Morgan Harper Nichols

Some days it feels like you're not improving at all, no matter how hard and how long you try. And this could be with anything, a new hobby you're trying, new habits you try to maintain or maybe lessons you're trying to learn yourself. Even if it feels like you're not going forward, even if it feels like you're never going to be better, remember when you first started and why. Remember the first day you tried and try to imagine how far you've come already. Its okay if your progress with certain things seems to go slow, progress will always be progress. From here on, you can only grow and do better. No matter how slow, no matter how small the change.

Connecting the dots between generational trauma. There were some things my dad didn’t know that I knew about what led to complex family dynamics and emotions I didn’t understand until I was in my early 20s. One of my uncles shared the history not long before he unexpectedly passed.

Dad’s dad made a choice (well, several choices) that leaves a forever impression on any kid that learns a parent was dishonest and that’s why there are now two separate households and holidays. This might explain why my dad struggled to navigate fatherhood, on top of only being 18. It was a few years from my parents’ divorce before he decided to give it a real try. I’ll never know exactly what my great-grandma said to him to change his mind about signing away his parental rights.

He didn’t know what he didn’t know. Some family members have found that hard to believe, but I think their experience clouds their understanding and nothing now could change that. It’s unknowable to them and I’m not responsible for trying to make them understand.

I forgive him.

merry christmas to the people who have to pretend to be someone they’re not for their families, who don’t have family to celebrate with, who have bad past experiences with the holiday, who are having a rough year and just want to reach the end of it, who couldn’t afford gifts this year and feel guilt over it. merry christmas to everyone but especially those of you who are feeling down.

I think for a lot of us, recovery isn’t about not having triggers anymore or not having symptoms. I think it’s about how we learn to react to those things. Focus on giving yourself credit for learning to cope with things in a healthier way and stop beating yourself up for experiencing symptoms or emotions in the first place.

@hopehealingarts on ig

the secret to life is always having something to look forward to

“Don’t be so thirsty for opportunity that you drink from every cup that is handed to you. That’s how you get poisoned.”

— Quotes ‘nd ntes