Why "LOVED"

You are loved. 

Do you realize just how powerful those three words are?

Some people hear these words every day. Some people never hear these words at all.

My hope is that every person not only hears these three words but will really, truly believe in them.

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The word “love” had so much weight for me growing up. It was my favorite word. I made sure it was everywhere around me, in every way possible. I had a “love” sticker on my car, I doodled it on all my papers, and I even got a Love tattoo. There’s a lot of reasons behind my obsession with love, but if I’m being honest, I thought if I surrounded myself with this word enough, I would begin to feel it.

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As I grew a little older, I realized I wasn’t the only one who longed for this feeling. I’ve had a lot of opportunities to have some really raw, deep conversations with a lot of people. I’ve talked to friends, students I had, and strangers through Crisis Text Line. We all seemed to have one thing in common: we all want to feel loved. Valued. Seen. Heard.

When I discovered To Write Love on Her Arms (an incredible organization if you’ve never heard of it) I felt like I found my safe place. This organization created a place where people discussed the very things I was afraid to say out loud. Or maybe I didn’t know how to say out loud. Either way, I felt like I wasn’t alone.

I’m grateful for a community that taught me that it’s okay to talk about depression. It’s okay, actually IMPORTANT to talk about important, tough things (like suicide).

Ever since I found that community I’ve tried to find ways I could create and spread the same type of light, love, unity, and awareness to the people around me.

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I want, and I hope to, make every single person I can feel loved. While there isn’t one magic formula to make someone, or yourself, feel loved, there is one thing we do have: people, our talents, and our words.

With the help of my very talented husband, Brittan, I want to create something for people to be reminded of those very simple, but profound, words: You are loved.

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 If you feel alone, remember, you are loved. 

If you are dealing with crippling depression, I’m here to tell you, you are loved.

If you are thinking about taking your life. Please stop and listen to these words, you are loved. 

If you are reading this and just need a little bit of light in your life right now, don’t forget, you are loved.

Whoever you are, wherever you are in your life right now, whether you are happy, sad, anxious, excited, or maybe just unsure, I want you to be reminded every single day that you are loved.