Ashley Oken

Today I realized I am strong, brave, and powerful, not the weak, meek, and feeble-minded person you thought I was and will always be.

I’m learning that it’s okay to be vulnerable and that journaling, therapy, and talking to friends and family are alternative strategies to deal with life’s difficulties.

I want the kind of love that will support my dreams and push me forward when I backpedal instead of asking me to sacrifice myself for its longevity.

You’re allowed to swim in the ocean of your tears after they break your heart.

You deserve words that warm you when it’s cold and fan the hot flames of desire when you need it.

By naming it, finding coping mechanisms, and being given medication, I had finally won a battle that seemed lost.

You deserve someone who sends you good morning texts filled with sweetness and wishes for you to have a great day.

The intimacy you shared, physical and otherwise, were points of happiness, growth and ecstasy. They were eye-opening moments that made everything worth it.

You should wait for the love that you’ve always wanted, not the one you’ve settled for.

I’m proud to say that I’m a bisexual woman.

I am not a Yes Girl, I am a Woman Who Can Say No When Needed And Necessary.

You deserve to be loved publicly, with Instagram captions dripping with adoration and selfies filled with admiring comments below them.