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41 " My philosophy was very much to embrace yourself and love what you are, instead of making you something you're not. Refine what you already have- don't change it at its core.We have all done things we never thought we could and been places we never thought we could go. Good and bad. As scary as this can be I want you to know no matter how broken you feel, and how seemingly unlikely it is, we are never too broken to heal. More than that, there will be people who love and accept you completely, and there will be people who do not. If you love and accept yourself all the way, no matter what, through thick and thin, then either way you will make it through. "
― Jonathan Van Ness , Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love
42 " I have come to learn, though, that the more you love and accept yourself, the less you need other people’s approval. I never want my childlike spirit, my desire to learn and entertain, to change. "
43 " There was nobody to tell about that kind of shame and pain. So creating pockets of joy for myself was an art I learned early. "
44 " Fake it till you make it and make it look graceful. "
45 " the more you love and accept yourself, the less you need other people's approval. "
46 " Because when you have this much personality, there’s a fear lurking just below the surface: If you knew all of me, you wouldn’t love me anymore. You would no longer want me as your new best friend. "
47 " All I had to lose was the moment, and a moment is something that we should never let go to waste. "
48 " But after nearly two years, still working as an assistant and having the goalposts for what I’d need to become a stylist constantly moving, I knew that I wasn’t going to make it there. It wasn’t worth giving up my well-being and working in a toxic and frequently abusive environment to make 20 percent from a clientele that I knew I would have to build myself. "
49 " My worst nightmare had been realized, and I was still here. "
50 " Fake it til you make it and make it look graceful. "
51 " Being able to entertain yourself is a valuable skill, especially if you’re in a prolonged dark space. "
52 " not taking on the experiences or negativity of others, but staying open to accepting joy or gratitude) "
53 " It’s each one of our jobs to reject that comparison of what we think beauty is and realize we are the motherfucking beauty. What we see on the outside doesn’t always reflect what is inside, and vice versa. The only thing that matters is keeping your facts straight about how worthy you are of your own acceptance and love. Confidence is more about having courage to say you don’t always feel on and poppin’. You’re like, I’m not sure about how this outfit totally is working but damn it, I came to slay. Because I’m just so grateful for this moment. "
54 " Learning to parent yourself, with soothing compassionate love, forgiving yourself, and learning from all the decisions you made to get you to where you are—that’s the key to being fulfilled. Learning to be the dream parent cheerleader to yourself. It’s been in you the whole time. And no matter how down you get, you can always make a gorgeous recovery. "
55 " But just like joy and pain coexist, so can discomfort and humor. Which is why you gotta buckle up, buttercup, because I can go from comedy to tragedy in three seconds flat. And that’s not damaged or not normal. "
56 " other people's opinions are not a reflection of you, as long as your spirit is thriving. "
57 " More families should watch the Olympics together. To me, those are core American family values: Cheering on a corrupt institutional body that’s super problematic with money and opportunity but we all pretend like it’s an equal playing field and celebrate it—what’s more American than that? "
58 " Navigating through trauma, depression, and despair is a full time job, which made it even more crucial that I found some light in the dark "
59 " Joyful accomplishments exist next to painful memories "
60 " You're only as happy as your most miserable child "