This is something I posted on Facebook & Instagram today and here it is here on WordPress as well!
“What’s broken can be mended. What hurts can be healed. And no matter how dark it gets the sun is going to rise again.” ❤
~Big bear hugs to everyone who wants any!~ ❤
This is me in May 2015 but I give hugs any day of the year! 😀 ❤
Also, thank you for the recent comments! I will respond soon! 😀
xoxo Kim ❤
~ Surrender to universal love.~ ❤
Hello sweethearts!!
On May 3rd I participated in free hug day, which I loved!! It was a beautiful sunny, warm Spring day in LOVE park, here in the wonderful Philadelphia!
Unfortunately my phone doesn’t work well and I did not have access and still do not have access to all my pics! I couldn’t even send my pictures to the Positive Focus Org like I planned! But at least I participated and attempted to bring a little bit of sunlight into the lives of others. And I do have some pictures to share!
I’m very shy so it took serious COURAGE to stand there in the middle of a park with a sign! Alone!
I wanted so badly for friends or family members to participate with me but no one would.
And even if you’re not shy, it still probably takes courage to draw attention to yourself like that! Especially if you’re alone, probably.
I think we often tend to find more courage in groups but sometimes we just have to go it alone and be brave anyway.
I feel very outgoing in my head but unlike a lot of people, I’m often too shy to act on it. I’m much better with this than when I was young though. It’s not anxiety or low self esteem. I can never explain it in words when people ask.
I’m just a shy girl. Definitely not introverted though. Nothing wrong with being introverted, I’m just not. I often feel most uplifted and energized around people. And it doesn’t ever drain me to where I need to rest after being around lots of people.
At one point I really thought I couldn’t go through with it but I pushed through the extreme shyness, awkwardness, fluctuating depression, and grief (over the loss of my coworker/friend), and I did what I intended! I stood in the center of a park and I walked around with a sign welcoming free hugs!
Whenever I felt I couldn’t go on, I reminded myself that it has the potential to help someone and it’s displaying a kind message. And I kept going.
Whenever I am afraid or too shy, depressed, or too overwhelmed in grief to do something I want to do, I will remember those first moments in LOVE park and I will go ahead. I will let LOVE prevail over any less pleasant emotions or thoughts. And I hope you will too. I am right by your side cheering for you, no matter who you are or where you are, even if only in “spirit.” That’s why I share my stories and experiences, to help people empower themselves. So speak even when your voice shakes, reach out even when your hands tremble, share your story even when your heart races, and love even when you risk not being loved back. It’s all worth it.
“When it comes to love, you gamble when you need to.” ~ Ringo Starr
The purpose of global Free Hug Days is to spread a message of love & kindness and show that EVERY life matters. Whether we are financially rich or poor, educated well or not, homeless or live in a beautiful house, single, taken, married, young, old, religious, theist, atheist, have a family/friends or are on our own, immigrant, citizen, Liberal, Conservative, apolitical or other, generous or greedy, kind or not so much, friendly or not, selfless or selfish, loving or just an asshole, healthy or sick, disabled or not, society’s/media’s definition of beautiful and perfect or considered less than beautiful …no matter our skin color, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, size, weight, religion, views….our life has value. We don’t have to participate in hug day for this, there are simple but significant things we can do each day to spread this message that every life matters. A warm smile, a friendly hello, a sweet blog or Facebook or instagram or other social media post/share, volunteering to help people or animals, paying for someone in line at a store, just being genuinely friendly to every single life we encounter whether human, animal, insect, plant, environment….
My dad asked me “what if a dirty old homeless person comes over to hug you?” And I said then I will happily & warmly welcome him/her into my loving arms. That is what free hug day is all about, Lovingkindness for everyone. That is what I am all about everyday. It’s how I try to live. And when I don’t succeed in being as kind as I would like, I move forward and try again.
A “dirty old homeless person” is no less valuable than a financially rich person who owns a big company and lives in a mansion.
Giving free hugs to strangers in public places is encouraged everyday even though each year there are specific days designated by certain organizations or groups to give those hugs.
Along with a few of my pics I will share some of my favorite quotes about love. Love in this sense I’m promoting here, is a genuine wish for others, whether or not we know or like them, to be happy and well. Not happy at the expense of others like hurting anyone else, but a genuine sense of happiness and inner peace without doing unnecessary negative things to others. A genuine wish for others to be and feel loved.
