A Very Important Message

You Matter.



That's all.

Euphoria Found in Silliness

I have five different stages when laughing.

1. The Movie Star Chuckle

2. The Uncontrollable Giggle

3. The Congested Elephant

4. The "I'm not crying, there is just something in my eye" Catastrophe

5. Total Loss of All Muscle Control and Perception of Surroundings

*sidenote* If you ever see me in a stage five giggling fit, run as fast as you can, change your name, and leave the country. I will not be held responsible for any injuries or mental scarring. 

Honestly, laughing is one of my favorite things to do. Sometimes I get into one of those oh-my-goodness-everything-you-say-is-freaking-hilarious moods, and wish I could always feel that way. 

And then BAM! EPIPHANY! I realized that I could! I just need to be brave enough to embrace my inner weirdo! 

I am one of the craziest people, (It's not a lie) but being myself in front of others has always been hard for me. Just as I begin to feel comfortable around someone, I remind myself not to let the facade slip, and pretend like I am just a little bit normal. It's stupid, I know. Thats why I am getting rid of it.

And you should too. 

Why, you may ask? Well, its because your personality is amazing. (Lets face it, everything about you is amazing). So, why not let it shine through? There will always be people who ridicule you, that is a fact. But don't let their stupidity get in the way of your happiness. 

Embrace your silliness. I promise it's worth it.

#NoMakeupMonday

Here it is: 2016.

At the fresh start of a new year, I can’t help but feel as if I am standing on the edge of a precipice, just waiting to fall off.  Everything I have learned in the previous three-hundred and sixty-five days has brought me to this point, and I can either choose to fly, or to fall.

Okay, that was a bit dramatic, but still…

2015 was a great year for me, but my excitement grows as I think about all of the novel adventures I will be able to take part in during the new year.  I have big plans, people. BIG PLANS! Some of which, actually include you.

Yes, your beautiful eyes read that right. I have plans for you.

It is my pleasure to introduce something that I hope will help you recognize your true beauty, in all of its fantasmagical gloriousness.  This experience, which I hope you will join me in, will not only make you comfortable in your own skin, but also help us take a stand against societal beauty standards.

This, my friend, is NO MAKEUP MONDAY!!!!

Here is how it works:

-Every Monday wipe your face clean of all beauty products, and let your perfect imperfections shine through! It’s hard the first couple of times, especially if you are a daily makeup wearer like me!

-Upload an inspirational thought about beauty, a selfie, or even a video, on your favorite social media outlets using the hashtags #NoMakeupMonday and #BecauseIAmBeautiful. Make sure to send it to me on my Facebook page (here) so I can see all of your lovely thoughts and faces!

-Remember that you are beautiful just the way you are!

Love you!

Sadie 

Climbing Trees and Epiphanies.

Ever since I was little, I loved climbing trees. It gave me a sense of euphoric happiness and a rush of adrenaline as I reached the top. Each branch seemed like an adventure waiting to happen, and let me tell you, I was all about adventure.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to experience these feelings all over again. The knotty texture of the wood pushed into the smooth parts of my hands, the leaves rustled in my face, and the tips of my fingers grew cold as I did something I hadn't for a really long time.

Long story short, I sat in the Linden tree in my backyard for a good hour and a half.

Each branch wrapped me in its sturdy embrace, providing just enough comfort that I wanted to stay longer. It was while the tree held me that I realized something about myself.

I just want to have a completely passionate, silly, and adventurous life. So I will.

I will climb trees.
I will throw snowballs.
I will run barefoot through grass.
I will pretend.
I will splash through puddles.
I will laugh
...and laugh
...and laugh.
But also I will love
and cherish
and hope
and dream.
Because that is what I want my life to be about.

Happiness.

A Love Letter.

