endurance.

endurance.
noun. the ability to withstand hardship or adversity; especially: the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity.


nobody ever promised you that life would be easy. nobody ever promised you that life would be fair...but even without those promises, you still weren't prepared for how much pain you could feel. 

you hurt mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally.
and even if that pain isn't constant, it still takes a huge toll on you.

everybody feels that pain...
you are not alone.

but even that fact doesn't make pain any easier.

the mental pain you feel when you know you're going to fail that test, or when your life doesn't make any sense...

the physical pain you feel when you're trying to lose that weight...or when that broken heart hurts your chest....

the spiritual pain when you're trying to find hope, faith, a reason...

and that emotional pain when you can't stand the person you see in the mirror..or when somebody betrays your trust..

all pains--mental, physical, emotional, spiritual--hurt you in more than just one way. all pains are valid..and all pains can seem so awful that you wish you could just end it.

but you must keep going.

that is the hardest part--to keep going. you cannot let life just keep you down, even when you are hurting. 

you must endure, and endure, and endure. 

no matter how hard life gets, no matter how tired you are, you have to nourish yourself with love and remember that tomorrow could be better. and if tomorrow isn't better, keep going. eventually, it will be better. 

each day that you endure, each day that you love yourself--makes you that much stronger. 

building yourself up, allowing yourself to grow is so important. 

water your self love flower, make your soil a healthy environment to grow in, and give yourself that sun. you deserve that healthy environment and that light that life can offer if you let it. you deserve to grow into whatever you want to be. 

__________________________________________________________________

josh hall is a 21 year old, college athlete. 
josh runs cross country and track and is incredibly successful...but he has recently announced that he has been suffering from depression for awhile now. 

he deals with it daily, and he channels all that negative energy into running. 

i think that is what has made him so successful. that passion, that energy being focused into going a little faster, or a little bit longer has shaped an outstanding athlete. 

josh has the biggest heart, and anybody who has met josh would be surprised that he battles depression because he doesn't let it take over his life. 
he tries his best to be a positive person and he cares so much. 

josh has endured many pains (injuries, heartbreaks, depression, etc.) but still decides to grow. 

i asked josh what endurance meant to him and he said the following:

"endurance is a combination of survival and growth. it's all about seeing how much farther you can push yourself when you feel you're at your weakest - whether it be a physical, emotional, or spiritual low point. if you can endure, there's no storm you can't withstand." - josh hall

josh deserves to love himself everyday...and so do you. 

please know that you don't have to be an outstanding athlete, or student, or something super impressive. because no matter what, you are art. 

you are worth it. you deserve the best. you deserve to grow. you deserve happiness. all i'm saying is channel you energy into something beautiful. maybe run that extra mile, or write that poem, or read that book, or paint that picture...do whatever makes your soul, mind, heart, whole being happy.

because even when life fucking sucks...

you must endure, and endure, and endure.