They're swinging left and swinging right.
They hide in the shadows just out of sight.
But how can I fight what I cannot see?
How can I stop them from breaking every piece of me?
If you're out there and feeling all alone,
you don't have to fight all on your own.
Because the more you ask for help, the more you take control.
And when you take control and feel it in your soul,
the doubts will start to disappear.
Doubts! The bullies of the mind.
Doubts! Leave no trace of them behind.
Now that you know how to fight back, it's time to put it to the test. Take it one step, one day at a time, and we'll figure out the rest.

When we're kids,
we see dinosaurs and dragons that make our imagination soar.
When we're teens,
we look at our peers differently than before.
And, as an adult, I find it harder to embrace any changes at all anymore.
I don't like the world I see. So tell me, what should I do?
First, know you're not alone.
Then take my hand, and together, we'll make it through.

I thought we'd be together forever.
But now for worse, or maybe someday, better,
I will let go of my dream I had for you and me, and sign this letter.

You could know everything,
But that won't mean a **** thing
If you don't start listening.
Listening to yourself.
To your body.
To your friends and family.
Listening to the people
Who ask for information.
Because they won't be interested
In what you have to say
If you don't care about
What they have to say.

Live your life.
Because no one
can live your life for you.
And when you dream a dream,
Don't abandon it. Embrace it.
Because only you
can make your dream come true.

The future is ahead
and the past is behind.
It's important it stays that way
So our minds can stay organized.

Things are bad.
They've always been bad.
And I'll tell you a secret...
Bad things will keep happening.
But life is too short
to treat it as a spectator sport.
So don't wait for the bad times to end
To start living again

If a picture's worth a thousand words,
What's a life worth?
It's crazy to think that life can be lived
A million different ways when,
at most, we'll only see 36,500 days.
Especially these days, people worry
They don't have time to figure out
How to do, how to say something meaningful.
So think about it like this:
You may only have 36,500 days, 100 years. But it doesn't take days or years
To make a difference.
It only takes a minute.
And EVERY YEAR, you get 525,600 of them. 525,600 chances to change.

Years ago, I was a teen.
I was afraid to make friends
Because kids were mean.
So one day,
I decided to wander around mymind to see if there
Was any strength i could find
I thought if I could be strong
It wouldn't hurt when they
Called me fat and stupid.
That once they realized
It didn't affect me anymore
They would get bored
And move along.
I thought I knew where I
Needed to go but got lost.
I found myself somewhere
I didn't know.
Finally, i found a door
And when I rushed through,
All I saw was darkness.
Nothing more.
I tried to find my way back
But after awhile, I made myself so scared i got dizzy and fell. Then everything went black. When I came to,
I realized trying to ignore my feelings wouldn't make me strong. That it wasn't my job to prove they were wrong. There in the darkness, I realized I was
Strong all along.
When I believed in myself,
I got back my sight.
It felt like a lifetime
But I finally found my way
Out of the darkness and into the light

First, I wanted to play.
Then, I wanted to make friends. Next, I wanted to cry.
Eventually, all I wanted
was for the loneliness to end.
I stayed alive for my family.
But it got harder every day. Because I didn't know how to say "I need help. I'm not okay."
Now, it's been years
since I've been in such a bad place.
But if you're reading this,
and you're wondering if you have anything left to give,
for what it's worth,
it's not too late
to decide you want to live.

You can be hurt, but not feel pain.
You can be scared even though you seem safe. You can feel trapped even when you're alone because everyone processes their own experiences and emotions differently.
It's all valid.

I may not be going anywhere fast.
But you can bet wherever I go, I won't be last. Because life is not a race; There's no shame with living life at your own pace.
It doesn't matter if you don't move out,
get married, or have a kid until you're 32.
You still have time to make the most of the time you have with the people you love
who love you too.

