fall in love with yourself the way that you want to be loved.
stop letting strangers take refuge in your body.
you are not a momentary place.
you were not built to be someone’s hideaway or vacation house.
you were not designed to handle people walking in and out of your life.
your body is tired of hurting.
tell these short-term visitors to leave.
the scratches and scuff marks left by their careless actions do not define you.
you expect abandonment. permanence feels foreign. someone staying feels unnatural to you.
but please remember that you deserve to be so much more than a resting spot for someone to briefly stop at, and continue on their way.
despite what you may believe about yourself, you are not temporary.
please, be kind to yourself.
as you travel through life, remember that it doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not. you are worth it. and not believing that doesn’t make it any less true.
please, stop searching for another guest.
find someone who feels less like a tourist, and more like a home.