Don’t Forget To Breathe

Stephanie Foo, What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma

It’s really easy to think that our friends and other loved ones think negative things of us when we’re not around but I have to say that it’s much more likely they’re thinking positive things.

I think about my best friend, and how beautiful she is and how I miss her and hope she’s doing okay.

I think about my partner at work and how much I love him and can’t wait for him to get home.

I think about my online friend and how amazing it was to meet her this year. I wonder how she’s doing and I feel so thankful she’s been a part of my life for so long.

I think about my cousins and how wonderful they are and how even though we don’t talk much anymore, they were a huge part of my growing up and I’ll always love them.

We often think positive things about our loved ones, and it’s likely they do the same for us as well.

I think the hot new trends for this summer should be reading comprehension and critical thinking skills

Being misunderstood is difficult, but it’s okay. Let them misunderstand you. Be so unwavering in your commitment to yourself that no one can take that away from you. You know yourself better than anyone else does. They might never understand, and that sucks, but you can validate yourself even when they don’t. Give yourself the love and validation others won’t - you deserve it. The way you understand yourself is valid even if others see it differently <3.

2024 LESSONS

jan: being alone does not have to mean being lonely

You are not a machine. You're a soul who needs music, connection, sunsets, laughter, and small pockets of joy. Prioritize them like your life depends on it because it does. Lite isn't meant to be a cycle of stress and survival. Pause. Look up. Let the sunset remind you: you’re here to live, not just to hustle. Life is not a to-do list. It's a gift. Walk slower. Hug longer. Laugh louder. Love deeper. The clock may be ticking but your presence is timeless. We've been conditioned to believe that constant productivity equals worth, but humans weren't designed for endless output. We need moments of wonder, connection, and rest not as rewards for hard work, but as essential ingredients for a meaningful life.

33

I am going to see my dad today. He is still on the ventilator and probably will be for the next few days.

I am not ready to lose a parent.

I have hope that the hospital he’s at now can fix this. But I am still scared and overwhelmed.