The winds of change are coming soon.
You can already see them starting to affect the moon.
The winds of change make the days shorter and nights colder.
Not that that's a bad thing.
It can make people want to be closer than shoulder to shoulder.
To the trees, the winds of change are like school bus drivers.
the breeze carries their leaves away, drops them safely on the ground, then returns them bright and new when spring rolls back around.
Change can be scary. But not all change is bad.
Just think of the pumpkins and cider and good times to be had.

When will you give your heart a chance to soar?
What's it gonna take for you to believe you deserve more?
I know this is a theme I've explored before
That when people push you down, you don't have to stay on the floor.
But you still don't believe me, so I'll keep saying it until you feel it in your core.
You are not a product of your environment
You can change the score
The first step is to find happiness.
Then, it's time to start opening doors.
It'll take some time.
So make sure to bring a friend.
Don't give up, I'll see you at the end.

NO ONE can help or please EVERYONE
But ANYONE can help or please SOMEONE.

The hardest lesson to learn
Is that hiding your feelings
Protects no one.
The hardest thing to accept
Is that you don't need to protect anyone.

You made me play your game. Now I'll never be the same.
I believed the lie you told.
Now that I know the truth, I've never felt so cold. So alone. Heart feels heavy like it's made of stone.
I can feel myself sinking.
Ever closer to depression. Despair. In desperation I cry out "is anyone there?" No one answers of course.
Then your voice pops in my head saying "nobody cares."
For a second, I believe it.
Then I remember your deceit. In a moment of clarity, I realize listening to you would mean I admit defeat.
But I wont let you win. I'll take your words and make them mine. It's the end of the line.

Don't worry about trying to change the world
by yourself; that's a job for all of us.
If you want to change something,
try changing your world first.
And even if it seems small, celebrate it. Because any change you can make
is often the biggest change of all.

"What are you thinking about?"
"You. Me. The world. Life. Happiness."
You smile and say "is that all?"
"You know me.
I think about everything.
What are you thinking about?"
"Well, I WAS worrying.
About bills. Insurance. Our health. The future.
But then you distracted me."
"And what are you thinking about now?"
"That I wish I had your optimism.
But for now, no more worrying. It's time to breathe.
I'm just glad to be here in this moment with you."

Just because it's called makeup
doesn't mean it has to make up who you are.
Just because someone is bullying you
doesn't mean they're not being bullied too.
Just because someone tells you you're stupid or ugly
doesn't mean it's true.
Now, it's true that just because you read something
it doesn't make it true.
But it's important to know that just because you're feeling blue,
it doesn't mean it's the end of happiness for you

The day you passed away,
I couldn't see the sky.
Too many tears fell from my eyes.
But they weren't tears of grief.
They were tears of relief.
Because even though
I'd never be able to hug you
As you walked through the door,
I knew you weren't in pain anymore.

People can be mean. People can be kind. People can be calm. But when stressed,
they can feel like they're losing their minds. People can be right. People can be wrong. People can learn. Some people find out
there's more than one way to be strong.
People can be happy.
People can be depressed.
Sometimes, people need to hear
"your best is enough."
People can be heroes.
People can do hard things.
But you're not just people. You're you.
Which means you can be or do
almost anything.

The wind howls louder
than a wolf to the moon.
But don't worry.
Spring is coming soon
and will stay until June.

This is the story of a tipped tree,
Some fish,
And two men who hit the streets.
They wanted to spread the word
About how to keep pets safe.
To speak up for those who could
Not be heard.
They'd knock on the door,
Say "hi! We're from PETA!
And just like that, they weren't
Invited to say anymore.
This happened again and again and again.
Finally, they agreed "one more. Then that will be the end."
They knocked on the door.
But this time, no one answered.
They knocked again, no answer.
They went to the window
And what did they see?
Baby goldfish in clear ***** of water
Hanging off the tree.
They looked at each other,  and both said "we need to act quick."
Luckily, the door was unlocked.
No lock to pick.
Handling them with care,
They got the fish to safety and got
Out of there. But before they left,
They kicked the tree down in anger.
And that's the story of how the tree was knocked over not by a cat,
But a stranger.

