Something we all have in common is that we've all been damaged or broken. We are all terrified of feeling vulnerable or allowing ourselves to get to a low point, but it doesn’t have to be the worst thing. We are not invincible and we are fragile when it comes to our hearts and emotions. When we face a huge loss like the death of a loved one, a harsh breakup or just simply losing our way, we become a broken or changed version of who we are. When it first happens we cringe with the fear of who we’ll be now and how we’ll ever overcome this immense pain, but we learn how to continue waking up every day and how to become even stronger in the end. This is the strength we all have in us, whether we believe it or not and I find that beautiful.

I have found that throughout all the low points I’ve been at in my life and all the loss I have suffered, that maybe there is some beauty in the brokenness. At first, we never think things are going to get better and we may even struggle with the meaning of our lives, but we cannot stop there. Being broken does not mean we can never be repaired. Whoever said the original version is the best version, doesn’t know you. With beauty, grace and strength, some things can be repaired into an even better version. I believe this to be true with us.

Some things are even better after they’ve been fixed: Art, like a mosaic, is made from breaking ceramic tile, glass, etc. and creating a new masterpiece, when you break open an oyster a beautiful pearl is presented to us as one of the most simple and precious things in this world and the break in the clouds usually allows sunlight to shine and warm the earth. The cracks in sidewalks leave room for flowers and plant life to grow and flourish and broken surfaces sometimes show what beauty has been hiding underneath all along. Remember that not all things that are broken are ruined, tarnished or ugly.

My favorite author, John Green, wrote my favorite line that I will live by for the rest of my life: “We can never be irreparably broken.” When I am in a dark place within myself, struggling to find the right pieces to put back in the forever holes I will have in my soul, I think of this quote. Not only is it inevitably true, it’s something we all need to remember. Even when you feel like you cannot go on or you feel like your heart or soul can never be what it once was, remember that as humans, we can never be irreparably broken. We are stronger than anything in this world and can always come out the other end better than our original version. We have so much magic within ourselves and we haven’t even touched a fragment of it. Keep that magic alive and make yourself proud during the repair.

There is something beautiful about fixing something. Mechanics find pride in fixing an engine that doesn’t work anymore and doctors are grateful to have the knowledge and tools to fix an organ that is failing or repairing a bone that is broken. As humans we are breakers and fixers. We may break people’s hearts and hurt people with our words and actions, but at the end of the day, whether it is our career choice or not, we are fixers. We have the strength to mend broken relationships, people and things. We have the courage and self-love to soul search and find the pieces missing in us in other people, places, books, movies or right here within ourselves. To me, that is the most beautiful thing, because at the end of the day all the strength we need to fix something is already within us.

I want you to find the beauty in being broken. Find the beautiful slivers of pieces to mend your heart and soul with. Fill the cracks with gold, travel, amazing life experiences, love and friendship. Find what you love about yourself and this world and keep pushing toward those things. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and don’t allow yourself to think that you will always be a broken version of yourself. You don’t have to live a broken life, because you have all the tools to fix it. If you need a little extra help with the tools and techniques on how to truly fix a broken part of you, lean on those who love you. Stop looking back on what went wrong and look forward into the person you have the chance to become. Start fresh and become an even better version of yourself. I know you can do it and deep down, so do you. Ernest Hemingway once said, "We are all broken. That's how the light gets in." So let the light shine into your soul, fill those missing pieces and let yourself get better and stronger than you were yesterday. Through broken pieces, perception is change. Clear your outlook and try looking at things in a different way, it could make all the difference.

Maybe I don’t have the best advice, because I believe to be a form of a broken person, but what I do know is that I love DIY and fixing things. There’s something to be said about Do-It-Yourself projects, so become your best and most successful one yet.