Dear Autumn,

I believe myself entirely incapable of expressing my feelings for you in words. You seem to leave everyone, myself included, in awe as you tumble down from the mountains. Every leaf is captivated by your beauty, turning scarlet as you rush past, unable to contain their blushes any longer, and gradually falling for you as I have. When you are here, days that once were filled with laziness by the pool transform into the longing for adventure. Everyone makes preparations for your visit. Cutting their grass a little bit shorter, putting on their best sweaters, and creating pumpkin flavored everything, just for your liking. Even the strict schoolteachers put their lessons on hold, just to get a glimpse of you. I would have to admit that I am much more enamored of you than the average Joe. When you come, I cant help but feel excitement in the air, and a longing to be in the mountains. 

I guess what I am trying to say, is that I love you. 

And, it makes me sad to think that you only come once a year. 

What could be a year round adventure only lasts a couple short, glorious, months. Months in which I spend all of my time devoted to you. In your honor I go to bonfires, hikes, parties, plays, and so much more. If I could, I would stay every moment with you.

You are glorious.

Sincerely,

Sadie

Beautiful Things

I don't know about you, but sometimes I just need a pick me up. Like really really badly.Today happens to be one of  those days.So, in lieu of a normal blog post, I am going to list a bunch of beautiful things that make me happy. Just because I can.

1.The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
2. My family
3. My friends
4. Dancing
5. Writing
6. Poetry
7. Good Music *cough* Imagine Dragons *cough*
8. My Ukulele
9. Walking through crowded halls in high-school
10. Tight hugs
11. Loose hugs
12. Hugs from behind
13. ... basically just hugs in general.
14. Babies fresh from the tub
15. Sweatpants
16. British television
18. Old movies
19. Jimmy Stewart
20. My camera
21. Cold grass
22. Fuzzy socks
23. Christmas lights
24. Wet "snowman" snow
25. Marshmallows
26. Cake batter ice cream
27. Long books
28. Handwritten notes
29. Real life love stories
30. You.

Okay.

Sometimes life is hard. Like, really hard.

So hard that sometimes you don't feel like getting out of bed in the morning, and that no body understands, and that staying at home is a much better option that having to face the world and their plastic smiles.

You don't want to be happy. You don't want to be sad. You just want to be alone and cry, but be with people and laugh all at the same time.

You are angry and depressed and broken.

But that is okay.

For some reason, I feel like this is all that I have to say. Its not poetic or beautifully written, but it is true. You are not a failure if you are sad. 

Okay?

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones

Okay, I am going to be completely honest with you guys right now.

I freaking hate the saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.".
Frankly, this little ditty isn't right, nor should it at any times be considered even halfway truthful.
Words hurt. A lot. I would rather be slapped in the face 500 times than told I am worthless. Why? Because pain eventually subsides, but words can linger forever.

Although happy words should be remembered more, it tends to be the angry speeches that truly stick. For example, when I was in elementary school, there was this girl who said she hated me. I remember exactly where I was when the words fell out of her angry mouth, and how badly my little heart hurt to think that someone could feel that much aversion towards me. I had broken an arm before, fell and scraped my knee, stubbed my toe, but none of those could compare to the pain I felt then.

Sadly, I cant seem to remember any of the nice things she ever said.

Once, in middle school, I was told the only reason my friends liked me was because I was "pretty". The same girl later called me a profane name behind my back, wrote a page long note explaining how much she hated me, and attempted to destroy every friendship I cherished.

For some reason every nice thing she spoke in my general vicinity was received with suspicion and anger. Hmmm, I wonder why I felt that way.

Sure, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words are more like cannons.

With every fiber of my being, I plead with you to choose your words wisely. Anger, hate, malice, and jealousy can destroy relationships, and all together make life crappy. One small sentence can lead to years filled with sadness.  I mean, think about it. Would you rather be someones happy memory, or their tormenting nightmare?

