Hey, you.

Just remember that there are countless people in your life that deeply love and care for you. They know how special you are, they see the beauty of your true nature and the value that you bring to this world. They also recognise all your flaws and dysfunctional behaviours, including all the dark things that you usually lock away in the depths of your mind. Yet, they accept you fully. They make the conscious choice to be around you. The level of their appreciation for you as a person, who is both perfect yet all too human, does not decrease over time.

I know that what you’re going through right now is weighing you down. It is easy to sit back, dwell in this sadness and let yourself succumb to pressures. But you are stronger than that. You may take as many breathers as you need in order to get your thoughts organised and prepare your mental weapons for the battles that are yet to come. You will not drown in excuses. You will rise higher than this and fight these battles until your heart and hands bleed. But you will come out victorious and you will not be standing alone on the battlefield.

Once you can visualise yourself standing tall and strong, you will move past the struggles and the setbacks, perhaps even past the things or people that you don’t want to leave behind. Then, you will accept the uncertainty and shape your thoughts, and thus your future, in the way that suits you. You are in control. You will learn to accept the pain and suffering as the necessary lessons in life. Without this contrast, you will not enjoy the summit with the same intensity and joy.

Don’t you dare to ever label yourself as a failure. You are a work in progress destined for great things. There is only as much pressure and self-hatred as you choose to generate within yourself. I admire all your efforts, no matter how small or insignificant you may call them. If you move forward with one small step at a time, I promise that you will find the comfort and fulfilment that you have been looking for.