Dear younger me,

The best day of your life hasn't happened yet.

But neither has the worst.

I know you know what it's like to look at yourself in the mirror with swollen eyes and a tear stained shirt. You've had your heart shattered and your world turned upside down numerous times. I know sometimes you can't even fathom that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. It's there, just look a little harder.

Stay warmhearted and kind. I know it's hard not to be cold to the core. I know you have been hurt. Stay warm. Love people even when they break you. Do not hesitate to care for others. You have too much compassion in your body. Use every last ounce of it. You'll learn that it can protect you from the strongest of blows.

Everything is conquerable except the very last thing. Don't you dare lose that fire in your eyes. You are not hopeless. You can handle everything and anything. You can take the weight of the world upon your shoulders with a smile. You know that. Do not doubt who you are. You have made it this far, and you will make it even further.

Learn to say no. And don't feel bad about it. Trying to be everything is going to make you lose your mind.

Stop being so hard on yourself. It's not your fault. You are not your circumstance. You are not what has happened to you. You are the person you became by fighting through those circumstances. You are allowed to cry and you are allowed to rest.

Give your best in your education and career choices. Remember that some people have not been granted the opportunities and given the advantages you have. Go thank your family for that.

Mostly, I want you to learn to love yourself. I want you to find the value in the person you are, not the person you built and appear to be. One day you will learn that the hardest battles you will ever fight are with yourself. You are the only person you are guaranteed to have your entire life, so love her. Your brain is going to start a war when it is overcome with anxiety. Do not succumb to it. Some days it's easier to grin and bear it, but I promise you, you are worth fighting for. You are worth it. Take care of yourself, because you deserve it. You will learn that your biggest enemy and your biggest critic is you.

Do what you love. Go write. Write about what hurts. Speak your mind and do not let anyone mute you. Do not let yourself be censored. What has happened in your life can be painful, but it can also be a vessel to help others. Turn your struggles into something beautiful. Make an impact.

Find the value in what you truly love. Love God, love others, and love yourself.