defined
By how others love you
But by the love that lies within you.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Beautiful Things Take Time To Flourish And Come

To Fruition

I am slowly learning
That in life
Many things occur in slow motion
Such as the growth of a tree
The blossoming of a plant
And the emergence of new life

And that in the same way

That a flower blooms slowly
Beautiful things in life
Take time to flourish and come to fruition.

I am slowly learning
That there are seasons in life for growth
And seasons for rest
And similar to flowers
We break, shed layers or fall apart
Because we are blossoming.

I am slowly learning
That we feel alive
When conquering old fears
Embracing the unknown
Exploring what is new
Discovering our hidden talents, strengths and abilities
Sharing laughter
And treasuring moments spent with those we love

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 Matters Of The Heart

And that times of productivity

Are equally as valuable as times of rest and rejuvenation.

I am slowly learning
That the caterpillar and the butterfly
Are the same creature
At different stages along the same life journey
And that one is not greater or more magnificent than the other

And I am slowly learning in life

How much is still truly a mystery
And that rather than feeling limited or restricted by this fact
I can choose to embrace the beauty of the unknown
As within it lies infinite potential.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Maybe All That You Need You Carry Within You

Maybe
All that you need
You carry within you
Including love, wisdom, passion, strength and hope

Maybe the storms that came into your life

Were meant to clear the way
For better things to come

Maybe the difficult seasons of life you experienced

Were there to teach you to be strong
And embrace positive change

Maybe the people who hurt you

Or attempted to bring you down
Were there to teach you to show up fully for yourself
Seek your worth from within
And show you that you were and still are
Strong enough to stand alone

Maybe those that you envy or admire

Showed up in your life
To open your eyes
To all that you are capable of achieving
And to help unlock your greatness and potential

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 Matters Of The Heart

Maybe the complicated and messy relationships you

experienced
Enlightened you and taught you what you didn’t want

Maybe the mistakes you made

Empowered you to choose better

And maybe life’s ups and downs served to teach you

That happiness isn’t a final destination
But is found in the smallest of moments
And littlest of places

And maybe all the answers that you seek

Lie within.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Not All Burdens Are Yours To Carry

Always remember
That you do not have to take all of the sadness and grief you
encounter to heart. You don’t have to carry burdens that are not
yours to carry, feel pain that is not yours to feel and take
responsibility for things that are not your responsibility

Not everything that others experience is meant to be

experienced by you
Not every hardship or heartache that others encounter must be
felt by you
Not every battle is yours to fight
And not every mountain is yours to climb.

And you may learn to carefully discern and distinguish

What is yours to carry and what is not.

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 Matters Of The Heart

May You Learn To Prioritise Your Own Life And

Happiness

May you learn to allow your results to speak for themselves

Rather than feeling the need to justify your choices, hopes and
plans to others

May you learn to always be there for yourself

And believe in yourself

And may you always remember

That while caring for others surrounding you is important
Your happiness is more important
Than what they say about you
Or how they judge you.

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 Matters Of The Heart

I Would Rather Live A Life Filled With Failed

Attempts Than One Of Fear And Regret

I would rather live a life filled with failed attempts

Than one of fear and regret

One of new opportunities and experiences

Than repetitive old habits

One of embracing the new

Rather than replaying the old

And one of pursuing what uplifts my soul and excites me

Rather than what drains and exhausts me

As I will only truly discover all that life has to offer

When I dare to explore the places I've yet to visit.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Be Prepared

Be prepared
To look silly, inexperienced and foolish

Be prepared
To embarrass yourself
And be labelled as “strange”, “quirky” or “weird”

And be prepared
To experience tiredness, doubt, fear and uncertainty
On the path towards pursuing what you love.

Understand that there will be sacrifices you need to make along

the way
And that you will encounter failure, heartache and disappointment

But that you will learn from your mistakes

Rise from your falls
And overcome past challenges

And it will be one of the most rewarding and exciting adventures

That you will ever experience.

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 Matters Of The Heart

This Is How You Build Your Confidence

You build your confidence

By keeping your own promises to yourself
And moving forward and making progress
Regardless of how prepared you feel.

You build your confidence

Through the small actions you take each day
And how you speak to yourself

You build your confidence

By knowing who you are
What your beliefs and values are
And what you stand for

And you build your confidence

By daring to show up and share your voice authentically
And knowing that what you have to say matters.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Does This Action Support The Life That I’m Trying

To Create?

Get into the habit of asking yourself

“Does this action support the life that I’m trying to create?”
Take the time to understand what you want
And decide who you will choose to be
What your standards will be
What you will choose to prioritise
And start showing up as that person
Through the little steps that you take each day.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Let Your Life Inspire You

Let your passions propel you towards taking positive action

Let your hard work take you to greater heights

Let your light shine brightly and illuminate the dark corners of
your soul

Let your love flow freely from you

Let your pain teach you but not define you

Let your past experiences empower you

Let your inner wisdom and intuition serve as a compass to

guide you

And let your life inspire you.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Your Life Is Your Own To Live

While others may try to control your life

Dictate your destination
And define who you are

You are the sailor of your ship

Architect of your life
And master of your destiny
Regardless of whether they approve or not.

