Hey you,

I feel your pain. I feel your suffering and I hear you. I hear your words and see your emotions. I see you placing others before you, and I see how you love them as if they're everything the world needs, where you feel as if you are not. This is a letter to remind you that you are loved, and you deserve to love yourself too.

From the time I was little to now, I still struggle with the concept of self-love and appreciation. I still put others before myself, creating a barrier between me and myself. I struggle with accepting that it's okay to be okay, and that it's even better to love myself than I have in the past. I haven't been able to truly appreciate my qualities, or my capabilities in years. Frankly, it's harder to do than expected.

I'm writing this article to reach out to each of you, the ones who love others more than themselves. I'm writing to let you know that it's okay to begin to put yourself first. To truly love yourself is so important, and really helps you reconnect with yourself again.

Hey you,

Think about all the times you thought you would never get back up from falling, or all the times you never felt love from anyone else. Think about how far you've come in your journey to rediscovering yourself again and think about how much you have triumphed over the years. It's hard to imagine feeling comfortable in your skin, but learning every scrape and every scar will help build your castle of love. Remember all those times you've helped your friends and family, and how rewarding it was. But now it's time to reward yourself for how much you've accomplished in life.

Even if you feel as if you haven't accomplished much, you are doing so much better than you think. You are alive and breathing. You are living, and you are trying to be better than you were yesterday. You are always one step ahead of the game, whether you think so or not. Remind yourself that it's okay to heal, and that it's okay to love yourself.

Hey you,

Be free to yourself. Draw, create, love. Don't forget where you came from, where you started, and who loves you. Don't forget to love yourself and don't forget to grow into a more accepting self. Remind yourself to love, and to cherish every moment you have with yourself. Hating yourself takes too much effort and time out of your life, where you could be spending that time enjoying the world around you. You are stronger than you believe, and stronger than you give yourself credit for. Love yourself. Love yourself so much that others where you are can learn from you. Love yourself.