Letter to my five year old self

I recently read a short letter to five-year-ago self, I've decided to try it myself.

—

Hey there,

I know the last few months have been tough. I'm sorry you weren't emotionally equipped to deal with everything you went through. I would love to tell you that sunshine and roses are coming your way, but it will take a while to feel like that. You can’t win every battle on your own. Going through pain face-first is not enough, healing is a different path than just moving forward. Your body changed. It's temporary - don't be so hard on yourself. You changed, and your life will keep on changing. You'll get better at adapting to those changes. You think you have everything figured out, but you don't - trust me. The next few years, you will experience true growth. You'll become a better person, but first, you'll struggle for a while. There are many obstacles coming your way, but I won't ruin the surprise of those for you. You will develop important friendships. Savour every minute of them. You will fall in love again, and you'll have your heart broken. It's okay to love and to let go. You'll go through financial struggles. Ask for help. Your mental health will decline. Anxiety will creep in along with intrusive thoughts. Panic attacks will scare you. You are resilient. Your struggles won't kill you. You'll find yourself again - a different version that you'll learn to love. Your gut will always be there for you. Keep trusting it. You suffer in silence. Learn to open up about how you feel. You need deeper and more honest relationships. You'll lose some friends. It's okay. You will become an uncle. You'll cry at the news of him being born. You love him. Savour every second because he grows in the blink of an eye. Your sister will always be there for you. Don't let distance get in the way. Your parents love you. Go easy on them. You got a dog. I know, crazy. Brie will do more for you than you expect. You'll become more disciplined. It's a process. Be good to those around you. Everyone is fighting their own inner battles. Be grateful. You have so many good things around you. You've got a big heart.

I'm proud of you.