To combat the never ceasing war of words, build a fortress surrounding other people's hearts. Construct it gently, and build it brick by brick with kind thoughts and loving words. Tell them little facts about their personality, share happy stories, enjoy silence together, but never ever willfully hurt them. You just don't know when you could push them over the edge.

Please, I beg of you, stop the warfare. Love people, love life, love yourself, love little things, and above all share your happiness.

If you have ever been bullied, or are being bullied, please email me at becauseofbeautifullives@gmail.com. I would be happy to listen, and share with you what knowledge I possibly could.

I love you!
Sadie

You Matter

Dear Someone,

I am so sorry that your life isn't exactly how you want it right now. I am sorry that you feel lonely, and scared, and frustrated. I am sorry that you feel like you don't matter to anybody. That if you disappeared off the face of the planet no one would care. Because the truth is,

You matter.

You are lovable.

You are kind.

You are special.

You are important.

You are going to change the world.

Because you are you.

Don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

Remember that you are not alone in this endeavor, that there is always someone who cares. Feel free to remove your fake smile and cry to them, even if you feel uncomfortable about it. 9 times out of 10 you will feel better than you did before. I promise.

Remember that you can change the world, and that inspiration comes from the hardest of trials.

Remember to focus on the little things, for they make up who we are.

Remember to pray always.

Remember who you are, because you are pretty freaking amazing.

Remember that you matter, even if the world says otherwise. 

I love you!

            Sadie

If you are struggling with anything, feel free to email me at: becauseofbeautifullives@gmail.com.
I will definitely respond. :)

My Beautiful Life: School

Do you ever have nightmares that you are running away from something scary, but no matter how hard or fast you move it still catches up with you? You try to scream, but all the air seems let out of your lungs. Safety, which is right around the corner slips from reach, and slowly you are drawn into the evil claws of your doom.

This is precisely what back to school season feels like.

Okay, okay. I know that I am being a little dramatic (fine, a lot dramatic) but back to school season has always been somewhat of an anxiety trigger for me. The whole concept of organization, finding classes, locker combos, and the dreaded first day of school outfit sends me into a panic mode. Nightmares leak into my normally pleasant dreams, and before you know it, I'm dreaming about forgetting to wear pants the day I have to give a big presentation. Me no likey.

Even when I was young, the terrors of school shook my little brain senseless. The night before the big day I lay awake at night, eyes pried open, for fear of sleeping in too late. Once, I was so nervous that I started dry heaving on my way to the bus stop. Not the best way to start the school year in my humble opinion.

Needless to say, school with anxiety can be a daunting task.

I know a lot of my readers struggle with anxiety, so I compiled a list of things you can do to make the upcoming school year as stress free as possible. Because, who wants to worry about school, when you could be focusing on your beautiful life? Here goes nothing!

1. Buy a planner!
There is nothing worse than realizing you forgot to do your homework. Writing down your assignments due date is imperative to a stress free school year, and good grades!

2. Keep your locker clean.
Nobody wants to rummage through a mount Everest sized pile of papers just to get to their lunch. Keep your personal space clean by getting some locker organizers! Less clutter=Less anxiety.

3. Pack an emergency kit.
You never know when disaster will strike! Keep a sweatshirt to wear over lunchtime spills, ibuprofen for the occasional headache, and Band-Aids!

4. Find your classes.
One of my frequent reoccurring nightmares about school is getting lost on my way to class. In order to prevent an awkward moment, walk through your school beforehand to locate every class you have, and what room its in! Its also very helpful to have your schedule memorized, or keep it up in your locker.

5. Be yourself!
Making new friends can always be a struggle, but you don't have to change your personality to fit someone else's. You won't attract the friends you want by being a whole different person, so just embrace your silliness and be you!

6. Make a Panic Attack kit.
Keep this handy dandy kit in your locker at all times for when a catastrophe happens. Fill it with things that calm you: a reassuring note from a parent, your favorite candy, instructions for calming down, and a comfy jacket!

