Let me preface this by saying that I am merely a 23-year-old girl, and I don’t have the million-dollar advice that everyone is looking for in life. But, I have been on the other end of tough stuff, and I think it’s fair to say that everyone has something valuable to offer. Food for thought can always be a valuable thing, right?

I’ve been there. Trying to put myself in someone’s shoes to see and understand where they might be coming from just so I can help in any way possible.

But, I’ve finally come to the conclusion that that is virtually impossible. No one can possibly know and understand exactly what someone is experiencing physically, mentally, or emotionally.

Therefore, I’ve decided to take a different route.

Therefore, this letter is what I would want to hear if I was going through something tough and/or unexpected in life. Some say I am “overly optimistic” about everything. But as Randy Pausch writes in his book “The Last Lecture,” do you want to be a sad-sack Eeyore…or a fun-loving Tigger? I’m guessing you can figure out my answer to that one. The real question: what will you be?

So, here’s my two pennies(or three, in this case) for anyone fighting an illness or a tough time.

You can’t control the cards you’re dealt, you can only control how they’re played. While this is just a common phrase used to address any tough circumstance, I’ve found that reminding yourself of it can be quite helpful.

Sometimes, really bad things happen to really good people. And while I don’t understand why or how all things happen (because that’s the big man upstairs’ job), I do know you are strong, you have been a light for many people just with your story and whatever you have had to deal with, and you will get through this however you are supposed to.

I understand you might be traveling down a path that is less than picture perfect. But, you are alive, you have people who love you deeply, you will continue to push through, and God has a plan.

Do the best of your ability do things you enjoy, brainstorm ideas to pass your time, and enjoy all the little things you can while you can. Life is short, and someday you might find out it’s shorter than you ever expected. Take advantage of all that you can. If it means sharing your story to get a free meal or clothing, by all means, please DO IT!

Human connection is the basis of all that is good in life. While it’ll be easy to want to crawl into bed and stay there, away from the world and not dealing with anyone else, you need to. You are a human, and that means that human connection is what adds meaning to your life. Some days, you won’t feel like spending time with those that love you, but put on your big girl pants and suck it up, because most often the little moments with the ones we love make all of the difference. What would life be without our loved ones? Pointless –– that’s what!

Let people help you. This one seems so obvious but is the most difficult one. It’s okay to let people help you! God puts people into your life for a reason. You deserve the great people you have in your life. Asking for help or having people help you doesn’t mean you're weak, it means you’re loved.