I think everyone has a certain part of their life where they truly wish they could freeze time, whether it was three years ago, today, or still to come, whether it was just a moment, a whole day, or a whole summer. Everyone has a time in their life where they wish everything would just stop, the world would stop turning and people would stop changing, because to them, at that time, everything was perfect.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. I’m not sure who the first person was who said that. Probably Shakespeare, or maybe Sting, but at the moment, it’s the sentence that best explains my tragic flaw, my inability to change. I don’t think I’m alone in this. The more I get to know other people, the more I realize it’s kind of everyone’s flaw. Staying exactly the same for as long as possible, standing perfectly still… it feels safer somehow, and if you are suffering, at least the pain is familiar because if you took that leap of faith, went outside the box, did something unexpected… who knows what other pain might be out there, waiting for you? Chances are it could be even worse. So you maintain the status quo. Choose the road already traveled and it doesn’t seem that bad. Not as far as flaws go. You’re not a drug addict. You’re not killing anyone… except maybe yourself a little. When we finally do change, I don’t think it happens like an earthquake or an explosion, where all of a sudden we’re like this different person. I think it’s smaller than that. The kind of thing most people wouldn’t even notice unless they looked at us really close which, thank God, they never do, but you notice it. Inside you, that change feels like a world of difference, and you hope this is it. This is the person you get to be forever… that you’ll never have to change again.

I know what it’s like to be so mad, you go into this blind rage and don’t even remember what you said or did. I know what it’s like to be so heartbroken, you can’t even look at yourself in the mirror without bursting into tears. I know what it’s like to have so many bad things happen to you,you start to lose faith in everything. However, I also know times of pure joy and happiness. And if I can just keep my mind set on those, I know I’ll make it through all of the hard times. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll be able to find the faith I thought I had lost forever.

“What is the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do something remarkable?”
- John Green

Have you ever thought that if one thing hadn’t happened, a whole set of things never would have either? Like dominoes in time, a single event kicked off an unstoppable series of changes that gained momentum and spun out of control, and nothing was ever the same again. Don’t ever doubt that a mere second can change your life forever.

One of the best feelings in the world is realizing you’re perfectly happy without the thing you thought you needed the most.

Do not bring people in your life who weigh you down. And trust your instincts … good relationships feel good. They feel right. They don’t hurt. They’re not painful. That’s not just with somebody you want to marry, but it’s with the friends that you choose. It’s with the people you surround yourselves with.

I’ve learned that you can’t please everyone. So don’t even try it. It’s a waste of time trying to make everyone like you. Just be you. I’ve learned the hard way and in the end, some people are just so full of hate that no matter what you say or do, they’ll always have something to say. They’ll never like you. So forget them.

You can’t make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to the person to realize your worth.

Just because other people say he’s not the best bet for you doesn’t mean you have to think twice to being with him. Be with him because he makes you happy, not because you want.