If you’re reading this, I want you to know something: you matter. Whatever you’re feeling right now, whatever you’re going through, it’s valid. Life—it can be a lot. It can feel like it’s too much to bear some days. Maybe you’re dealing with depression, and it’s like this invisible weight is pressing down on you all the time, making everything harder than it needs to be. Or maybe anxiety has its grip on you, making every small decision feel overwhelming, making your heart race and your mind spiral. If that’s what you’re facing, I need you to know you’re not alone.

I know how loud insecurities can be. Maybe you’ve been looking in the mirror and feeling like you’re not enough—like every flaw is magnified and every good thing about yourself has somehow disappeared. Maybe it’s not just about how you look, but how you feel inside. Maybe you’re wondering if you’re ever going to be the person you want to be, or if you’re ever going to feel okay. It’s exhausting, isn’t it? Always feeling like you’re falling short, like you’re letting people down—or worse, letting yourself down.

Or maybe you’re dealing with something even heavier. Fights with family, or the pain of being hurt by the people who were supposed to love you the most. That kind of pain cuts deep. It’s hard to explain what it feels like when home doesn’t feel safe, or when the people you care about the most don’t seem to understand—or worse, choose not to. If you’re carrying the weight of someone else’s anger, manipulation, or cruelty, I want you to hear this: it’s not your fault. What happened to you, or what’s still happening, doesn’t define you. You’re not broken because of it.

Maybe you’ve lost someone you loved, and now you’re carrying that ache with you every day. Grief has a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it. One moment, you think you’re okay, and the next, you’re falling apart. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed—it still hurts, doesn’t it? That kind of loss leaves a hole that’s hard to fill. It’s okay to miss them. It’s okay to cry.

And then there’s the stress of just trying to get by. Maybe school feels like too much right now, with all the deadlines and expectations piling up. Maybe work feels overwhelming, like no matter how much you do, it’s never enough. Or maybe you’re just exhausted—physically, mentally, emotionally. Even getting out of bed can feel like a battle some days, can’t it?

I know it’s not just the big things. It’s the quiet moments when everything hits you at once. The sleepless nights where your mind won’t stop racing. Maybe it’s regrets—things you wish you’d done differently—or fears about the future. Maybe it’s the kind of sadness that doesn’t seem to have a reason but just lingers, making everything feel a little heavier.

Whatever it is, I want you to know that it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling. It’s okay to have bad days. It’s okay to cry, to scream, to admit that you’re struggling. That doesn’t make you weak. It doesn’t make you a burden. And it doesn’t mean you’re alone.

You are not the sum of your struggles. You are not defined by your depression, your anxiety, your pain, or your past. You are not defined by the fights you’ve had, the things you’ve lost, or the mistakes you’ve made. You are so much more than your darkest moments, even if it’s hard to see that right now.

Healing is messy. It’s not a straight road, and some days it’ll feel like you’re moving backward instead of forward. That’s okay. What matters is that you’re trying, even if all you can manage right now is just getting through the next hour. Every small step you take matters, even if it doesn’t feel like much.

And I know how hard it is to let people in, especially when you’re so used to carrying everything on your own. But you don’t have to do this alone. It’s okay to lean on someone else when it feels like the weight of the world is too much. And if you don’t feel like you have anyone to turn to, I want you to hold onto this: you’re not alone. Even in the darkest moments, you’re never alone.

You’ve survived so much already. Think about that. Every hard day, every sleepless night, every moment you thought you couldn’t make it—you’re still here. That’s strength, even if you don’t see it in yourself yet.

The world is better with you in it. You bring something to this world that no one else can—your kindness, your courage, your heart. You’re enough, just as you are, even on the days you don’t feel like it.

So keep going. Not for anyone else, but for you. Because you deserve to see what’s waiting for you on the other side of this. You deserve to find the joy, the peace, and the love you’ve been searching for. You’ve got so much ahead of you, even if you can’t see it yet.

And I’m proud of you. For everything you’ve survived, for every step you’ve taken, for every day you’ve chosen to keep going. You’re stronger than you know, and I believe in you. Always.