Living on dimes
at the corner store,
always trying to find a way to make a few more.
Not worried about the mansion
or a new corvette.
Just wanna make sure
my baby's set. Cause we've always been on borrowed time. Never had to do more than just survive. But now that somebody's gonna count on me, I'm going to make them proud. Don't believe me? Just wait and see.

Keeping my head high up in the clouds
Because it's too exhausting being just another face in a faceless crowd

I understand there will be times the words I say won't be the ones you hear.
And you might lash out in anger
disguised as fear.
Fear that one day, we'll fight, I'll leave,
and never come back.
But once you calm down, like you always do,
I'll be there to remind you that sometimes, words get lost in translation.
And it's OK, because it happens to everyone.

"What would you do for loved ones?"
"Anything."
"What would you do for yourself?"
"Nothing."
"Why not?"
"It's selfish."
"Why is it selfish?"
"Because I'm okay being alone.
They're not."
"First, just because you're okay
Being alone doesn't mean
you should be.
And second, you're not alone.
You have me."

Everyone's been hurt.
Everyone's hurt someone.
Everyone's been angry.
Everyone's been scared.
Everyone's cried.
In that way, we have more in common
Than we'd like to admit sometimes.
But at the end of the day, none of that matters. What matters Is what happens after.

It can be hard to find your way
When you watch the sun drown
In a sea of gray.
But it's okay.
The sun will come back another day.

Love is more than just faith, trust, and pixie dust.
It's also stress, responsibility, and lust.
But that doesn't make it any less worth fighting for.
Everything has negatives. And sometimes, it can be hard to focus on the positive.
But no one knows what the future has in store.
So if you take it day by day, and don't forget to have fun along the way,
Your love will grow. And who knows.
It could eventually lead to something more

you say the cost of living keeps rising so people keep dying.
if that's true, then why should we bother trying?
growing up in small town usa,
the only opportunities for work are dangerous
and offer very little pay.
if you dont have thick skin,
you won't be able to make it through the day.
I need you to say that you believe I have a choice.
that you think people will listen to what i have to say
if i raise my voice.
I don't want to leave, but i know i can't stay.
if i want a chance to live, i'll need to live life my way

How can so much go wrong under a sky filled with pinks, golds, and blues?
These days, it feels like a chore to turn on the evening news.
Don't get me wrong. I know life has never been a pleasure cruise.
But day by day, I'm getting more addicted to the snooze button

As time keeps going,
my mind will start slowing down.
I won't remember when we met.
I won't remember how.
But there is one thing I can promise right now. I'm not afraid of losing those memories because I'll never have to wonder
why you came into my life.
Whether it's because you saved me,
you hurt me, you taught me a lesson,
or you became my best friend,
you made me who I am.
And that's all I need to remember.

Which is the mistake: to give or to take?
To close my eyes or stay awake?
Do you hide from yourself in the light
Or hide from people who hurt you in the dark?
Do you leave it behind
or try to reignite an old spark?
Do you surrender yourself in honor of your faith
Or do you believe in yourself enough to create your own fate?
The truth is, it doesn't matter how you answer because none of these options are mistakes.
They're choices. And, regardless of the outcome, it's not a mistake to make a choice.

It's easy to break.
It's easy to fall.
It's easy to feel like you've hit a wall.
It's easy to hurt and put up your guard,
But just because something's easy
Doesn't mean it isn't hard.

When you were younger,
maybe you were told to hold your tongue,
hold your breath until you got older.
But now that you're here,
now that you've figured out how
and when to say what you want to say, someone has given you the same advice.
So once again, you hold your breath,
even though it hurts and scares you.
And now, you wonder "what's next?"
Now, I'm going to be the one giving advice:
if you want to be confident, independent,
and able to stand up for yourself,
understand that you're the only one
who can give you permission to breathe,
and you've earned it.

