Nicole Lorna Poetry

Darling you were meant to bloom. This struggle, this fighting, this hurting, this pain, was not meant for you. I see the fear, the anxiety, the depression, the battle against your own brain. You were meant to do more than fight for your life every day. You are meant to flourish. To blossom. To heal. To grow beyond imagination. Oh how I desire to see you live without abandon, to dance in the rain, to see your smile reach your eyes. You were meant to thrive.

https://nicolelornadesignsco.etsy.com/listing/1575365754

Give yourself grace🤎

Today can't be your last. If no one has told you today, I love you, I am proud of you, I am so happy you are here, and the world is a better place because you are in it. For those who are struggling, you are not alone. The National Su***de hotline for the US is 988. Please pass it on.

Who is your sunflower?

Who is ready for fall?

Do you know a sunflower soul?

You are enough 💚

Happy father's day!!!! Hope everyone has a fantastic day of celebration and for those who are struggling with today, know that you are not alone and you are so loved. 🩵

Happy Mother's Day!! 💐

The Hats She Wears

I found a secret hat box in my mother's closet
Hidden behind old drawings, cards, kid clothes, gift wrap, extra storage, and whatever jumble variety of memories and memorabilia stored in there. The box had fallen when I was rummaging and as I picked it up to return it to its rightful place, the words "Hats for mothers" were scribbled in it in hasty handwriting.
Curious I looked inside, for I couldn't remember a time she ever wore a hat outside of a baseball cap.

I found a nurse hat, she wore it when I was sick and she tended to my fever.
I found a chauffeur hat, she wore it every time she picked me up and dropped me off at places she didn't need to be but took me anyway.
I found a therapist hat, the one she wore when I cried about that friend that left me out or that relationship that crumbled and she reminded me who I am.
I found a chef hat, stained with every meal she made.
An assistant hat, donned everytime she made an appointment, checked in with doctors, got me into the dentist.
A teacher hat, scribbled with crayon and random equations, historical dates, and scientific facts.
A Santa hat for every gift she gave me, every Christmas she stayed up late to ensure the magic of Christmas.
A Sunday school hat for every time she read the Bible, instilling Christian values, teaching us the Word.
A maid cap, smelling of cleaning supplies, of bleach, vinegar, home.
A motivational speaker hat, a personal shopper hat, a baker hat, a homemaker hat, the hats just kept coming.

There were so many hats in that box I spent all afternoon trying to sort them, trying to see them all that I ran out of time.
Every hat was worn with care, even when she was tired, sick, discouraged, unmotivated, struggling, impatient, when she was human. I smiled through tears as I put the box back into its rightful place, but not before I added a new hat along with them…queen.

Happy Mother's day to all the beautiful Mamas out there! So very thankful for them all🫶🏽

-Nicole Lorna

The bigger the heart, the more space may get trampled on by people who take advantage. Set those boundaries and stick to them! Keep on loving, but don't forget to love yourself enough to protect your heart from people who might abuse it.

I struggle with anxiety. It hits me differently every time but mostly I get shaky and my heart pounds rapidly and feels like it is about to jump out of my chest. Sometimes my head gets dizzy, my stomach hurts, my breath gets short. It really depends on the situation, and how anxious about something I am. Often times, I am able to eventually complete the task, even if doing so makes me sound nervous or I start stuttering and stammering doing something as simple as ordering a cheeseburger. And don't even get me started on health anxiety😅. The slightest twinge or pinch or ache and I am fully convinced I'm sick and on my last legs. Many nights I lay awake wondering what that weird feeling is or if that bruise is cancer or if that scratch is infected. And that's just me.

Others have it worse. Some can barely even function to do every day tasks. Some can't leave their homes. Some get launched into a panic attack at the slightest thought of doing something.

While I strongly recommend therapy and seeing someone licensed about these things long term, grounding exercises have been something that I have been able to use to help me in the moment. I created a set of 50 different cards with different exercises on them that can be printed off and kept in a bag, in the car, at home, anywhere that is easily reachable and convenient. While these do not treat, it is helpful to do when I feel like I'm getting worked up, and I've noticed that I am more confident and able to get through the task after being intentional with these exercises.

I hope this is something you can find to be helpful for you as well. If you have related to anything said today, you are not alone.
I love you, I am proud of you, I am happy you are here, and the world is a better place because you exist.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1481138901/50-grounding-exercises-for-mental-health

For sophomores going into junior year!!! Well done! 💙🫶🏽

People on TikTok were requesting different versions of my graduation post so here is one for anyone with a preschool baby going in to kindergarten 💙

Happy teachers appreciation week to all my teachers out there!! I so very much appreciate all of you!! 💛

Side note: I do sell printable affirmation cards and have a set specific to teachers if anyone is interested in getting them for themselves or for a teacher in your life :).

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1465924438/50-affirmation-cards-for-teachers

If you struggle with anxiety, this is for you! I am proud of you for trying even if it is scary, or worsens your anxiety. I am proud of you for every little thing you do that forces you to confront your anxiety. You are loved. You are worthy and deserving of a peace of mind. 💚

-Nicole Lorna

Side note: I do sell printable affirmation cards that are anxiety specific, and a set of 50 grounding exercise cards are on their way to the shop this weekend.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1480104203/50-affirmations-for-anxiety-digital

Congrats, class of 2023! So proud of all of you! 🎓💙

Pass it on to encourage all of the graduates you know!

Mental health issues can be so very tiring, confusing, triggering, etc. Make sure you are surrounding yourself with people who love you, getting into therapy if you need it, and taking time to take care of yourself. It also does get better! This was written back when I was not in a great space mentally, but now I can say with confidence that things have gotten so, so, so much better. You are not alone. You matter and your life matters.🫶🏽🤎
-Nicole

Side note: I wrote this back when I was "applecideranchai" so that's why it is at the bottom. For some reason I wanted to hide my identity from the world but I think my writing is part of me so why hide?

If you spend a lot of time on social media, you may have noticed the "THAT GIRL" trend. Basically it is about becoming an "it" girl. The one people admire. The one everyone looks at when she walks into the room. The one with her life together with the most aesthetic products and lifestyle. That girl is essentially a way of living aesthetically.

I want to propose a different kind of THAT GIRL glamorized. I want to see girls who are confident. Creative. Kind. Compassionate. Patient. Boundary setting. Loving. Helpful. Friendly. The kind of girls that little girls look up to should be authentic, genuine, true, unapologetically them, unafraid to set a standard and hold people to them.

Society puts so much pressure on what we wear, how we wear it, the makeup, the skincare, the aesthetically pleasing Instagram posts and reels. Too many times we fall victim to the filter, the picture we are told to see, the version of someone they want us to see. I see too many "perfect relationships" and at the same time, too many toxic ones glamorized. I see too many young girls crying and sobbing and begging someone's crusty, dusty, musty son who has repeatedly proven to be unreliable and toxic to come back to them. We need to glamorize being so confident and firm in ourselves as women, that it is unrealistic to even imagine taking back someone who treated us with such disrespect. So the next time you feel tempted to compare yourself to THAT GIRL, take a second, pull yourself together, and remember who you truly are. You are THAT GIRL because you are you, and that is the only version of you the world needs. You matter 🤎

-Nicole

It is Mental Health Awareness month this month! For my very first post on here, I wanted to encourage you that even if you are struggling, even if it seems like there is no hope, even if it seems no one cares or notices, this is not the end. You matter. Your life is worth living. I know it's hard, but you have to keep pushing. Please get help if you need it or call the hotline (988) if you need help now. You are loved. The world is a better place because you exist. 🤎