To: Myself,

Hey there, me. I know this is a little weird, but I have some things I need to tell you. I'm sure it seems like nothing is going right at the moment, but I have a year of insightful knowledge I want to share with you. So turn on our weekend vibes playlist and listen up.

First thing I need to you is that today, this week, this month, this year, it will end. Eventually, the calendar and the clock will turn over, and the sun will bring a new dawn, a fresh start. When you start to feel like everything is moving in slow motion and you want nothing more than to quit, please remember that this is temporary. There's a quote in our favorite book, The Great Gatsby, that I like to think about when I feel stuck: "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." Basically, life goes on. It's cliche, I know, but it's the one thing I've learned to be completely true.

Next, don't be afraid to try new things. You and I, we're filled with clinical anxiety, so we don't always want to venture into the unknown. But guess what! It's worth it. You haven't met them yet, but one night you decide to go out even when you don't really want to, and you find your two best friends when you least expect it. They're great, hilarious, kind, and they open your world up to a whole slew of new experiences you would have never tried on your own. (You're gonna go to the race track with them, and you love it!) Please, I beg you, stop hiding in your room and get out into the real world.

Finally, lighten up. You're too hard on yourself (ourself?). It's taken a while, but we've finally gotten to a point where we don't hold ourself up to such a high standard. It's okay to fail. It's okay to not know. It's okay to be confused. Our whole life we thought the only way to succeed was to be strict with ourself. But truth is, we're not perfect, and that is perfectly fine. No one has their life together at our age, so we're not alone.

I know it's hard to remember right now, but it gets better. You'll see, just give it a year.
-See you in the mirror, Me