I feel like we all have those moments, sometimes days and sometimes even long periods of time in our life when we feel so overwhelmed by everything that is going on. There’s not enough time in the day to get everything we need to get done. There’s not enough time in the week to see everyone we need to see. Life is like an ocean and well, we feel like we’re drowning.... It’s like we feel like we can’t do anything right. We keep trying to stay positive but it’s just so exhausting; maybe we even wish we could give up because it's just one day after the other that something seems to go wrong.

Sometimes I just need to refer to my “words to live by”. I know this may sound a little cliché but that’s what I call these few verses and quotes. I hope you find these words as helpful as I do.

“Have courage & be kind”

To me, these are such simple words with such powerful meaning. All you have to do is remind yourself to have a little courage to do the things you want/need to do and be kind to everyone while doing them to let everything else fall into place.

“Inner peace begins the moment you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions” –Pema Chodron

To me, this speaks volumes. Don’t compare yourself to others and don’t let what others say and do control how you feel about yourself and your life. Everyone has different lives and different problems but you cannot compare them because they’re all different. Don’t let the way someone treats your or the way something happens effect how you live your life. Be you and be happy.

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.” Isaiah 43:2To me this means no matter what you go through or where you are in your life, even when you feel like you’re going through the hardest things you have ever had to deal with and no one understands, God does understand and he’s always with you. That’s just amazing to me.

“Expect nothing, appreciate everything”

Because honestly, the best way to avoid disappointment is to not expect anything, if you have no expectations then you can appreciate any outcome. It’s easier said than done, but it’s something to work on. Why would you not want to appreciate everything anyway?

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12

Simple enough. Be happy and full of joy. Always have hope in the Lord. Be patient when you are suffering. Have faith in prayer. God always has the next plan, even when you don’t.

There is a lot of beauty in ordinary, everyday things.

Life is so beautiful and finding the beauty in the simple, daily things can really affect your mood.

Stressed?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

This is one of my favorite verses because I am a person that has to always have a plan. Even when I think I have it all planned out and it doesn’t go according to plan, it’s all in God’s plan. It doesn’t matter what I plan. His plan is always better. Even when I’m so disappointed because something didn’t go according to plan or related, his plan is to give me hope and a future.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.^” Proverbs 3:5-6

This is also one of my favorite verses because to me it means to have faith, hope, and trust in the Lord because he knows what is better. Pray, give your worries to him, because he will make everything okay and even when it’s not okay he will be there.

“For with God, nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37

I mean, this quote is pretty powerful. If God is behind you, you’ve got this. Pray about it, because the power of prayer is amazing and sometimes can really leave you breathless.

I’m going to end on hopefully, it sticks with you too.

“When you have a bad day day, a really bad day, try and treat the world better than it treated you.” –Patrick Stump