“Be one deep breath braver than you feel. Be one considerate act kinder than those who are not. Be one gentle hug more loving to someone who hides their pain behind anger. Be brave, kind, & loving. This is your heart’s purpose.” ~ Anna Pereira
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” ~
Leo Buscaglia
“Love is always bestowed as a gift – freely, willingly and without expectation. We don’t love to be loved; we love to love.” ~
Leo Buscaglia
~Hug the hurt
Kiss the broken
Befriend the lost
Comfort the sick
Love the lonely~ ❤
“I am here to serve. I am here to inspire. I am here to love. I am here to live my truth.” – Deepak Chopra
“A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved.” ~ Kurt Vonnegut
“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” ~ Mother Teresa
“Love everybody for who they are. We’re not supposed to try to change people. We should allow people to be who they are and love them as they are.” ~ Dolly Parton
“The meaning of life is to love yourself completely, free yourself and others of guilt, and become totally visible no matter the risk.”
“People are just as wonderful as sunsets if you let them be. When I look at a sunset, I don’t find myself saying, ‘Soften the orange a bit on the right hand corner.’ I don’t try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds.”
~Carl R. Rogers
“You may say
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will live as one”
~John Lennon
~Love has everything to do with it ~
“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.” ~Malcolm S. Forbes
“By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.” ~Edwin Elliot
“There is so much love in your heart that you could heal the planet.”~Louise Hay
-A single rose can be my garden, a single friend, my world- Leo Buscaglia
“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” — Albert Schweitzer
“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant?” ~ Henry David Thoreau
“Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting.” ~
Author Unknown
Kindness is a gift everyone can afford to give ♥
“Every person is a new door to a different world.”
This picture warms my heart. ❤
So does this one! 😀 ❤
“Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light.” ~Norman B. Rice
~Will you be the one bringing light to that person standing in the shadows?~
“I’ve seen and met angels wearing the disguise of ordinary people living ordinary lives.” ~Tracy Chapman
“Every action in our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.” ~Edwin Hubbel Chapin
“Someone out there somewhere is looking for exactly what you have to offer.”
I got this cheesy idea to write sappy love messages on colorful index cards and leave them in random places. Lol It’s probably illegal and considered to be littering. So I did this without getting caught! Lol I put them in tree branches, on park benches, outside buildings… ;-D
Hopefully at least one person finds it inspiring and not just ridiculously stupid! ;-D
But I know if I would have found a card like that, I would be thrilled! I know I
can’t be the only one! Chances are if we are a certain way, have a certain problem, feel a certain way, think a certain way….someone else out there somewhere does too! Don’t ever forget it!
“Ordinary Angels” by Craig Morgan
Mobile:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X4g4VlAgS4o
Desktop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&persist_app=1&v=X4g4VlAgS4o
I am wishing you much love, joy, and happiness today and always.
Xoxo Kim
P.s.
One of my wonderful Facebook friends shared this song with me:
“Love Shine a Light”
“Let our love shine a light, in every corner of our hearts.”
Mobile:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?sns=fb&v=0Y6r3JrIOFY
Desktop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&persist_app=1&v=0Y6r3JrIOFY
It’s a universal love song. ❤
Pps. I don’t think the universe meant for me to post this because I had so much trouble all the way around, every aspect and step along the way something got in my way. First my memory cards not working then the WordPress app not working after I finally got my cards to work. Then just as I hit publish, the wifi I’m using cut off! Then a different wifi connected and just as I hit publish again, that wifi cut off too!
It was
a slow night at work because it was raining hard for a while then when the wifi came back, the rain stopped and then lots of customers came so I still couldn’t post this! Lol So if you’re reading this, I somehow was able to win a battle with the universe, who has it in for this post. ;-D And since I kept hitting “publish” and nothing seemed to be happening now like 50 of the same post will probably show up eventually but that’s better than zer0 showing up!
Today is a new day and I’m trying yet again to post it!
“Keep loving…everything you touch, everyone you see, they’ll soon become your family.” ~ Nimo Patel ❤
Hello loves!
I have big plans for this weekend if everything works out as I hope it does! On Saturday May 2nd and Sunday May 3rd, it’s Global Free Hug Days and I will be participating! Sunday is the one day in all of my days that I hope it doesn’t rain! Can you believe it!? Lol me! Hoping it does not rain! While I would absolutely love to stand and hug in the rain, I know most probably prefer the sun. And many more people will probably be walking through the park in the sun. So I hope there’s some sun that day! And also on May 2nd for the ones participating that day!
I don’t know that anyone else in Philadelphia is doing this because I signed up to find others in this lovely city who are also hugging so we can go together but no response! Maybe they just have their own groups and don’t care to meet up!
I found this event on “Positive Focus” on Facebook months ago and been waiting and waiting! While “Positive Focus” is the organization hosting the event, the participants go on their own those days to wherever in the world they want to go and give hugs!
Here are some of the benefits of hugging!
