We teach ourselves and condition ourselves to believe that we have the ability to break and, more importantly, that others have the ability and power to break us. But it isn't true. No one has that power over you. Our inner being, soul, spirit, identity - whatever you decide to call it - is, in fact, entirely whole and untouchable; that is, unless you allow it to be. It is a matter of perception.

In our darkest of times, light can seem an impossibility. Have hope. Be kind. One step at a time. One glimmer, then the next. You’ll get there. I have tasted darkness, as we all have, and I have found that moving gently helps.

But this does involve actually moving. Here is a trail I have tried. It may work, it may not, but you are a reason worth trying. So, let’s go.

Life is a little scary right now. Or a lot scary, depending on who you are and what you are going through. One of the hardest things to do, at any time, is to embrace the unknown, and to somehow settle and be okay with ambiguity.

To lose fear is to tread the unfamiliar. It is to let go of ourselves, our worries, our concerns, and, then, take a dive at the outrageous, the uncomfortable, the awesome, and the unpredictable bold, daring, and scary.

Full admission, I am still learning this one myself. How to feel again. It’s terrifying. Seriously, how do you feel when you've had to go numb just to survive? How do you feel when you've been taught that, when you do feel, bad things happen?

In moving forward through any of life's experiences and challenges, especially if you hope to move upward, what I have found is the vital importance of clearing the path to where you want to go.

There are times in our lives when we come to blockades. Life seems overwhelming, unknown, and fifty thousand shades of who the f--- knows. To top it off, we feel like we SHOULD know what to do. We have been there, done that. We are wise beyond our years, right?