Dear You,
Hi. I wonder where this letter finds you today.
Maybe you’re wearing the clothes you always wished for, sitting at a desk in the job you worked so hard to attain. Maybe you’re backpacking across the world and your socks are wet. Or maybe you’re right where you’ve always been – a student in university and living with your parents, wondering what’s next.
Either way, if you’re reading this, you’re alive. And I think that’s reason enough to stay a little longer.
I implore you to stop for a moment. That’s all. Just for a moment. Think about every version of yourself that was convinced you wouldn’t make it. Every version that whispered, “I don’t know how I’m going to get through this.” And yet, every single one of them carried you here. You’ve survived things you once thought would undo you. So give yourself some grace and be gentler with yourself.
Think back five years. The thing that consumed your every waking thought is probably something you rarely remember now. It’s called life. It keeps moving, quietly reminding us that nothing – neither the beautiful moments nor the painful ones – stays exactly as it is forever.
And while we’re talking about grace, remember this: the test you’re stressing over, your weight, your skin, or whatever went wrong on a random Tuesday really doesn’t matter as much as the world has convinced you it does. A single grade, a bad day, or an imperfection is not nearly as important as you think it is. Your body is simply the house you live in while you experience this life. It carries you through heartbreaks and homecomings, the good and the bad. It was never meant to be the reason you don’t dance in the photos, wear the outfit, or fall in love with living.
It is never too late to begin again. It is never too late to let something go. It is never too late to take a different path. And it is certainly never too late to realise you’ve never been behind.
So, wherever this letter has found you – whether you’re thriving, surviving, celebrating, grieving, or simply getting by – treat yourself with the same kindness you so freely give to others. You don’t have to have everything figured out. You don’t have to be extraordinary every day. You don’t need to be further along than you are right now.
You just have to keep showing up.
And while you’re showing up, make an effort to do everything. Take the photo. Wear the outfit. Stay for dessert. Tell people you love them while they can still hear it. Laugh loudly. Call your mom. Watch the sunset every now and then.
One day, you’ll miss a version of your life that you’re too busy wishing away today. Your life isn’t waiting for when everything finally falls into place – it’s happening. Right now.
I’m so glad you’re here.
With love,
Someone rooting for you