1.) possibly alleviates existential fears/fear of mortality for people with low self esteem – hugging may help allay our fears of death and dying
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/touch-may-alleviate-existential-fears-for-people-with-low-self-esteem.html
Even hugging stuffed animals can help!
2.) stimulates oxytocin – promoting feelings of contentment, reduces anxiety and stress, helps cope with pain, helps with social bonding, linked to lower blood pressure and heart rate…
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128795325
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301051104001632
http://m.livescience.com/12833-love-hormone-oxytocin-dark-side.html
Just one brief hug releases these chemicals in the body!
3.) Stimulates dopamine – the “feel good” drug responsible for preventing depression and things like Parkinson’s disease. Procrastination, self doubt, and lack of enthusiasm are all linked to low levels of dopamine. Dopamine is a pleasure hormone which is released in the brain and hugs can trigger it! Listening to music that thrills us can also help our brains to release it!
http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2012/11/uconn-researcher-dopamine-not-about-pleasure-anymore/
4.) stimulates serotonin – when a person feels important, serotonin flows more. When serotonin is low, depression and loneliness can occur. Hugging helps this drug flow helping us feel less sadness and loneliness and helping us prolong life and has other positive benefits.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232248.php
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2612120/
And many more benefits of hugging!
(me! :-D)
I hope you will come and join me for Global Free Hugs Day if you are here in the beautiful Philadelphia!! I will be at Rittenhouse Square on Sunday afternoon, May 3rd with free hugs & love for everyone and anyone!! We’re spreading a message of universal love & kindness for everyone all around the globe! And the message that every life matters.
Whenever we reach out to hug, to help, to heal, to comfort, to inspire, to uplift…we reach out in love. ❤
Check it out!
http://www.positive-focus.com/
We will take pictures those days and send them to Positive Focus for their video. You can register here:
http://www.positive-focus.com/about-gfh/gfh/
Or you can choose not to register and just go hug anyway!
Heres the fb page for positive focus:
https://m.facebook.com/positivefocusnfp?_rdr
I’m using my phone so that’s the mobile website. Hopefully you will find the desktop one if you’re using a computer!
E mail them your pics at: hugs@positive-focus.com
You can go alone and hug, with one or two people, or gather a large group and go together. I think i’ll be going alone except my mom will be joining me to take the pics. And maybe my sister. I won’t be there real long as I have work that day. I have been waiting for months for this day! And I have so many fun ideas for the signs I’m making! I’m going all out! Lol I’ll probably be there around 12:30pm.
No matter who you are, where you are, where you have been, where you’re going, what your views on anything are, skin color, ethnicity, experiences, sexual orientation, homeless or not, if I know you or never talked to or laid eyes on you, if I knew you at one point, if we had a falling out or ended on not good terms, still come and let’s hug! I’m here to provide hugs & love to everyone no matter what and show that every life matters.
No matter what problems or pain or dreams or goals or views or experiences we have, we are all in this together!
If you’re in Philadelphia, Pa that afternoon, come and hug me!! If not then I’ll be sending you virtual hugs! ❤
Much love to you always! And lots of big bear hugs! ❤
And don’t forget on Sunday afternoon I will he providing hugs! So come and get your love!
“You may say
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will live as one”
~John Lennon ❤
😀
Xoxo Kim
P.s. Don’t forget to remember your life DOES matter no matter what you have done, who you are, what your opinions are, what disability or religion or mental or physical health condition you have, whether you have a family and friends or none, whatever your age or job is, no matter how much money you have, where you live, if you’re homeless and live outside under a bridge or in a park or live in a mansion, even if you feel hopeless or worthless and depressed or anxious often….your life and everything you do has an effect on the world around you. this is true for all of us. And we can get better and better.
Life is hope. ❤
Someone, somewhere is looking for exactly what you have to offer…
Today I was overcome with a very deep depression, so deep my body was nearly paralyzed. I felt so trapped and stuck. Nothing I could have done would have lifted it. It wasn’t an ordinary low mood or sadness. It was a heavy sickness that took me over.
I was at work and just couldn’t move. So sluggish and hopeless. But I had to move to tend to customers. I love tending to their needs but it’s extremely difficult and excruciating when I’m deeply depressed. I don’t care if they know I’m depressed but it’s not part of my job to spill my guts to every customer about my depression. And my depression puts me at risk for seeming unfriendly. I am not unfriendly.
So it’s hard trying to be cheerful when I’m just not feelin’ it. What I felt earlier is the kind of heavy, deep, despairing depression that almost nothing can touch. No inspirational quote, no happy uplifting song, no positive thought…nothing can break through that sickness when it’s already at that level. It hit me so hard that I couldn’t even lie to myself and say I’m just sad or that I can snap out of it. I couldn’t feel low about myself and believe I’m just worthless and no good and that’s why I feel that way.
