you. yes, you. you, right there reading this. on the beach or in your room, alone or with a friend, lover, or family member.

you deserve to be loved.

deliciously, softly, sensually, sweetly, juicily, heartily, fully.

"the word "empath” has become somewhat meaningless in the age of twitter spirituality politics, but if you have an open heart, then you need to understand that you DO deserve love, good things, healthy relationships, etc.."

(click to tweet)

an old roommate once told me she was “weak-hearted.” this frustrated me, because her selflessness and willingness to put others before herself every day revealed that the opposite was true: she had a warm, open heart. perhaps her heart was a little too open because she took so much in. she was like a vacuum, absorbing everyone else's garbage into her own system. if someone who knew her wanted to bottle up any feelings, they didn't have to: she would hold their emotions for them. of course, her openness was taken advantage of by those closest to her. she had to learn boundaries, but that didn't mean she didn't deserve to be loved.

and loved well.

at the time i told her… first off, you’re an empath. i'd known it for quite some time. for those who don't know, an empath is someone who is naturally inclined to take in the emotions of others, someone who has easily permeable boundaries, to keep it simple. most of us are empathic to some degree, and for those who resonate with this, it's important to know your worth.

i know the word "empath” has become somewhat meaningless in the age of twitter spirituality politics, but if you have an open heart, then you need to understand that you DO deserve love, good things, healthy relationships, etc.

i want everyone reading this to understand that having a big heart, utilizing that heart, not shying away from true emotion… that takes strength, especially in the current world we live in. pause and hug yourself RIGHT NOW. you're stronger than more than probably half of the world.

"most of us are empathic to some degree, and for those who resonate with this, it's important to know your worth."

(click to tweet)

we live in the land of fuck-people (that's right: fuckboys aren't always male), people with trust issues that become their excuse to hurt others, people who don’t want to face their problems and who think that being callous and disconnected are what make them "cool" or acceptable, and people using alcohol and drugs as an escape. and although i suppose we are all addicted to some kind of escape, it's important to check ourselves.

i was offended for my roommate, hurt for her. how dare someone tell my friend she’s WEAK-HEARTED when she has the most unconditional, never-ending well of love in her gigantic heart that she pours out to those she loves, even if they’ve hurt her. while i watched the rest of the vampires around me emotionally shut down and away from the world, i saw her persevere, continue to smile, and face adversity with an open heart toward the world, ready to embrace true love and bliss for everyone. it was beautiful. it was inspiring.

"if more people had open hearts and minds, were willing to love without the apprehension that we are all guilty of from time to time, we would have far less hate — because no matter what kind of "love" you want, give, or imagine, the bottom line is that a more loving world is the only way we'll survive."

(click to tweet)

she told me that she felt naive. sure, with such an open heart and positive outlook on the world, there's bound to be some naivety. but she wasn't looking at life through rose-tinted glasses. she simply and actively chose happiness. that was the beauty. even when she was sad, a feeling that increased as time went on, she found herself at crossroads where she consistently chose happiness. that isn't weakness. that's a motherf@#*!ng superpower. that doesn’t work for everyone, but it works for her, and i won’t be the one to take it from her.

i told her, “the world needs people like you. if more people thought like you, we might not be in the messes we find ourselves in.” by "messes" i meant miscommunication, drama, deceit, heartbreak, and more. i stand by this statement. if more people had open hearts and minds, were willing to love without the apprehension that we are all guilty of from time to time, we would have far less hate — because no matter what kind of "love" you want, give, or imagine, the bottom line is that a more loving world is the only way we'll survive.

so, the takeaway?

you deserve to be loved.

and you deserve to be loved well.

and don't you EVER f*!#ing forget it.

settling is no longer an option. as a whole, we are too powerful. continue on with love. remember to love yourself. be well. put yourself first. and if you ever need a reminder, i'm only a tweet away.

xo

(photo)