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 Matters Of The Heart

May The Darkness You Encounter In Your Life

Never Blind You To Your Inner Light

May the darkness you encounter in your life

Never blind you to your inner light

May you explore new roads

Without feeling lost
And may the paths you take
Help you find your way home

May you find the things that set your soul on fire
And ignite passion within you
And may the wishes you make
And the dreams you dream
Fill you with joy, hope and optimism

May you find strength in your scars

Healing in your heartbreak
And wisdom in your wounds

May the past experiences you regret

And tough times you faced
Remind you of what it means to be human
And to be fully alive
And may the sadness and pain you encounter
Not blind you to the beauty, love and light that exists
in the world
But empower you to rise
And help you discover who you truly are.

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 Matters Of The Heart

May you
Refuse to lose your grace
Refuse to give up on your purpose or passions
Refuse to doubt your gifts and talents
And refuse to remain closed off to love

And may you remember

That you will learn
You will overcome
You will succeed
You will fail
You will break
But through it all
You will find your way

And while life may be challenging and heartbreaking

You are strong enough to still be standing
And to carry on.

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 Matters Of The Heart

What We Seek Will Find Us

Our eyes construct our world

And if we choose to see light
It is light that we will experience
If we choose to see joy
It is joy that we will experience
And if we choose to see hope
It is hope that we will experience
As what we seek will find us.

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 Matters Of The Heart

This Is How To Achieve What You Want

To achieve what you want

You must pursue the things that scare you
Share your passions
Uncover your greatness
And allow your dreams to exist in the world
Rather than simply in your mind

To achieve what you want

You must understand
That while we are all similar
It is what we choose to chase and pursue
That separates us

To achieve what you want

You must strive
Not to run from your fears
Flee your insecurities
Or diminish and downgrade your dreams and desires
As they open doors of opportunity

And to achieve what you want

You must appreciate
That while the future is important to consider
It is the present that builds it
And if you improve yourself daily
The future will take care of itself

And that when you know who you truly want to be

And take aligned actions that reflect that
The rest will fall into place.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Keep Doing The Things You Love

Keep doing the things you love

Keep pursuing what sets your soul on fire
Keep focusing on what brings you joy
Keep creating what is meaningful to you

Keep cultivating uplifting connections

Keep following your heart
Keep spending your time wisely
Keep finding what is fulfilling to you
Keep discovering what brings you a sense of purpose
And keep forging your own path

As you are the one who ultimately lives your life

Not anyone else.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Part 4:
Healing From Your Past

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 Matters Of The Heart

There Is Life That Exists Beyond My Past

Experiences

Many times in life

I have chosen to wallow in the past
Rather than embrace the potential of tomorrow

And relive past painful memories

Rather than continue to move forward

But I’ve come to appreciate

That there is life that exists beyond my past experiences

There is light that exists

Beyond the shadows of my past

There is beauty that exists

Beyond my previous brokenness

And there is love and connection

That exists beyond my past loneliness

And that I can choose to be happy

Even when my heart is breaking

I can choose to believe in hope and new beginnings

Rather than remain trapped in a place of fear and pain

And that I am free to live life at my own pace

Rather than feel the need to rush ahead

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 Matters Of The Heart

And rather than feel disempowered, or scarred by prior

relationships and doubt the future
I can choose to believe that better lies ahead

And I’ve come to appreciate

That while you cannot relive the past
You can make each moment in the present count

While you cannot rewrite previous chapters of your life

You can choose to write the next ones more consciously and
purposefully

While you cannot restore

Past broken relationships
You can make amends
And strive to be more loving and caring in the future

And while you cannot hold on to someone

Who no longer wishes to be held
Or spend time with someone
Who seeks space and solitude away from you

You can still love them from a distance

Or simply in your heart.

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 Matters Of The Heart

Joy Comes To All Of Those Who Have Experienced

Pain
Please trust
On the days when you are struggling

That while you may feel weak

You will one day feel strong

While you may feel tired and weary

You will one day feel energised and excited

While you may feel broken

You will one day feel whole

While you may feel dull

You will one day shine

While you may feel mute

You will one day share your voice openly and freely

While you may feel unhappy

You will one day smile again

While you may feel

Dragged down by the pain and regret of yesterday
You will one day feel light, free
And unburdened by your past

And experience things that

Renew you soul
Refresh your mind
And restore your joy.

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That when you are feeling lost

You will one day feel fully at home

That there is a rainbow

Following every storm

And that healing, joy, growth and love come to all of those
Who have experienced pain.

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Don’t Base Your Story On Your Past

Don’t base your story

On your past.

Base it on the chapters that are yet to be written

Base it on the dreams, hopes and inner longings of your heart
That you have yet to divulge
Or share with the world
And base it on who you are becoming.

Don’t base it on broken relationships

Or failed experiences
But on the life you dream of
And are working towards creating

Base it on how your past has empowered you

To seek better and become better
And where you are going
Rather than where you have been.

By all means
Celebrate how far you have come
All you have learnt and endured
And the memories that have contributed
To who you now are

But don’t base your story

On your previous chapters
As you are constantly shifting and evolving
Your story is continually unfolding
And there is still much that is yet to be written.

