Dearest girl,
I know what you're feeling. Believe me. I know because I am a girl and I feel these things, too. I know what it is like to not feel accepted. I know what it is like to hate yourself. I know what it is like to have a breakdown in your bed because you feel as if no one in the world cares that you cannot find your place.
I know what it is like to be desperately in love with someone. I know what it is like to wish you were prettier, skinnier, funnier, nicer, or smarter....so maybe that someone would love you back.
I know how it feels to be your own best friend. I know how it feels to just go through the motions. I understand how hard it is to manage school, practice, a job, your siblings, your college applications, the SAT, your pets, your chores, your gas tank. Trust me. I understand it all.
So, because I understand so well, please listen to me.
Don't give up. Under any circumstances. When you feel as if you cannot get out of bed, find it within yourself to do so. It is a brand new day, love. You can do this. The world is your canvas. Paint it. Conquer it.
Easier said than done, right? I understand that, too.
I know how it feels to not think you're good enough for anyone. I know how it feels to sit and wait for your phone to light up in hopes it's the boy that flips your world upside down. I know how it feels when he doesn't answer, but posts an Instagram picture, or retweets something on Twitter. Believe me, I know that feeling all too well.
But sweetheart, telling yourself you aren't good enough for him only means one thing. You are more than good enough for someone else. Better than that, you are more than good enough for yourself. It means you are more than capable of being single. If that boy can't see your beauty from the second he meets you, why does he deserve to have it now? Why does he deserve to finally claim you, after you spent weeks, months, or even years trying to get his attention? He doesn't, because he noticed you when you first met. He noticed and didn't care. Trust me. He was ignoring you. What a douche, right?
The reality is crushing. I sit here with tears in my eyes because I don't even want to believe all these words. You are beautiful, even when you feel as if you are not. You are perfectly thin, even if you are starving yourself to lose weight. I've done that, too. Not a good idea. You'll gain it back twice as quick as you lost it.
When you feel as if no one cares, I promise, many more people than you think are watching out for you. You are loved more than you could ever know. You are appreciated. You are idolized. You are worshipped. You are gorgeous. You are wonderful. You are smart. You are witty. You are generous. You are radiant.
You are a ray of sunshine. You are a gift to this world. What you do with your time here is your gift back to it. You are enough. You are more than enough. You are more than the numbers on the scale. You are more than the grade you have in English 11. You are more than the car you drive. You are more than your bus ticket. You are more than the holes in your socks. You are more than the food on your plate. You are more than the amount of friends you have. You are more than society says you are.
You are worth it. You are beautiful. You are powerful. You are young.
Believe me, sweetheart. I can see you. I can feel you. I am flawed. I know that. More importantly, I accept my flaws. I have to laugh when I fall down. Literally. I have to sing to my favorite songs. I have to know that I am more than my ACT score. I can change the world. I can help people. I can do anything. I know this because I have lived in a personal hell, and I have lived at the top of the highest mountain. Remember, the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
Be thankful. Be courageous. Be bold. Be honest. Be wonderful. The people who are crazy enough to believe they can change the world are the ones who do. Chin up, gorgeous. You are enough. You'll make it through.
