This one’s for you.
You, the girl with a heart full of love and no place big enough to store it all.
Our generation is so caught up in this notion that it’s “cool” not to care about anything or anyone. I know you’ve tried to do just that. I’m sure there was a brief moment where you genuinely believed you were capable of not caring, especially since you convinced everyone around you that you didn’t. But that just isn’t true, is it? Don’t be ashamed of this, don’t let anyone ridicule you for having emotions. After everything life has put you through you have still remained soft. This is what makes you, you. This is what makes you beautiful. You care so deeply and love so boldly and it is incredible, never let the world take this from you.
You are the girl who will give and give and give until you have absolutely nothing left. Some may see this as a weakness, an inconvenience, the perfect excuse to walk all over you. I know you try to make sense of it all, why someone you cared so much about would treat you the way they did. You’ll make excuses for them, rationalize it and turn it all around on yourself. You’ll tell yourself that maybe just maybe they will change even though you know deep down they won’t. You gave them everything you had and it still feels as if they took it all and ran. When this happens, remind yourself that you are not a reflection of those who cannot love you. The way that people treat you does not define who you are. Tell yourself this every day, over and over until it sticks. Remind yourself that you are gold, darling, and sometimes they will prefer silver and that is OK.
I know you feel guilty when you have to say no to something, I know you feel like you are letting everyone you love down when you do. Listen to me, it is not your responsibility to tend to everyone else’s feelings all the time. By all means, treat their feelings with care, but remember it is not the end of the world when you cannot help them right away. Remember that it is OK to say no. You don’t have to take care of everyone else all the time. Sometimes it’s OK to say no to lunch with your friends and just stay home in bed to watch Netflix when you need a minute for yourself. I know sometimes this is much easier said than done because you are worried about letting other people down, but please give it a try.
With all of this, please remember that you matter. Do not be afraid to take a step back and focus on yourself. You owe yourself the same kind of love and patience and kindness and everything that you have given everyone else. It is OK to think about and put yourself first. Do not feel guilty for taking care of yourself. You are so incredibly loved even when it doesn’t feel like it, please always remember that. You cannot fill others up when your own cup is empty. Take care of yourself.
By Sarah Bliesath for Odyssey