Goodbye, best friend. While it's saddening to see you leave my life, I know that sometimes people are meant to merely pass through our lives for a purpose. Although it wasn’t easy without you, it is for the best and I have faith that life will be better. In fact, it already is. Still, saying goodbye to someone that had such a significance in your life is difficult to do; there are days that are just plain lonely. While some days are difficult, I find comfort in the joyful days, the people who've kept my smile beaming bright, and what I've learned. It’s time I begin a life invested in my happiness and start focusing on myself for a change.

Sometimes people lose sight of themselves when they’ve focused so much on others, either they missed the opportunity to discover themselves or they have forgotten. I'm guilty of this myself. I have allowed relationships with others to be the priority, and in turn I have lost sight of my happiness. I surrounded myself with someone I can no longer call my friend and I found that my efforts were ultimately lost. Sadly, at the end of the day I wasn't very happy and I found myself with a heaping pile of nothing waiting for me.

Was it worth it, losing myself? No. Am I trying to find myself again? It’s worth a shot.

I've learned that you have to love yourself before you can expect others to. In turn you can't love others until you love yourself either. Honestly, I really struggled with that concept at first but I realized – what’s not to love? Although I have those little insecurities, I truly love the person I have grown to be. Rather than mope over a loss of friendship, I am appreciative toward what I am blessed with now.

Moving on isn't a bad thing and neither is the desire to change. In the beginning, finding myself seemed to present challenges. However, these concerns and doubts eventually manage to subtly fade as you find happiness in the other pleasures life offers. Just enjoy investing in new hobbies, binge watching Netflix. Sometimes you need to dress yourself up and take yourself on a date. Regardless of looming opinions, societal expectations, or the internal desire to please others, it is our responsibility to make ourselves happy.

Along the way I managed to overcome difficulties, but that is why it’s worth it. I am proud of my self-awareness and the hard work I invested in myself. It is a bittersweet feeling going through the process, but now I can say that I am truly happy.