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The Experiences Of Yesterday Do Not Dictate The

Potential Of Tomorrow

Just because you have experienced failure

Or wrestled with past challenges and insecurities
That doesn’t mean you are a failure

Just because you have faced difficult moments

That doesn’t mean your life is destined to be difficult

And just because you are feeling behind

That doesn’t mean you will never succeed, thrive
Or reap the rewards of your work.

Sometimes we strive to attain success

With limited preparation and experience

We dive into the ocean

Before we’ve learnt to swim

We aim for the sky

Before we’ve learnt to fly

And we strive to be great

Before we’ve worked towards becoming it.

Sometimes we give all that we have

And are left devoid of results and empty-handed
And we love others
And our efforts aren’t reciprocated

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And as a result
We are left feeling drained
Let down and exhausted
Feeling that we must let go of our dreams
Suppress our emotions
Give up on love
And completely abandon all hope of a better future

As we fail to recognise
That life is not a race
A single experience does not determine the future trajectory of
our lives
And a single moment of rejection
Does not mean that we should reject ourselves

But that our previous mistakes, failures and detours

Have paved the way for our future successes
And the experiences of yesterday
Do not dictate the potential of tomorrow.

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You Will Not Find Healing In What Has Left You

Feeling Hurt

You will not find healing

In what has left you feeling hurt

You will not find peace

In what has left you feeling broken

You will not find comfort

In those who have left you feeling empty

You will not experience a deep connection

With those who have left you feeling lonely

And you will not find love

In the arms of someone
Who is incapable of loving you.

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Refuse To Allow Your Scars And Wounds To Define

Where You Are Going

Maybe what lies ahead

Is greater than what you imagined

Maybe the next chapter of your life

Is better than what you previously envisioned

Maybe your past pain

Signalled the healing of a previous pattern in your life

And maybe the ending of a previous cycle

Marked the start of a new beginning.

And you can refuse to allow your new relationships

To be based on broken ones

Refuse to allow your new habits

To be based on old ones

And refuse to allow your scars and wounds

To define where you are going.

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One Single Memory, Situation Or Experience

Doesn’t Define You

Always remember
That life goes on.
Our hearts may break, people may come and go
And doors may close and open
But we can choose to keep moving forward.

Always remember
That the way some people learn to appreciate you
Is through losing you
And the way they understand all that you possess and bring to
each connection
Is through seeing it from afar.

Always remember
That the only person who can truly fix you
Is yourself
And the only person who can truly heal you
Is yourself
While the only person who can fix and heal another person
Is themselves.

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Always remember
That you don’t have to take all of the sadness, stress and
frustration that you see others experiencing to heart. You
don’t have to carry burdens that are not yours to carry,
feel pain that is not yours to feel and take responsibility
for things that are not your responsibility, as not
everything that others experience is meant to be
experienced by you.

And always remember

That every moment you experience in life
No matter how happy or sad
Or simple or profound
Is a moment of growth and learning
That is capable of adding value to your life

And that one single memory, situation or experience

Doesn’t define you.

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Life Doesn’t Always Unfold In The Way We

Envision

I hope you remember

That while you may think about your future often
It will never happen
In the exact way you envision

As sometimes the person who seems perfect

Isn’t a good fit for you

Sometimes what seems to be helpful

Ends up hindering you

And what seems to be able to add to your life

Ends up detracting from it and draining your energy.

Maybe now you are feeling heartbroken and down

But one day in the future
You will smile when recalling the special times you shared
And feel grateful for their presence in your life
While also appreciating their exit
As you are able to understand how and why things happened
the way that they did

And you will strive to stop rewriting past chapters of sadness

and pain
And instead write a new story of empowerment.

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You will come to appreciate

That it is okay
To be unhappy and not alright
With what happened to you
But that does not mean you will never be okay
As you are capable of moving past
Whatever has attempted to bring you down

And that an ending does not mean the end.

That another person's choice to walk away from you or break
your heart, your decision to cut ties with someone you once
loved and the closing of a particular chapter or cycle do not
signal that your life is over as your story must go on, and there
is much that is yet to be written.

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You Have A Bright And Beautiful Future That Lies

Ahead

When you lose important things in your life

May you trust that
They will forever remain with you
As a part of your life journey

And as people come and go

May you remember that your home is within you
And your soul remains the same

May you always remember

That your best will look different every time
And just because another person failed to appreciate you
That doesn’t make you unworthy of the many brilliant and
beautiful things, opportunities and people
Who will be capable of fully loving and appreciating you

May you start moving on

By focusing on all of the things that you are capable of creating
And choose not to allow the things you cannot control
To distract you from what you can change

May you look at all of the paths you can take

Mountains you can climb
And challenges, opportunities and possibilities that await you
As the world is a big place
And is much greater than a single person, event or circumstance
that hurt you

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And may you understand

That while you may have scars that will always remain

You will also have memories that make you smile and
warm your heart
Adventurous stories that are worthy of retelling
And a bright and beautiful future
That lies ahead.