7. Get plenty of sleep! Drink water! Eat breakfast!
My mom is going to be proud of me for this one. :)

I hope this helps my fellow anxiety prone friends! Happy back to school season!

Any more worries about back to school? Feel free to send me an email! I would be happy to give you some advice! becauseofbeautifullives@gmail.com

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Adventure Can Be Found In Walmart

The other day I found myself in a predicament that usually bombards teenagers in the summer.

I was bored. Like, really really bored. So much so that I lay on the floor of my bedroom, admiring the patterns in the paint on the ceiling. It was bad.

I am the type of person who loves to go on adventures, and every once in a while I get the uncontrollable urge to go do something exciting. I must go on an adventure. Hence why I went to Walmart looking for some.

Now I know its not like Walmart has jars labelled "excitement" for sale on their shelves (although Nutella is a close second) but, they do have people, and lots of them. So, for my exciting excursion, I decided to do something that scares me out of my mind: confront people I do not know. Earlier that week I had bought some cute thank you cards from Michael's, thinking that I would use them to appreciate my teachers and church leaders. Little did I know that some extreme boredness would lead me to use those cards for people I didnt even know. 

Let me tell you, one of the best ways to get your adrenaline rush is by handing out thank you cards to strangers. I walked through the aisles of Walmart aimlessly before I found my first person. It was a woman, presumably middle aged, with a list in her hand of food and supplies she needed to get. I could tell she was a woman on a mission. Walking up to her was the hardest part. My voice cracked, my legs shook, and my heart went at five bajillion miles an hour.

"Excuse me, mam?" I said. She looked up in surprise, and our eyes met. Her face looked tired, resting into melancholy wrinkles by her eyes. Oh yes. This was the person I needed to help.

Quickly I explained that the note was to thank her for being so awesome, and that yes, I did not know her. Before I knew it, I was walking away with a grin on my face and warmth in my heart. I continued to do this for five more people, feeling happier with each one.

There are opportunities everywhere for service, you just have to be willing to look hard enough.

And boy, is it oh so fun!

French Fries

Sitting lazily upon the desk in my room is a quote that changed my life. It is simple and humorous but very effective. The quote bluntly reads:

Today I will be happier than a bird with a french fry

Okay, so I know what you are thinking. Why on earth would I want to be happier than a bird with a french fry? Sadie, you are downright crazy. Before you make any snap judgments, lets break this down a bit.

First, lets talk about the bird. Often times (especially when it is particularly dry) birds have a hard time finding food. Instead of retrieving a nutritious meal of worms and other bugs they have to rely on us messy humans, and the crumbs we leave behind. Imagine that you are on a deserted island, and that you have run out of food. Your stomach is growling, as you stumble around in fatigue, seaching aimlessly for some nutrition when all of a sudden BAM! A five course turkey dinner falls from the sky. That is what I imagine it must be like for a bird that has found a french fry. To us, one french fry isn't very significant, but to a bird it is a saving grace.

We must be like a bird and find joy in the simple things in life, even if it is something as simple as a french fry. Staying focused on the little things that are good increases our optimism and fights away the negative. So, in order to help you realize how amazing the simple things in life are, here is a list of little things that makes me happy.

~The sound of high heels on tile

~Cold grass on bare feet

~Fuzzy socks

~The time of night right before it gets dark

~Pastel colored skies

~Poetry

~How babies smell right after a bath

~Sunny rain

~Successfully saying the rap part in a song

~When people say 'Thank You'

~Filled notebooks

~Old books

~Cold sheets

~Travel sized anything

~The smell of cologne

~When people laugh during hugs

~When old couples kiss

~Giant T-shirts

~Stretching

~Nice strangers

~The first frigid seconds in the pool

~Completing checklists

~Smelling like a campfire

~That one mood when everything is funny

~The sound of a keyboard when someone types fast

~Unique laughs

~You.

These are just a few things that make me happy. What makes you happy?