On Friday something happened in my life that, at the time, I thought was the worst thing that had ever happened to me but honestly 4 days later and I've never been better. The past couple of months I have been blinded by someone who I thought was helping me, but now looking back I've realised how much they screwed up my life. About 12 months ago I was a happy go lucky ray of sunshine and I had no worries or anxiety in my life. I had finally learned to love myself and I was happy within myself. Now if you asked me a couple of weeks ago how I was feeling I would of said that I was the same happy person because I was so blind as to how I really felt. It was only 4 days ago when my security blanket was ripped from underneath me did I realise how bloody miserable I've felt recently, which was making me so anxious inside that I felt that I almost needed to get a therapist to talk to about my on-going anxiety everyday. It got to a point where I felt the need to surround myself with other people 24/7 just to drown out how I really felt as when I was alone all I felt was lonely, sad and miserable. So I was basically using other people's happiness to cover up my own. 

Since Friday I have had no anxiety at all - coincidence or nah? I have also felt more alive and free spirited than ever. I feel as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I can live again. Now don't get me wrong, what happened was tough to get through but I have learnt so much from that bad experience that I am now stronger than ever.

So my advice to anyone going through a hard time right now, is to just stop. Stop questioning. Stop over-thinking. STOP LOOKING BACK! Just stop. Because right where you are in this moment - even in all this imperfection and mess - is exactly where you're supposed to be. Thousands of moments led up to this. Hundreds of decisions and actions. Millions of tiny thoughts, mistakes and blessings have bought you here. And here is good! For some reason we keep telling ourselves that we aren't enough, that we have so far to go and that we will never reach this supposed "standard" we hold ourselves to. But we forget that every step we take is apart of the journey. There are going to be rough patches to success, there will be downs for each of our ups and sometimes we will feel as though we aren't moving at all, but instead standing still. But all of this is okay and normal because where we are in every moment is where we're supposed to be.

Everything is apart of the journey. Every high and low, good and bad, moment of peace or utter confusion. We just have to remind ourselves that we are strong and capable, that we can push through, that we are enough in our beautiful bones and skin. Each day we are gaining - knowledge, wisdom, experience and lessons. Everything we go through teaches us how to survive. Every obstacle helps us learn who we are. Every painful moment breaks us, but builds us. And little by little, we are getting through it. 

Life has its ups and downs and sometimes you get into really shitty situations but everything happens for a reason and honestly when something "good" falls apart its because something great is about to come together. Self-love is the key to everything, because from first hand experience I can tell you that forgetting about self-love was one of my biggest mistakes in my life. When life gets you down and there is no one there to help you up, you have to hold your head up high, pick up the pieces and start fresh.  The one who falls down and gets up is so much stronger than the one who never falls.

So stop. Stop worrying. Stop wondering. Stop letting yourself feel defeated and broken. You are none of those things. You are a person who is changing, growing, learning, becoming and succeeding. And where you are right this very moment is exactly where you're supposed to be. Trust in the moment and more importantly, trust yourself. You are incredible and strong. 

"You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks or even months over-analysing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could've, would've happened... or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the fuck on"

Stay strong beautiful,
Madie Grace xx