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Why We Continue To Cling To Things

We continue to cling to things

Not because we’re weak
But because at one point in time
They greatly inspired, uplifted and motivated us

And it can be challenging to let go of

What once sparked something deep within us.

But it is the opportunities that pass us by that we mourn in the

present
That spare our time
And set us free
To instead seek things, experiences and connections
That are more aligned with us.

And you never walk away completely empty-handed from a

situation
As within every experience is a lesson
And beautiful moments never truly leave us
As they remain with us as memories.

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You Will Miss Out On The Beauty Of The Present

Moment By Focusing On The Regrets Of Yesterday

You will miss out on all of the beautiful things in your life
If you remain rooted in past pain and heartache

You will miss out on discovering your true potential

If you focus on your past mistakes

You will miss out on writing new chapters

If you continue rereading old ones

And you will miss out on the beauty of the present moment
By focusing on the regrets of yesterday.

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Painful Goodbyes Make Room For Beautiful Hellos

Sometimes it is through losing others
That we discover parts of ourselves
That we never previously knew existed

Sometimes we need them to leave us or break our hearts

In order to finally let go
And learn to fully love and embrace ourselves

And it is painful goodbyes

That make room for beautiful hellos

It is the painful decisions we make

That are the reason
That we will feel happy and satisfied in the future

And just because a decision may hurt

That doesn’t mean that it’s the wrong one for you
As sometimes short-term losses result in long-term gains.

It can be easy for us to get trapped in a place of pain

And feel broken and shattered when those we love exit our lives
Or we choose to let go of the relationships and connections that are no
longer for us

But it is in this state

That we are best able to recreate ourselves
And reclaim our identities

It is the darkest paths

That help forge the brightest people

And it is through losing them

That we gain ourselves.
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This Is How We Grow And Evolve

We grow so much
When we learn to let go of the things that were once weighing
us down

We become so much
When we learn to step into our inner power

We learn so much
When we allow our past experiences to serve as our greatest
teacher

We evolve so much
When we overcome what we thought we once never could

And we expand so much

When we give ourselves the space to become who we were
always meant to be.

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Every Failure Is A Success Story That Is Still To Be

Written

Always remember
That you are never alone.

That someone else out there

Is fighting the same battle you’re fighting
Experiencing the same struggles you’re experiencing
And wrestling with the same insecurities you are currently
wrestling with

Someone else out there

Is struggling to accept themselves
Questioning who they are
And feeling small, stuck and stagnant

And someone else out there

Is contemplating why things didn’t turn out in the way
that they envisioned

But they are slowly rebuilding themselves

They are slowly regaining their confidence
They are taking small steps to move forward
And they are slowly manifesting their dreams

As every failure
Is a success story that is still to be written.

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May The Previous Chapters Of Your Life Provide

You With The Wisdom To Choose Better

May the previous chapters of your life

Provide you with the wisdom to choose better

May the past wounds of your life

Not break your spirit
But empower you

May the seasons of your life spent in solitude

Allow you to grow more in touch with yourself
And with the inner longings of your heart

May the baggage and bad memories of the past

No longer make you feel down
And may you make peace with what has made you you.

May you seek the courage to embrace all that lies ahead
Passion to pursue the things that make you feel alive
Peace to persist when things are hard
And the bravery to move to greater heights

May you refuse to let the world make you cold

But rather choose to keep your fire alive

May you learn to appreciate

That the crooked paths and broken roads you have travelled
along
Have led to where you are meant to be
And the tough times and struggles you have overcome
Have helped to pave the way towards a better you.

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And may you rest in the knowledge

That you’re not supposed to get everything right
You’re not supposed to have all the answers
And you’re not supposed to constantly please everyone

And that if you ever catch yourself begging someone for a

response, attention, time, respect or basic decency, by taking a
step back, you may realise that you are asking for the bare
minimum and you deserve far better

And may you appreciate

That while growth and change can be painful, they are not as
painful as remaining stuck in a space where you no longer
belong.

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Part 5:
New Beginnings

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Let This Be The Year That You Start Over

Let this be the year

That you start over.

That you regain energy

Reconnect with those you love
Rekindle your past passions
And re-envision where you want to go
And what you want your life to look like.

Let this be the year

That you leave your worries behind
Make peace with your past
And embrace the new chapter that lies ahead

Understanding that
As you navigate through life
You will discover that sometimes, what was once beautiful,
incredible and magical
May come to an end

And what once uplifted and inspired you

May no longer be for you.

And let this be the year

That you appreciate
That while you may have lost things in your past
Your life is continuing to unfold
And many positive experiences lie ahead.

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You will experience moments that take your breath away

And you will meet people who share your passions and
interests
And whose personalities are compatible with yours.

Understand
That you will hurt
And also be hurt
But love
And also be loved

And choose to remain open-hearted

Choose to believe that better lies ahead
Choose to heal
Choose to believe that you are deserving of beautiful things
Choose to believe that you deserve to take up space

Choose to prioritise your own healing and happiness

Choose to give yourself permission to pursue what you desire
Choose to move forward
And choose yourself.

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May You Find The Strength To Love Again

May your life be filled with more smiles than frowns

Laughter than sadness
Sunshine than rain
Warmth than coldness
Hugs than arguments
Joy than sorrow
Light than darkness
And love than pain.