Holidays are usually exciting.
But for people who are depressed,
Holidays can be exhausting. Excruciating.
They can be so stressed
Trying to wear a happy face,
They might have a hard time
Eating anything on their plate.
So, if you feel this way,
I have a challenge for you.
It's called operation happier holidays.
Instead of protecting them,
Tell your loved ones if you're not okay.
They may be upset, confused, or even angry at first.
But almost everyone secretly wishes
For their loved ones to be happy and healthy. So do it for them.
But do it for yourself too.
Because you deserve to be happy.

How can I build you up?
How can I break you down?
How can I make you see
That you are safe and sound
With me

You be my Bonnie, I'll be your Clyde.
Together, we'll take this life for one hell of a ride.
You be my Thelma, I'll be your Louise.
We'll get in the car and do whatever we **** well please.
Life on the run with the one you love may sound fun.
But no matter how far or how fast you go,
eventually you will always fly too close to the sun.
It may seem natural to flee
but it doesn't matter if you run from pain or fear.
Your mind is like an elephant.
It never forgets so your problems will always reappear.
What you choose to do is up to you.
But take it from me.
Talking about your pain will set you free

I don't need stories of battles
Between knights and dragons
In the days of old.
I don't have dreams
Of everything I touch turning to gold.
I don't need to walk on water
Or turn water into wine.
I have enough magic in my life
Because you're mine.

it doesn't matter how many times
you win or lose, my friend.
So take my hand and I'll help you rise again

when can I go home
when can I see you
again
cherry blossoms bloom
when I think about
you, friend
I left you behind
when I was afraid
To love

It's never too late to live.
It's never too late to love.
It's never too late to dream
No matter how impossible
Your dream may seem.
It's never too late to make new friends.
It's never too late to make amends.
It's never too late to forgive.
It's never too late to move on.
It's never too late to sing your song.
It's never too late
To stop smoking or drinking.
It's never too late to try new things.
It's never too late for you.
It's never too late for me.
It's never too late
To be who you want to be.
It's never too late to believe.

I don't want to rule the world.
I don't want to rule anything at all.
Because eventually, those who rule
Fall and fall hard.

life is full of ups and downs.
But we've been down so long,
I can't help but wonder...
When the time comes,
Can we even remember HOW
To get up?
And when will that time come?
When someone has the courage
To scream one word.
ENOUGH!
Enough kneeling.
It's time to stand and start healing.
But it's all or no one. So...
Have you had enough?"

Adulthood is like high school.
Someone's always ready to find a way
to take advantage of you.
You have to work with or near people
you don't like.
You have a half hour for lunch.
And forget everyone else.
You're still trying to prove yourself to yourself. The difference is, in high school,
kids don't have many opportunities to change. They don't have a reason to change.
Therein lies the beauty of being all grown up. People can say you shouldn't do something. And they may not like it.
But they will respect you enough
to make your own decisions.

Have you ever been confused about how you feel
Because you're not sure what's real?
Have you ever been filled with dread
because you can't get out of your head?
I have too.
Have you ever been picked on in school
and done something desperate just to make them think you're cool?
Have you ever neglected yourself by pushing your feelings aside
Because you were afraid of what would happen if people found out how much you were hurting inside?
I have too.
What I'm trying to say is if you think you're alone, you're not.
Take it from me. If you can find the courage to ask to talk to someone, it can help alot

I'm standing on the edge
Looking out past the shore
Hoping if I follow the horizon
I'll find something more.
Something worth fighting for.
All I want to do is leave behind the hurt and the hate
But deep down, I know it will follow me wherever I go like a panther in the night lying in wait

Stop! PLEASE stop saying "don't."
"Don't give up."
"Don't be afraid to ask for help."
"Don't be sad."
"Don't keep it bottled up inside."
I could go on and on.
"Don't be scared."
God, I hate that one the most.
Like, why the hell shouldn't I be scared?
Look at everything that's happening.
Look, I know you mean well,
But when you say that word,
It feels like you're trying to control me.
And I already feel
                                  So
                           ­        Out
                                      Of
                    ­                     Control.
I know you want to help.
And it means a lot to know you'll be there if I need help.
But I need to do this on my own.