A letter I wrote to myself over a decade ago…

Dear Kris,

Life was miserable. It’s not now.

Keep reading this. Don’t be impulsive and rip it up. I know that’s what you want to do. You want to quit again. You’re tired of trying. Tired of fighting. Too many demons.

Keep reading. Look down at your wrist. Feel that pain, that desperation. Acknowledge. Remember. Remember where you went after that night. Remember the pain you fought through. Remember the grieving.

But also remember the growing. Remember the confidence you gained. Remember the power you held once again. Remember the countless people who helped get you back on your feet. Remember the process, and remember the anticipation you had to begin again. That anticipation, that power, that fight – they always come back. Each and every time. Don’t quit. Get help if you need it. Reach out. Ask. But don’t do irreversible damage. Every time you have gone through something like this, every time you have come to a place where you didn’t think it was possible to go any lower, you fought your way through. You are a survivor, and no-one can take that away from you. You may feel worse than you have ever felt in your life, and you may need help again. And that is okay. