"I get that your scared and that you've been hurt. But doing what is easy and safe is no way to live, and a life without passion and love is so far beneath what you deserve." - Chaos of Stars

Once your heart has been broken, trampled on, crushed, and then broken again, you become 'jaded' or closed off to anything that has to do with love.

Words like relationships, commitment, long-term, chances all raise little red flags in your mind because they remind you of your past and what you were put through.

2016 is quickly coming to a close and I believe that anyone, no matter where you are or what you experienced this year, can think of moments where your heart was broken. Broken either through jealousy, competition, failure, unmet expectations, etc.

But even though you had to experience those things, its time to chin up.

Whoever you may be reading this, I just want you to know that you are brave and fearfully made.

Brave girl, it's time to love again.

You may be telling yourself that you are 'comfortable' being single and are just 'doing your own thing'. But, are you?? Are you really happy that way?

I can speak from experience where after a break up I was just 'over it'. I didn't want anything to do with the male species.

But then as time went by and I had my time to heal, I started to realize that my heart and my mind were both ready to begin a new chapter.

Unfortunately, if you are stuck in that slump of 'not loving', you may start to be labeled as emotionally unavailable or withheld.

What the heck does that even mean?? lol

It means that you no longer know how to deal with emotions and feelings, and don't care enough to try again.

If this is you, know that you don't have to be this way.

You have the strength within you to change.

The key word here, change, has many meanings to it. Change may entail things like putting more effort into your relationships, exerting more energy and love until you start to feel like your old self again. Or, maybe even meeting someone that teaches you how to love again. Meeting that one person who helps smooth out your rough edges.

Whichever it is, just know that you are strong. Know that if you have been hurting or dealing with disappointment, that you don't have to remain that way.

Brave girl, it's time to love again.

Get out there.