The greatest friend you’ll ever make.

Deep breaths & pep talks starring [your name here]. 

The one thought process that changed everything for me was when I started to look at myself as a friend.

Imagine what my life would be like if I treated myself the way I treated my friends?  Encouraged myself, complimented myself, gave myself chances, was patient with myself, forgiving of myself, supportive of myself, loving and generous to myself.  Same goes for when shit went down; defend myself and stand up for myself, and encourage myself to accept my faults simply as a learning experience rather than considering myself a lesser person.

That flip in perspective changed everything for me.  It made me realize how the people I love, the people who matter, saw me. 

I’m not here to create any illusions on the person that I am, I want to make that clear.

I love practically anything with saturated fat, I love a good drink, and sometimes when I’ve had one too many I love a cheeky cigarette.  I’m not here to pretend that I haven’t dabbled in recreational drugs, that I wasn’t promiscuous and stupid when I was younger and I am certainly not here to pretend that I haven’t been a complete asshole at times.  What I do want to say however is that I am OK, despite all of these things.   So are you.  Despite all your vices, faults and downfalls.

Try not to be so hard on yourself.  When shit gets real, take a step back and put someone you love in your shoes.  Learning to take my own advice was one of the best things I have ever done.

“There is no losing.  You either win, or you learn”.

-Unknown