Dear Lexi,

First off, you're way too hard on yourself. You think everything is your fault, even when you have no influence over the situation. You're not that important, trust me. Also, it's impossible to carry all of that blame without cracking under the pressure. You're only causing yourself more stress than you need to so please stop. Let go of the guilt; the past cannot be changed and what matters now is the present. Focus on what you can do now.

Second, you need to take time for yourself. Take a bath, read a chapter of a book you actually want to read, watch an episode of your favorite show on Netflix, take the time to go to the gym; it doesn't matter as long as it's something you wish to do. It may seem like you have a thousand things to do but the most important thing is you. Relax a little bit; you need a minute to breathe.

Third, it's okay to ask people for help when you need it. You don't have to struggle through life feeling like you're all alone because trust me, you're not. There are people out there who have gone through the same or similar situations; they can help. Their advice could change your life if you'd just open your ears and listen. Yes, It might be hard to open up but in the end, it's worth it. Just because some people walked out of your life doesn't mean that everyone will. You'll have to find those who will stay and support you through your struggles; they'll be the ones to keep in your life.

Fourth, change can be scary but sometimes it's necessary. No one can force you to change though; only you can make the decision. You have to want it or it won't work. It's going to take time and effort to fix the parts of yourself that require fixing but once you do it, you'll feel so much better about yourself. Stop pushing it off and just do it. The sooner it's done, the sooner you can move on and focus your efforts on other things.

Fifth, remember to never give up. You've done pretty well so far but sometimes you struggle to hold it together. Tomorrow will always be a new day, no matter what happens today. Even if you make mistakes today, you have the opportunity to make up for it tomorrow but only if you don't let your mistakes overwhelm you. Everyone makes mistake; it's a part of life. The important part is learning from those mistakes and not repeating the same ones over and over again.

Situations will continue to test your abilities but you've made it this far and you're going to keep going until you reach the top. You're stronger than you realize; use your strength to your advantage. Hang in there bud; you got this. Just remember to breathe.

Love you,

Lexi