The courage to live your life

This is my letter to you. You whose tears have been whipped in silence. You who sits down and tries to breathe better. You who senses the sadness in others while their eyes are still dry. You who watches the world and feels numb. You who is secretly wondering “is that it? is there more?”

I hope you have the courage to trust there’s more.

I hope you have the courage to live a life that’s full, and fully yours.

And I hope you know you deserve it.

I hope you understand that courage doesn’t come from power, strength, or pushing through: it comes from love.

Loving others enough to forgive.

Loving your life enough to initiate change.

Loving yourself enough to embrace every part of you.

I hope you know that to love yourself, you have to face yourself first.

For what is still in the shadow cannot be loved yet.

I hope you have the courage to take that leap, to dig deep, to unroot the bad weed and still be grateful for it, for it made you who you are today.

I hope you have the courage to love every part of yourself and still know: you belong.

I hope you understand you can be dual. You can be wild and polite, bold and respectful, organized and free, shameful and lovable. You can crave control and want freedom. You can hesitate and still go forth. You can be strong and need rest.

I hope you have the courage to open your heart again. To trust that person. To show your scars, to tell your story. For it might just be what the other needed to hear, or it might just be what you needed to enunciate.

I hope you have the courage to embrace your light. Yes it might blind some, but it will guide others.

You don’t have to fit into one box because others do. You don’t have to imagine others’ expectations because you want them to understand you. While you're desperately looking for their approval, you might end up losing yours.

I hope you know: you should never be afraid to shine proudly.

I hope you don’t get limited by what others perceive as possible, and you be brave enough to create your own reality.

I hope you know it’s ok to be a work in progress, to haven’t had it all figured out, for who truly does? Trees still grow and sunflowers still bloom, looking endlessly for the light and the richest soil. I hope you know you’re allowed to do the same.

You’ve already been through so much.

You’re already brave.

You deserve the best.

Now, you just have to love.

And I hope you know that love is just around the corner, waiting for you to believe in it.

Clem