May you appreciate

That some places are worth walking away from
Some people are worth farewelling
And refuse to shrink back into or return to what you have
outgrown
Or rush into something you are not yet ready for

May you choose

To stop being so hard on yourself
Over a past that you can no longer change

And may you appreciate

That what hurts you
Can eventually be healed

What wounds you

Can eventually be mended

And regardless of all that you have lived through

And what lies behind you
The most essential question of all
Is “who do I wish to be today?”

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May you live each day to the fullest

As if it is your final one
Rather than simply allowing time to go by

May you never lose hope or trust

That better times lie ahead

And when life breaks you

And leaves you feeling damaged and wounded
May you find the strength to love again.

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While Things May Not Work Out, Maybe Seeing

Whether Or Not They Do Will Be The Greatest
Adventure Ever

Here’s to new beginnings

Second chances
And falling in love with living.

Here’s to forgiving yourself

For the times when you failed to recognise your worth
And no longer choosing to beat yourself up over past mistakes

Here’s to recognising
That it’s okay to feel lost
It’s okay to feel confused
It’s okay to question the meaning of things
And it’s okay to be still seeking the answers

Here’s to knowing
That sometimes life takes us along
Separate paths
From those we once loved

And sometimes we may grow apart

And go our separate ways
But we can still feel grateful to have grown together
And will forever remain connected and intertwined in one
another’s stories and hearts

And here’s to refusing to place your life on hold

Through holding onto the memories of the past
But rather holding them dear
While still choosing to move forward.

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Here’s to recognising
That sometimes
You will only know if something works
By daring to try
You will only find it
By searching for it

And you will only experience it

By daring to open yourself up to love

And you can never fully know what is meant for you
Without choosing to explore it.

Here’s to being willing to sound dumb or unintelligent

Being willing to be wrong
Being willing to apologise
Being willing to learn from your mistakes
Being willing to be perceived as strange or quirky
Being willing to be passionate and excited about things that
aren’t considered popular
Being willing to change
Being willing to explore new ways of doing and being
And being willing to evolve and grow.

And here’s to recognising

That you should never regret pursuing what makes you happy
Even if it ended in hurt or disappointment
But rather
You should feel proud of yourself
For having the courage to try

As bravery lies in loving and embracing the unknown

And while things may not work out
Maybe seeing whether or not they do
Will be the greatest adventure ever.

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These Are The Things I Wish For You

These are the things I wish for you:

More days when you feel fully alive
More of what uplifts, empowers and inspires you
More of what soothes your soul, calms you and relaxes you
More of what prevents you from remaining trapped in the past
And more of what brings you joy.

I hope you find the strength to persevere through the tough

times
I hope you find the courage to embrace the unknown
And I hope are able to journey into the depths of your soul
And discover what truly satisfies you and fulfils you.

I hope you choose to pursue the things that make you feel
proud of yourself
Choose to remain true to the inner longings of your heart
Choose to become your own greatest supporter and advocate
And understand that
Your new life
May cost you your old one

Your new habits

May cost you your old ones
And becoming your new self
May require a lot of self-growth, inner work and healing
But that these are worthwhile sacrifices to make

And I hope you choose to trust in your potential

Choose to continually grow, blossom, flourish and evolve
And above all, choose to commit to yourself
And embrace who you are becoming.

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Choose To Write A New Story

To those who dare to dream and imagine better

To those who are focused on making the world a better place
And becoming their best selves
To those who have been let down but are able to pick
themselves up again
To those who make the world more colourful
To those who brighten the lives of others and themselves
To those who have failed but continue to try
To those who seek to be a light in the darkness
To those who seek to spread joy wherever they go
And to those who have been bruised and battered
But are still able to love

May you continue to believe

That greatness exists within you
And that brighter days lie ahead

May you refuse to give up on your life

Simply because it is not yet moving in your desired direction

And when life is hard

May you pursue what brings you joy
Focus on what uplifts your spirit and enriches your soul
And may you become the author of your life
And choose to write a new story.

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There Is So Much For You To Live For

You were born with a fire inside of you

You were born to create and express yourself fully
You were born to shine brightly
You were born to be unique

And you belong to yourself

Not to the world
Or to anyone else.

There is so much life in you

There is so much music in you
There is so much beauty in you
There is so much passion in you
There is so much soul in you

And there are parts of you

That are waiting to be loved

There are aspects of your being

That are waiting to be admired

There are talents, gifts and strengths you possess

That are waiting to be expressed

And there is so much for you to live for.

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Trust That Better Times Lie Ahead

We all go through times

When we no longer feel excited and energised about life

We all experience moments

When we lack passion and motivation
Towards what once interested and intrigued us

And we all undergo periods

When we feel drained, exhausted and empty.

When things no longer seem to be working for us

And we have lost our spark
And are left questioning
Whether things will ever get better
And whether we will overcome what has been dragging us
down

And in these times

I hope you trust
That one day you will regain the spark you lost
And discover a renewed passion for living
And that you will reach a point in time
When things fall into place
And you no longer feel heavy, weary
And weighed down.

