You never really know what an individual might be struggling with. They could present in such a way that might give you the impression that they have ‘all their shit together’. Deep down we all have our struggles that we hold close to our chest and I want you to know I hear and see you. Here is a letter to all of those individuals who may not feel safe enough to reach out, to those who need to hear extra compassion today and to any individual out there needing to seen.
Dear (insert your name here),
I know you are dealing with a lot of past pain that is still causing you to hurt, but that’s no reason to be hard on yourself. Your past self maybe didn’t have the knowledge that you have now, or even the support. How could past you ever know they were going to be hurt? There is no way to truly prepare for all the outcomes that might be in our future, and as result, there is no solid reason to be hard on yourself for outcomes NO ONE can predict WILL actually happen.
All those negative thoughts that swirl around in your mind and bog you down don’t have to control your life. You have the strength and control to acknowledge your thoughts for what they are, thoughts. Sometimes thoughts can feel scary, overwhelming, powerful and even cause us to be afraid of pursing our dreams. I hear you! Thoughts can be powerful statements, even if they are only our private thoughts. The beauty in thoughts being ours alone until we share them gives us the control over which thoughts we want to verbalize and which thoughts are better left unspoken. I’m not trying to say that thoughts are bad, thoughts are inherently just chemical occurrences in our brain, and hold no weight until we make them into actions. However, thoughts can truly be nasty little reminders that there is something deeper going on and cloud your ability to live your best life.
Living your best life is an accomplishment that is within your reach. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen at the snap of your fingers, it takes work, and anything that takes work is worth it in the end. For example, it takes work to bake cupcakes, you have to follow the recipe, sometimes tweaking it to meet your needs or taste preferences, have to make the batter, patiently wait for the cupcakes to bake, then allow them to cool before icing and eating them! Who doesn’t enjoy the fruits of baking! Working towards living your best life is just like baking cupcakes. You have to set aside the time to make the cupcakes, just like you have to set aside time to focus on yourself. You life in a sense is like a recipe list, think about all the ingredients that you need in order to create a recipe that allows you to produce and enjoy your best life.
Working on yourself can be hard and difficult. You might hit many roadblocks either physically or mentally, but you can do this! No matter what you are facing, taking it one step at a time still allows you to move towards your goals. One step might not seem like huge progress but when you look back from where you started you might be surprised at how far little steps can take you.
I want you to know that I am here for you. If you ever want to talk or need extra support please reach out! I know it can be hard sometimes to challenge our own negative thoughts and reach out for help. I want you to know that you are STRONG for reaching out! It takes so much courage and bravery to open up and allow yourself to be truly vulnerable with another person and I honor the ability to be present with you. I want you to know that you deserve to prioritize yourself and take the time to care for YOUR needs. I hope these words empower you to reach out when you are in need, but at the very least, I hope these words empower you to take care of YOURSELF because YOU DESERVE IT!
Sincerely,
Your Compassionate Friend
Struggling with negative thoughts, anxiety, depression or trauma can be difficult. Professionals such as myself, are out there to provide support and coping skills to help you achieve your best life. If you or someone you know is in need of support, be the extra encouragement for them. Let’s all work together to help each other be seen and heard. We ALL DESERVE to live our best lives!