The Butterfly Project

Self-harm. It's a word i hear way too often now. The definition of self-harm or self mutilation is "To inflict wounds on one's own body. Self-mutilation can include many methods such as: cutting with knives and razors, eraser burns, cigarette burns, etc." I've known about self-harm for way too long, once i started it, i always wanted it out of my life. This is when "The Butterfly Project" came into my life, and it has helped me ever since. The Butterfly Project is when you draw a butterfly on your wrist and you give it a name. Any kind of name, i named mine after somebody very special to me. If you cut once, every single butterfly that you drew on your body will die. DON'T wash off the butterflies, let them fade away naturally. Most importantly, take good care of your butterflies! The best kind of butterflies are when someone special draws them on you, these are EXTRA special, so you must take care of them! On Quest 22, after i said my speech, a girl came up to me and asked me if i knew what the Butterfly Project was, of course i said no, and i asked her if she could tell me what it was. She simply grabbed my wrist, where all my scars were, and drew the cutest little butterfly. She put the cap on her pen, and gave me the tightest hug. Thinking about this moment gives me goosebumps. Since then i have been telling everyone about the Butterfly Project. One of my little warriors use to draw a butterfly on my wrist all the time. She once put a butterfly on every scar i had, then kissed every single scar, that moment will always play back in my head, and it never fails to put a smile on my face. I guess this post is to tell you about the Butterfly Project, if you are self-harming please give The Butterfly Project a chance. I love every single one of you, stay strong my little warriors.


The Butterfly Project rules:

1. when you feel like you want to cut, take a marker or pen and draw a butterfly wherever the self-harm occurs.
2. name the butterfly after a loved one, or someone that really wants you to get better.
3. NO scrubbing the butterfly off.
4. if you cut before the butterfly is gone, it dies. if you don't cut, it lives.
5. if you have more than one, cutting kills them all.
6. another person may draw them on you. these butterflies are extra special. take good care of them.
7. even if you don’t cut, feel free to draw a butterfly anyways, to show your support.

Suicide..

That one word that nobody wants to hear, suicide. Multiple things racing through your mind. How will you do it? When will you do it? Or are you already writing your note to leave on your bed? Is it your parents? Are they constantly fighting? Is it school or sports? Are they just way too much for you to handle? Is it your friends? Do they just not understand you or do they not listen to you? Are you worried that you aren't pretty, beautiful or thin enough for somebody? JUST HOLD ON. Please take a deep breath, close your eyes, and breathe. You ARE beautiful. You ARE perfect enough. Your parents love you to death. Your friends will always be with you through thick and thin. School may be tough sometimes, but remember to keep your head high and your goals even higher. Look past the bad, and look for the positive things. Life is SO damn good and it is not worth ending. Some people would do anything to live the life you live. Some people don't have anything, no family, no friends and most importantly, no faith. Think about it, you have a family. You have WONDERFUL friends. You have a home. You have clothes to wear, and food to eat. Once you realize how awesome you have things hopefully it will change your mind. Take a moment to look back on everything you have, on everything you have accomplished, on all the memories you have made with the people you love. Do you really just want to throw all that away? Look at yourself in a mirror, tell yourself that you are worth it. Tell yourself that you are beautiful. There is NO need to end such a BEAUTIFUL life. There is no need to punish yourself for the mistakes you have made. You are ONLY human, life didn't come with instructions. Take chances, live life to the fullest, and most importantly have faith in God. He WILL show you the right path to take and he WILL love you no matter what you do. Let go & Let God. Stay strong and keep fighting like a Warrior.

New to this

Just a little info about me, I'm eighteen and a freshman at Millikin University. Like every other teen in this world, i struggle. I've had ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) since i was about 5 years old. I struggle from an Anxiety Disorder, and from Dyslexia. School is never easy, having a learning disability holds me back from studying what i like.  Going on a religious retreat called Quest really changed my life in only a short amount of time. I am slowly but surely recovering from self harm, being suicidal, and some other things. When it comes to my life story, i like to inspire others to be strong. My best friend's family has called me Warrior even though they didn't know i was struggling. Just recently i told them, being scared of their reaction. Surprisingly they were very supportive of me and told me to stay strong. Just recently i met somebody who inspired me to make a blog. Her strength is something that everybody should have, she IS a Warrior. This blog is called "The Warrior Project" because once you start recovering from anything such as Eating Disorders, Self Harm, Suicide, Drugs, Alcohol, or anything else, you are a Warrior. I already have a couple "warrior babies" and i am more than excited to get more. If anybody needs to talk, please please contact me. Stay Strong.