I hope you learn to be patient with yourself

And understand that becoming yourself is a process that
involves
Trial, error and continuing to show up

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I hope you appreciate that your path is unique to you

And that highs and lows and ups and downs are inevitable
During each stage of the process

I hope you learn to show up fully for yourself and commit to

achieving your goals
I hope you strive to become the best version of yourself

I hope you’re not afraid of letting things go

And embracing seasons of shedding
As well as seasons of blossoming and becoming

I hope you find

The strength to step forward
Rather than remain trapped or stagnant in a state of limbo

And I hope you refuse to allow the bad days

Tough times
And difficult moments
To define you
And trust that better times lie ahead.

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When I Look Back On My Life, I Want To Be Able To

Say That I Lived Fully
When I look back on my life
I want to feel proud of who I have become
All I have learnt
And all I have accomplished.

I want to feel proud of the times

When I stepped outside of my comfort zone
Showed up fully for others and myself
And loved fully and deeply

The times when I let go of the past

And embraced new ways of doing and being

When I strove to become better

While appreciating who I was in the present

When I persevered through the tough times

And chose to believe that better times lay ahead

And when I lived in a way that was true to myself

Pursued my passions
Followed my heart
And refused to allow others to define me
Or tell me who I was

And when I look back on my life

I want to be able to say
That I treasured the time I spent with those I loved
And that I fully lived.

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May You Recognise Each Day As An Opportunity To

Start Over

May you recognise each day as an opportunity to start over

May you regain passion towards what brings you joy and helps
you to feel alive
May you find beauty in what surrounds you

And may you appreciate

That each day brings with it
The opportunity to begin again
To mend and restore what was once broken
And to reclaim what was once lost.

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These Are The Lessons You Will Learn As You Grow

Older

As you grow older

You will come to appreciate
That it doesn’t ultimately matter
How others view you
As you know yourself best

And no one who has not experienced life as you

Carried the same burdens
Lived through the same trials
And experienced the same highs and lows
Has the right to judge you or your path
As they don’t understand
All of the components and details
That have contributed to making you you

That the people around you are living lives

That are just as complex as yours
And are oftentimes much more focused on themselves and their
own lives
Than you
And while their lives are their business
Your life is your own to create.

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As you grow older

You will understand
That sometimes we underestimate ourselves
Belittle ourselves
Suppress ourselves
Ignore our potential
And waste our time
Trying to prove ourselves to others
Rather than seeking to satisfy and impress ourselves first.

As you grow older

You will come to appreciate the importance
Of living a life that is true to yourself
And learn to fight for your peace, joy, passions and dreams.

And as you grow older

You will come to appreciate
That you have no obligation to remain
In spaces where you aren’t loved or appreciated

You do not have to convince others

That you are worthy of being loved

And that while others may hurt you

All that breaks you
Provides you with the opportunity to rebuild.

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And as you grow older

You will learn to better appreciate
Moments of silence, solitude and privacy

You will learn to accept and approve of yourself

Rather than seeking validation from others

You will learn to treasure your own company

Value your own opinions
Trust your own judgement
And live a life that is truly your own

And you will discover

That it is never too late for you to start anew
Begin something again
And revisit previous passions
As your age doesn’t have to restrict or dictate
All you accomplish
What you pursue
And who you choose to become.

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Let This Be The Year That You Take Control Of Your

Life

Let this be the year

That you take control of your life.

That you embrace different chapters and seasons of life

For what they bring

And let go of the opinions of those

Who are not concerned about what is best for you
Or are incapable of valuing you.

Let this be the year

That you let go of the need to be perfect
Or to never make mistakes

Let this be the year

That you learn to say no
And to prioritise your own joy and wellbeing

Let this be the year

That you appreciate
That happiness lies not in the external
In a relationship or accomplishment
Or in following in the footsteps of others
But in following your own intuition
And listening to your own guidance

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And let this be the year

That you find strength in your scars
Wisdom in your wounds

And see the beauty in yourself

Recognise your potential
Embrace your gifts, talents and strengths
And welcome growth, healing and transformation.

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My New Year’s Resolutions

My new year’s resolutions are as follows:

I will not seek to be more for those who continue to give me less
I will not shrink myself fit into spaces I have outgrown

I will not seek to be small to satisfy those who don’t want to see
me grow
I will not remain with the wrong people because I’d rather
receive half-hearted efforts from others than full love from
myself

I will choose to stay in spaces where I am valued, appreciated

and celebrated
I will refuse to give up on myself
Because others have given up on me

And I will show myself I am worthy of what I desire

By actively striving for it
Shedding the layers of myself I have outgrown
And letting go of what is no longer for me.

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There Is So Much More That Lies Ahead That Is Yet

To Be Explored And Experienced

Cheers to the roads and paths we’ve navigated through

To those we’ve loved and lost
To the fears we’ve overcome
To the sadness and stagnancy we’ve moved past
To the insecurities we’ve not allowed to restrict us

To the dreams we’ve bravely pursued

The hopes we’ve held in our hearts
The periods full of celebration
And both the relationships and friendships that remain
And the ones that didn’t last

And to how they’ve made us stronger, wiser and better people

How they’ve made our experience richer
Made our lives fuller
And reminded us that there is so much more that lies ahead
That is yet to be explored and experienced.