It was too obvious that it’s a real sickness that needs treatment. And needs management.
So I let myself feel it. I just let myself be with it. I felt desperate, hopeless, sick…
It’s misery. It’s torture. Beyond Hell. It feels like my guts are being shredded, like I can start bleeding out my eyes, like I want to crawl up and wither away.
My body felt like every square inch of it weighted one thousand pounds. I literally had to struggle to move. Like every little movement was a strenuous workout.
I wanted to run home and succumb to my bed in solitude and writhe in my despair. And eventually dissipate into the dust…
But I remembered all the years I worked on myself to conquer this sickness, all the strength I mustered and put into action, all the scars and pain and wounds I let turn into lessons. All the lessons that taught me so much wisdom.
I thought of the promises I made to myself and to the uni-verse and to the world. The promise to not let myself sink back to that general darkness I once lived and breathed. The promise to always try to feel some glimmer of hope glistening amidst the blackness and KNOW it exists even when it does not feel like it, the promise to always try to remember how one life can impact so many, many others in beautiful ways, the promise to remember that the world is so big and there is so much more to learn and so many people and living creatures to bless and so many people to meet and so many things to do, my vow to not break no matter how much I am pushed and pulled and shoved. My vow to live….
And I looked for inspirational quotes and lyrics and pictures to share with others and uplift myself. Sharing is healing. Healing for all involved. And I shared them on Facebook and got so much positive feedback. The quotes did help me and sharing them helped others. And their kind comments helped me tremendously.
I realize even more how much I have accomplished. I’m not very successful in terms of jobs or career or money or academics, or…..anything, really. lol. But I have accomplished more than I ever thought I could at one point.
My entire life was consumed by suicidal psychotic depression day in and day out every single day almost, for over sixteen years and still going. But it’s not like it used to be. Now I’m happy more often than not. Because I mustered the strength and the courage to seek help. To ask for professional help and to practice personal development self help techniques every single day.
I am committed to personal development.
I am committed to being the best me, to being all that I can be.
When I sink to this level I am currently at and somehow manage to not become dangerously suicidal and just crumble like before and even help uplift myself some, it really hits me hard how much I have succeeded and accomplished and gained. And that uplifts me even more.
If it wasn’t for all the days of working to better myself, I wouldn’t be handling this depression as well as I am today. Or at all. I would be at my lowest depths by now or worse.
But
I felt the heaviness lift enough for me to move with more ease.
And a very kind Facebook friend of mine who lives in India shared some beautiful facts with me which helped me even more.
In India every year on the darkest day/night is the holiday Diwalis. It’s the celebration of all the goodness in life. A celebration of Good over evil. A celebration of love, kindness, humanity, hope, caring and sharing. In India, people of all religions come together to celebrate the Beauty that does exist. It does. Beauty and Goodness exist in this life. And it outweighs the bad.
It’s just what I need today. I thanked my Facebook friend for sharing with me but I don’t know if he knows the true impact he has on me by sharing this.
I wish I were in India celebrating with all the lights, candles, people, sweet treats, and gifts. But I’m not. One day. But not today.
But today I am here. And I am celebrating right where I’m at. The goodness and true beauty and love and light in the world and within me. There is darkness within me. There is a heavy sickness weighing on me but there is beauty, love, and light in me that will transcend that darkness. There is hope. Life is hope.
I know there are people suffering today as I am. There are people who need a hug, a loving embrace, a kind word, a smile, a friend.
I am not there with them in person but in spirit I am and I want to provide whatever it is they need.
So if you’re one of them and you’re reading this, know that I am with you.
And check out the links my friend shared with me!
When I was reading inspirational quotes in the midst of my horrifying despair today, I found this quote and as sick as I was, I burst out laughing uncontrollably. It is hilarious.
“I’d tell you to kiss my ass but I’m pretty sure you’d fall in love and then I’d never get rid of you. “. And I am laughing as I’m writing this. Laughing helps so much. ;-D
Much love…
Xoxo Kim
Here are some Rumi quotes:
Your heart is the size of an ocean. Go find yourself in its hidden depths.
Every day is just perfect for love.
Love risks everything and asks for nothing.
The heart is the secret inside the secret.
Don’t sit and wait. Get out there, feel life. Touch the sun, and immerse in the sea.
Give yourself a kiss. If you want to hold the beautiful one, hold yourself to yourself.
You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.
Every step I take is a blessing.
Beauty surrounds us.
The wound is the place where the light enters you.
A Dose of Inspiration 