Jennifer Orkin Lewis {doodles} about feeling isolated.

Today's doodle is from my talented friend Jennifer Orkin Lewis. I am CONSTANTLY in awe of Jennifer's work. She paints masterpieces every morning in just 30 minutes and it's a delight to see them on my Instagram feed!

"I remember this sense of isolation in high school. Believe in who you are and be true to yourself. It'll {all} be OK."

Until tomorrow...

Don't LOSE Hope!

-Jenipher

Lets be UNpopular this Friday Morning!!!

Today's doodles are from the Super Awesome Confetti Monster, and Kerry Batty. Both ladies are posting more on their own blogs, but i wanted to give you a HEAD START to be inspired this morning! :)

^ Confetti Monster ^

Kerry says "In the 7th grade I got some of the best advice I ever had in my young life:

One day, you won't know any of these people. Maybe 1 or 2 of them. Your lives will move on & so will theirs. So don't worry about their bullsh*t. 

That came from my step-mom. If it had come from my parents I might have ignored it, so if you are an aunt/uncle/step-parent/person on the periphery of a young person's life, you are in a unique position to make an impact. Know that kids they are listening to you. Her words seemed a little long for a blog graphic but I felt they could be summed up by something my grandmother used to tell me all. the. time. This too shall pass. We all know that nothing is permanent - even if it feels like it."

There are THREE more posts happening this week, and i can't wait for you [and me!] to read them!! Yay! 

Next week is "Be YOURSELF" week and BOY do i have a lot of amazing contributors! Yay!!!

Have a great weekend!

-Jenipher

My heart HURTS: Ned Vizzini.

The very FIRST book i think i EVER completed in my ENTIRE [reading] LIFE was a book called "Teen Angst Nahh" by Ned Vizzini. I was 19 years old. Today while compiling references for my book i looked him up to see what he's up to and see that he committed suicide in December. I'm seriously freaking out. It makes my heart SO SAD. 

Almost all of his book were about his struggles with everything from body image to depression, including a book called "It's Kind of a Funny Story" about his actual experience in a psychiatric hospital. I will be forever grateful for his books helping me becoming a human, and it hurts my heart to know i won't be reading another one of his books. 

 He had a wife and child...

While perusing the internets, i found a bunch of nice articles about him today. Here's a few of them.. 

MTV

Yahoo

NYTimes

Scallywag

Timothy Gager

Now.. it's off for me to FINALLY finish my encouraging book. I feel more then ever this week HOW important this book is!!! 

Sadly... but still encouraged...

-Jenipher 

YOU. ARE. STRONG.

This drawing is especially close to my heart.
I have blogged here and there about my struggles with depression and anxiety on my this blog.

Recently, i've been trying to figure out the proper way to deal with these struggles and sometimes i feel like i'm at a loss...

BUT..there is hope!
And i write about it on this blog post. :)

I hope you know you are NOT alone.
I'm here.

I might not know you. I might not know EXACTLY what you're going through, but i do know how to listen. And heck, i'm a GREAT cryer compannion!

Smiles and Blessings,
-Jenipher