Dear You,

I've been thinking about you a lot lately. I have noticed you beginning to forget our self-importance, and it is disheartening to me because you are better than that.

I know you aim to please everyone-- you have since you were little. And I know you aim for perfection, even if it nearly kills you. I know you want everyone to be happy and proud of you, but you cannot let that be your sole mission in life. You are stronger than that, and you deserve more than that.

Over the years, you have focused more and more on other people's happiness and wants, putting them before yourself. It's time to end that.

I know putting yourself and your own happiness first will be hard for you, but you need to do it. You need to try, at least.

You see, we spend our entire lifetime aiming for perfection, aiming to make everyone else happy, even though we, ourselves, are nowhere near happy. But there comes a point in time when other people's opinions and feelings do not matter when compared to your own because this is your life, and no one else's.

Happiness is a funny thing; I think it takes most people all too long to realize that your happiness does not, and should not, depend on other people. Though it may be hard to accept, when your own happiness depends on the people surrounding you, your happiness will not last long. The only happiness that will last a lifetime is the happiness you find within yourself.

Take a moment and think back on all the people who have come into your life and then left. Think about how you felt-- bad, right? Now, think about all of the times that you got back onto your feet and kept marching on. You are stronger than you think, and the moments you got up off the ground, put yourself back together piece by piece, and carried on were the moments that exude your immense and pure strength. Time and time again, you have overcome the hardships put before you, and I have always been proud of you.

I have watched you transform into an independent, free-spirited person and I encourage you to continue on that path. People may try to bring you down, hold you back, and change you, but just know, you are unstoppable and you are fierce. There is nothing in this world that can bring you back to the person you used to be, so do not dwell on your past. Use your setbacks as a way to improve yourself even more than you already have. And remember that you are different--you are enough.

Lastly, I want you to know that no matter the accomplishment, nor the setback, I will always be proud of you. More importantly, I will always be here by your side rooting you on. So next time you think you are not enough, and you need other people's validation, just remember that you are strong and courageous, and no one can ever take that away from you.

Love,

Me