I wrote the piece below during a writing circle on a “bad writing day,” but when my journal fell open to this page this morning, I gave it a second look and decided someone needs to hear this today:

Sometimes your mind can be a little tricky and untrustworthy. A negative thought about your relationship to others and the world enters your head because of this [insert external stimulus] and because of that [insert external situation]. Somehow, that idea gets stuck and develops into the unfounded notion that you’re not wanted, not valued, not needed. 

Listen.to.me.

Please do not allow that errant notion to settle in your mind. Shake.it.out. The world wants, values, and needs every bit of you. Your unique color and light matter. 

You matter, and I don’t want to imagine a world without you—without your light, your spark, your smile, your joy, your spunk, your sass, your wit, your crazy, your magic!