In a nutshell, you deserve to hear this… you NEED to know it: You’re amazing because of how you carry on. It’s true. So let me tell you the best way I know how. In words. (Hint: there’s a free “something” for you in this post…)

“If you wake up breathing, it’s a good day!” Said the guy who was sick his entire life. That guy (my dad) is my hero and today would have been his 62nd birthday. Read this hero poem to celebrate that brave person you’ve been blessed to cross paths with, the one who made your world a little bit brighter.

Courage, to me, means that you show up anyway. Regardless of doubt, insecurity, and fear. No matter how many times you’ve been forced into despair before. This is a courage poem to honor that struggle and the strength still left, even when you’re not sure how you can keep going.

Sharing your story is heart work. It's not easy work, but it might be the most important thing you’ll ever do. Read these quotes to remember how much your story matters. You're here to feel it, live it, tell it. And whatever you share might be what helps someone else heal, too.

You don't need to be grateful for everything to be grateful for the path you’ve chosen in the wake of everything. Heartbreak may or may not have led you to more desirable places, but how you choose to walk now also matters — and it’s okay to be grateful for that.

The more we tell the truth about what we’ve gone through and are still going through, the easier it is to trust ourselves. I think that’s because sharing is daring to discover who we can be beyond any one story. Bearing your heart and soul: that’s one of the bravest ways to heal and grow.

This is what courage means: doing the things that scare you because you know it’s through those things that you’re going to shift the world. Here are some notes to remind you that you were born to reach out and touch the world with your truth.

You know how freeing it feels to belong to yourself, to be your own advocate? It’s nice, standing in stark contrast to suppressing who you are. Here are a dozen quotes about being brave enough to stand in your own presence and live life on your own terms. That’s the freedom that underlies the greatest joys of living.

In the middle of knowing that something new wants to come through, I remind myself: I am allowed to change. Remind yourself. You're even allowed not to know what this change is yet. If you want to enjoy this new beginning, too, here's an affirmation for you.

Read these adversity quotes to help you open your heart and mind to the gifts and opportunities granted only through hardship. I can personally attest to the beauty that's entered my life that may not have entered if it wasn't for the worst things that happened.