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It Is Never Too Late For You To Become Who You

Were Always Meant To Be

You are never too broken

To heal

You are never too wounded

To love

You are never too old

For a new beginning
Or to try again

And it is never too late for you

To become who you were always meant to be.

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Sometimes It Is Necessary To Replace The Old With

The New

Sometimes we reach a point in time

When we feel that enough is enough
And decide
Enough of holding onto regrets
Enough of remaining trapped in limited mindsets and restrictive
ways of thinking
Enough of thinking negatively about ourselves
And enough of holding ourselves back
And suppressing who we truly are.

And we may choose to replace

Attachments with freedom
Poor habits with productive progress
Worries with intentional action
And fear with trust and preparation

And make peace with our fears, worries, limits, doubts and
insecurities
Understanding that while they may exist
They do not have to continue to limit us, restrict us or define us.

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May You Find The Courage To Live A Life That

Reflects Who You Want To Be

As you move on to new adventures

May you learn to let go of
And leave behind
All that has held you back
Kept you feeling down
Or caused you to remain trapped in a place of fear and
insecurity

May you give yourself

The love and care you didn’t receive
And nurture, support and uplift yourself

May you take small steps forward

Towards accomplishing your dreams

May you refuse to doubt your talents and abilities

And may you celebrate your gifts and strengths.

May you recognise each day as an opportunity to start over

May you regain passion for what brings you joy and helps you
feel alive
May you find beauty in what surrounds you

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May you refuse to doubt your light

Because someone else is incapable of seeing it
As the sun doesn’t shine
Because someone else gives it permission
But because it is in its nature to

And may you believe in fresh starts

Believe in breakthroughs
Believe in healing and growth
And believe in transformation

And may you believe that better exists

And find the courage to live a life
That reflects who you want to be.

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Choose To Focus On Who You Are Becoming Rather

Than Who You Once Were

I hope you find the courage

To sing, even if it is not completely in tune
Dance, even if you lack coordination
Create, even if your work contains imperfections
And refuse to allow the pursuit of perfection
To paralyse you
And prevent you from taking action.

I hope you find

The courage to pursue what you desire without fear
The strength to welcome new beautiful things and beginnings
The confidence to embrace who you authentically are
And the peace to move on from what once hurt you.

I hope you learn

To stop measuring your worth
By how others see you

And I hope you always remember

That your pain and sadness are not signs of weakness
And that your sensitivity is a source of strength.

That we feel disappointed

Because we feel hopeful

We feel wounded
Because we love deeply

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And we feel exhausted

Because of all of the effort and energy that we have poured into
our work and connections

And so I hope you learn to be gentle with yourself

And choose to always be there for yourself
On both your good days and bad ones.

I hope you learn to shine brightly

Without fear of overpowering or overshadowing those
surrounding you

I hope you never abandon yourself

To try and fit in with those around you

I hope you don’t give up on your goals and dreams

Due to past failed attempts and disappointments
Or words that you or others have spoken about you

I hope you learn to value your time and energy

And learn to say “no”
So that you are never left feeling completely burnt out,
exhausted and empty

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I hope you remember

That the words you tell yourself
And what you feed your mind
Will either empower you to reach greater heights
Or cause you to remain stuck, stagnant and dragged down

And of all the things you can choose to nurture in your life
And focus upon
I hope you choose your strengths rather than your flaws
Your gifts and talents rather than your insecurities
And the person you are capable of becoming
Rather than who you once were.

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It Is Uncertainty That Drives You To Explore The

Unknown

There will be stages of your life that feel challenging

Chapters that seem uncertain
And periods that cause you to question who you are
And make you feel small and insignificant

And in the times when you feel lost

And unsure of where you are going
And all that lies ahead

May you understand

That there is never a definitive time
Or place you will reach
When you will feel sure and certain of everything

And that it is the uncertainty we feel

That drives us to explore the unknown

It is the dissatisfaction we feel

That pushes us to achieve and accomplish more

And that sometimes we have to lose what is no longer for us

In order to discover what is

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And we may choose to allow

Our lack of confidence and contentment
To encourage and empower us
To discover new ways of being and creating

And that us questioning ourselves and our futures

Is one of the best things we can be doing right now
As while we may feel lost, uncertain and unsure about what will
come next
It is the questioning that helps lead us towards
Where we want to go

And sometimes we feel small

Because there is so much room for us still to grow.

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Let This Be The Year That You Focus On What You

Can Create
Let this be the year
That you no longer hold yourself back from accomplishing all
that you set out to.

