Finding something you can completely relate to comes very rarely, but milk and honey by Rupi Kaur is one of those magical instances. No matter what is going on in your life, happy or sad, this book will undoubtedly hit a sensitive spot. It is slightly disarming knowing that a complete stranger has found a way to vocalize feelings you didn't even know you had, until reading that one line where you have all the feels. Here are a few for those moments of weakness where you need a reminder of how incredible you truly are.
1. "do not bother holding on to that thing that does not want you"
That boy from the bar, that friend who left you behind, the major that makes you question your value. Let it all go.
2. "you must enter a relationship with yourself before anyone else"
We always hear this, but you never realize how incredibly important and amazingly difficult this concept is.
3. "life is moving, the healthiest thing for your heart is to move with it"
The past is the past, and that is where it should stay. If something is not beneficial toward you, drop it. Life is too short to concern yourself with people who do not see your worth.
4. "loneliness is a sign you are in desperate need of yourself"
Do you feel that? FEELS. Feels everywhere. Honor your feelings and take care of your soul.
5. "do not look for healing at the feet of those who broke you"
Please read this. Again. One more time please.
6. "who tricked you into believing another person was meant to complete you when the most they can do is complement"
You are a prize. Act like it. Do not change or feel non-deserving of anyone. No one is better than you; we are all human.
7. "bloom beautifully, dangerously, loudly, bloom softly, however you need just bloom"
Disregard the judgments of others. Those who judge are not meant to stay in your life.
8. "fall in love with your solitude"
There is a distinct difference between being lonely and alone. Give yourself some peace to check in with yourself.
9. "the next time he points out the hair on your legs is growing back, remind that boy your body is not his home, he is a guest, warn him to never outstep his welcome again"
Your body is yours and yours alone. Make decisions according to your wants and needs, not what others demand. Body hair is meant to be there; shave it, wax it, leave it, but you decide.
10. "accept yourself as you were designed"
It can be difficult, so just try your best. No one is perfect and you are allowed to slip sometimes.
11. "your body is a museum of natural disasters, can you grasp how stunning that is?"
Again. You are a work of art.
12. "other women's bodies are not our battlegrounds"
OK. This cannot be emphasized enough. Make it a habit to not attack other people's bodies--male or female. No one is in a position that warrants this ability to criticize others.
13. "how you love yourself is how you teach others to love you"
Love yourself the way you would want your mother, friends, sisters, and future daughters to be loved. Don't let yourself fall to the end of the priority list.
14. "you are your own soul mate"
At the end of the day, it's you. Be your own best friend.
15. "if you are not enough for yourself, you will never be enough for someone else"
Again. Write this on your wall.
16. "don't mistake salt for sugar, if he wants to be with you he will, it's that simple"
Do not look for something that is not there. It will lead to disappointment and heartbreak.
17. "I didn't leave because I stopped loving you, I left because the longer I stayed, the less I loved myself"
A relationship is the most selfless thing until it becomes the most selfish. There is a fine line being walked always.
18. "I am a museum full of art but you had your eyes shut"
People will try to dull you down, do not be fooled. They are not sophisticated enough to appreciate your portrait.
19. "the thing worth holding on to would not have let go"
If they wanted to stay, they would have. If they wanted to keep loving you, they would have. Do not make excuses for people that do not deserve your breath.
20. "I don't know why I split myself open for others knowing sewing myself up hurts this much afterward"
You can give and give to the point of having nothing left, but why would you induce that pain? Correct your patterns of selflessness.