Dear Lost Girl

An open letter to all the women who are struggling, broken, hiding, or otherwise "lost": You are enough.

Dear Lost Girl,

I know that it seems as though the world flies by without a notice to your suffering. That your silent cries for help fall deftly on the winds of time, but know that you are heard. For just as you are searching for a sign, your purpose, your voice... there are countless others doing the same. This is not to say that you are not unique because you, my dear, are exactly as you should be: beautifully flawed and perfectly imperfect. This is only to say that you are not alone.

Maybe you're overwhelmed at work, grieving the loss of a loved one, picking up the pieces of a broken heart, waging a silent battle against mental illness, struggling to find your purpose in life, scraping by to make ends meet, or just feeling as if it is all too much. Know that no matter how damaged or broken you feel; you are enough and you are worthy. You are enough in all that you are. You are worthy of a relentless love that sets your soul on fire. You are worthy of a passion so great it fills your every waking thought. You are worthy of kindness, adoration, and respect from all... including yourself. Especially yourself. Just because you aren't "perfect", does not mean that you are not worthy. If you remember nothing else, remember that.

"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen

The truth is, we all have cracks. Some people are just better at masking them than others. Struggling does not mean that you are weak. Asking for help does not mean that you are lesser. The vulnerability you try so desperately to hide for fear of showing "weakness" may actually be your greatest strength. You see, my darling, it is okay to be a glow stick. Sometimes things have to crack before they can shine.

The journey to find oneself is a lifelong one. Don't beat yourself up because you don't have all the answers today. Spoiler alert: you probably won't have them tomorrow either. Try to learn to embrace the process... To love your cracks because they are the very things that shape you. They are molding you into the fierce, strong, and empathetic woman you are becoming each day; the one you are meant to be.

If we didn't have moments of darkness in our lives, we would never fully appreciate the beauty of the light. Is it not the case that the most beautiful sunrises usually happen after the most angry of storms? This is not coincidence, my girl. You too shall rise like the sun, basking the world in all of your light.

It is easy to get so caught up in all that you aren't that you lose sight of all that you already are. We live in a world of comparison and competition. One that capitalizes on our insecurities to sell us things that promise to make us thinner, richer, more attractive, more youthful... you name it, they make it. The "ideal woman" is constantly thrown in our face so how can we not feel lesser than? It's hard. Really freaking hard. Add on top of that your daily struggles and stressors and it is a wonder you are still walking with all that weight on your shoulders, sweet girl.

At some point in our lives, we lost that child-like view of the world and ourselves. The one that made us believe that we can do anything, be anything. It's time to take that back. It's time to start believing in the power of that little voice inside, in the strength of the fire in your heart, in the beauty of your dreams, and in the fact that you can be anything you want to be.

Just because you haven't achieved that career goal, checked that item off your bucket list, figured out the meaning of life, had the strength to get out of bed today, or done that thing you've always wanted to do does NOT mean that you won't. Believe in yourself. In the beauty of all that you are. You are more than a sum of your accomplishments and failures, than the integer in your bank account, than the opinions of others, than the clothes and makeup that you wear... you are unequivocally you. Your essence, your being, and your soul are all things that cannot be quantified, but everyone around you can feel them. Let them soar.

While you may not see it now, know that you are greater than your fears, your doubts, your insecurities, your negative self-talk, and your flaws. One day I hope that you see the beauty in your "imperfections", the total value of you, and the sun through the storm clouds. Don't be afraid to let your light shine through the cracks.

And you know what? If that day isn't today... that's okay. It is OKAY not to be okay. Just know that all of your days won't be like this. Continue to hold out for the rainbow at the end of the storm... spoiler alert: You're going to be that rainbow; shining your magnitude of colours into the world around you. That day will come, I promise you. Hold out for it.

And you ask "What if I fall?" Oh but my darling, What if you fly? - Erin Hanson

If there is one thing you do today, let it be allowing yourself to feel hope. Hope for your future, your dreams, your life, and your worth. While you may not see it yet, your radiance is waiting in the shadows ready to pounce. If you don't believe it today, that's okay. I believe it for you and look forward to the day I pass the torch to you. You are loved. You are worthy. You are enough. Go bravely, lost girl.

Always Yours,

Dancing With Darkness

xo

#internationalwomensday #girlpower #mentalhealthawareness #dearlostgirl