To all my friends and peers that have been struggling–with yourselves, with family, with school, work, or even just the thought of getting out of bed every day–this goes out to you. What I’m about to tell you, you’ve probably heard a hundred times already. But please, please listen. Listen in the same way that I’ve been listening to you. Yes, I’ve been hearing you.

I hear you struggling with all the loose ends, wondering how life could possibly work itself out. I hear you struggling because you’ve lost motivation, because you’ve lost sight of who you are, because you feel like a let-down.

I’ve been hearing you, and I don’t like what I’ve been hearing. There’s nothing wrong with how you’ve been feeling, it just sucks that we live in this world in which you feel you’re defined by your struggles. The truth is, no one can be strong and happy and positive at all times–everyone struggles to some extent at one point or another. The difference is in how we choose to live–whether we choose to zero in on our failures or, rather, highlight our achievements.

So please. Please don’t let your failures define you. You are beautiful and brilliant so please don’t be blinded by your minimal inadequacies. Have a little faith.

Believe me when I say I know and understand. I know how hard it is to believe and have faith and stay positive. I know. Now, when I say have faith, I don’t necessarily mean it in a religious context. There is certainly faith that comes with religion, but faith is something of its own as well.

I didn’t grow up with religion, but as a child, I always had faith. I allowed myself to dream big because I believed in something greater–something so great that I couldn’t describe it to you if I tried. I don’t know how I came to believe, I just did. As a result, I wasn’t brought down as easily by derogatory comments. I wasn’t as affected by bad test scores. I was able to move on from the negative and embrace the positive.

And then high school happened. Things started to “matter.” I was thrown into this competitive world of academia, a world in which everything I dedicated my time to would set the course for my future. And I’ll tell you right now, I didn’t start off on the right track. I knew where I wanted to go but I wasn’t setting the stones in the right places. Contrary to the norm, my junior and senior years were, academically, far better than the first two. But spiritually, I had lost sight of my faith, and the effect was huge.

It wasn’t until last year–two quarters into my freshman year of college–that I got back in touch with my faith. I was blessed to have experienced one of those too good to be true moments, which opened my eyes once again to the beauty and the infinite possibilities of life. Since then, I’ve been happier than ever, despite all the stress that comes with college and internships and relationships and all things in between.

So, to all my friends and peers that have been struggling–with yourselves, with family, with school, work, or even just the thought of getting out of bed every day–this goes out to you. I stand with you. I was in your shoes once and honestly, I still struggle sometimes. The journey is ongoing, and while it’s not always easy, it’s so so worth it. Faith is such a beautiful thing and if you give it a chance, it may very well help you out of this hole that you feel you’ve dug yourself into. Even more, it may help you conquer your dreams and passions. It may help you fly.

Have faith in yourself because you have so much potential and you are capable, so if you really work for something, it will work out. Have faith in your worth and in your work so that you will “make it.” Have faith that everything will work out, despite the present difficulties, because there is this thing called destiny–and whether you believe in it or not, give it a chance. All the loose ends will tie themselves up in good time.

Please believe.

I leave you with a quote written in The Little White Bird by J. M. Barrie: “The reason birds can fly and we can’t is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.”