A few weeks back a favorite musician of mine lost the battle with depression, one of his songs really resonates with me:

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And while I’m alive, I’ll make tiny changes to earth Scott Hutchinson

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While I never met Scott personally, his music has inspired me quite a bit ever since Becky and I happened upon him at the Capitol Hill Block Party in 2013. Perhaps some of the darkness of his lyrics reminds me of my own battle with depression. For those that have been there, in the depths of it, know well that it is a dark place that has a way of blocking out any light. Hope seems foreign, Things that once brought me joy – that I no longer wanted to do – only seemed to deepen these feelings. For me I was able to slowly let light back into that space through therapy, love from my family, and some help from medication. I’m thankful that I haven’t revisited the darkness since then. But it is very real, and it is quite likely that many people we all know and love could very well be in the darkness right now. Perhaps that is why doing what Scott said, and trying to Make Tiny Changes to Earth is more important now than ever. We live in dark times. The news media does its best to ensure we are well aware of that. We also live in fast times that prevent us from slowing down and enjoying the beauty in the little things around us. So I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while now. I just wanted to share some moments of beauty. Some Tiny Changes and things that have reminded me in 2018 just how beautiful life is. Be kind to yourself, be kind to others, and let them know often how much they mean to you.

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Sometimes you need to just let go of the wheel and let someone else drive.

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Even though they picked on you when you were little, your siblings know you best and love you.

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Swing for the fences.

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Surround yourself with friends that remind you constantly of the value of playing.

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Indulge.

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Reflect on life often. If you don’t like what you see. Make more Tiny Changes.

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Get the f*!k outside. As much as possible.

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Live in Color.

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Smile more.

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Dogs make everything better. My research proves it.

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Buddies. Well they make everything better too.

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If you find yourself in that darkness – remember you can get out – hope can find its way back in. There is always light, even in the darkest of times.