That you no longer compare your life or achievements to those

of others
That you no longer attempt to copy or mirror those around you
or view them as being superior to you

That you no longer hold onto previous pain, sadness and regret
but choose to release it to make room for beautiful new
experiences, connections and opportunities

That you no longer allow other people’s opinions and

judgements to dictate your life decisions but instead listen to
your own inner guidance

That you no longer place the hopes, dreams and agendas of

others ahead of your own

That you no longer attempt to make yourself smaller to make

others feel more comfortable

That you no longer feel limited or restricted by the limitations

that others impose upon themselves and their own lives
And attempt to project onto you

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That you no longer compete with those around you, but view
other’s success as a source of inspiration to empower you to
make more progress in your own life and show you what is
possible

That you no longer remain trapped in a place of regret but

embrace opportunities for learning, growth and development

That you no longer dwell on the past and what you can no
longer change but strive to live fully in the present and build a
better, more beautiful future

And that you no longer blame others or life for your problems
Or give them the power to make you feel less about yourself
But focus on what you can control
And take responsibility for your life
And all that you are capable of creating.

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 Matters Of The Heart

I Hope You Learn To Trust In The Timing Of Your

Life
There will be days when you feel energised and motivated
And days when you feel lazy and uninspired

There will be days when you make great progress

And days when you feel stuck, stagnant and incapable of
moving forward

And there will be days when you have a clear vision of all that
you want to achieve
And days when things seem unclear, unknown and uncertain

And these days are equally important

As periods of rest and renewal
Bring restoration, healing and energy
In the same way that periods of productivity do.

And while during each day you experience

You will be filled with different amounts of energy
Each day provides an opportunity
For you to become more in touch with yourself
And your inner hopes and desires.

We each move at different paces

As our paths are not the same

We each set different milestones for ourselves

We each possess different timelines
And we each inhabit different environments

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And so, I hope you learn to trust in the timing of your life
And appreciate that you may move at your own pace rather
than racing towards something that is not meant for you or
fulfilling for you

And I hope you appreciate that you are exactly where you
need to be at this stage of your life path

That sometimes it takes going down a path or pursuing a

relationship that doesn’t last
To learn what is no longer aligned with you

And sometimes it takes experiencing temporary periods of

darkness
To fully realise and appreciate
That these experiences were never failures
But opportunities for growth, learning and healing
And to discover
What is truly meant for you.

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The Things I Hope For You

I hope you learn to let go of the judgements, opinions and

criticism of others.

I hope you appreciate that there is no one right way of living or

being and that everyone has their own personal definition of
happiness and success

I hope you appreciate that when others judge you according to

their own standards, you don’t have to internalise their
opinions of you

I hope you learn not to compare yourself to those around you

And to celebrate your own unique experience and identity

I hope you learn to let go of the narratives you tell yourself that
are disempowering
And the things that distract you that are draining

I hope you learn to let go of the need to be perfect and instead

strive to be great

And I hope you appreciate that you are able to move on from all
that has held you back, kept you feeling down and kept you
anchored or chained to the past rather than set you free to
embrace the future.

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I hope that if you ever get the opportunity

You learn to walk alone
In no one’s company but your own
To listen to your heart
Understand your inner voice
And discover who you are
What you want
And what you value

I hope you understand

That during the tough times of life
You were the one who held your own hand
Who comforted yourself when you were crying in the darkness
Who sat still with yourself
Who smiled and faced the world bravely
And who mended and repaired your broken pieces

And so
I hope you understand
That you don’t have to wait for someone to make you feel whole
and complete
But rather
You can shower yourself with your own love.

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I hope you understand

That the people who break you
Are not the ones who can mend you or repair you
But it is you who can rebuild yourself and put yourself back
together

I hope you understand

That when others fail to choose you or show up for you
You can choose to show up for yourself

And above all, I hope you choose to live a life

That is driven not by fear but by love.

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I Hope You Find What Makes You Sing And Dance

I hope you find what makes you sing and dance

And sets your soul on fire
I hope you find what makes you believe in love and magic
And I hope you find what makes you regain passion and
purpose
And pursue it completely.

I hope you appreciate

That you were born to dance and feel wild, open and free
Not to remain caged by and a prisoner of the approval of others

I hope you learn to give yourself the credit and recognition you
deserve
I hope you are able to celebrate each small step you take and
milestone you achieve
I hope you realise that you are just as deserving of the love that
you give to others as them
And I hope you savour the special times while appreciating
That the best, most uplifting moments of life
Wouldn’t be as beautiful or profound
Without times of struggle and sadness

And that one day you will reach a point in time

When you look back on all you have experienced and achieved
And feel gratitude

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Forgetting the temporary fleeting moments

When you felt stuck, behind, unsure or insecure
As you have come to appreciate that who you are becoming
Is more powerful than who you have been

And allow yourself to let go of all of the past regrets, shame and
disappointment you carry
And embrace the potential of tomorrow.

I hope you understand

That your future self
Is so proud of how held your head high
And continued to walk forwards

Your future self

Is in awe of your capacity to withstand trial and hardship
And make it through

And your future self

Is grateful for all of the lessons you learnt
And wisdom you gained.

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I hope you appreciate

That when a particular chapter of your life has come to an end
You don’t have to waste time trying to rewrite it or relive it
But may gather the wisdom you can from it
And move forward

I hope you understand

That feelings are fleeting
Attraction can fade
And emotions are temporary
But what remains through it all
Is your own relationship with yourself

And I hope you appreciate

That when you remember a person
You are recalling the positive memory of how you felt in their
presence
Which is something that you were capable of creating

And love is not something that exists beyond you

Or outside of you
But something that stems from within.

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