Dear Me by Anna Bates
Each year, we take days to celebrate different types of love: Valentine’s for our significant others’, Independence Day for our country, Mother’s, Father’s, and Grandparents’ days for our families, and many, many more days We even have a holiday celebrating the love that we have for our lives with Thanksgiving. I find it easy to love the people and things that make my life beautiful- but too often, I forget to love each version of myself.
Today, I’m taking time to let myself be loved.
Most times, I am too hard on myself and don’t talk to myself the way I would talk to my friends. But loving others means caring for myself as well to be the best, most loving person that I can be. It’s healthy to encourage myself and to have confidence. Here’s what I want me to know:
Dear younger me,
Hey! I hope you played outside today. I know you’re worried about all of the unknowns: graduation, college, driving, friends- it’s all really scary. I know you worry that you feel like you’re behind or that something is wrong with you. I am here to promise you that your creativity and joy are seen and valued. You are intelligent and you are strong. You will fall many times, but you will keep getting up- and you will have a really awesome life ahead of you really soon. Things aren’t going to work out the way you expected at all, but I promise that things will work out for your good- even if it doesn’t feel that way at first. You’re going to see the love that people have for you that comes out in unbelievable and unexpected ways really soon.
Dear current me,
Hey! It’s been a busy time lately. I know you’ve been so tired and a little unsure, but I am proud of you, and you’ve been doing a lot of incredible things. You are so driven and talented, even if you don’t always feel that way. Your resilience, determination, and passion are valuable, but you’re allowed to take breaks. Rest! You have nothing to prove, only opportunities to seize. But you don’t need to seize them all. Don’t forget to take the time to love your life, not just to get things done. It is going to be okay.
Dear future me,
I can only imagine how far you have come. Things have probably been really busy and sometimes overwhelming, but I have confidence that you can handle it. I know you’re still passionate about the people, things, and causes that you love, and I am so proud of the commitment that you’re keeping to cherish the things that matter to you. No matter where you are right now, no matter how friends you have or how you look or how many times you screwed
up this week, I am still proud of you, and so are others. I hope you’re taking time to take care of yourself- you have pushed through and achieved so much.
So much love,
Anna :)
Additional tools for when you may be in crisis:
U.S. Crisis Text Line: 741-741
Ohio Mobile Response and Stabilization Services: 1-888-418-MRSS (6777)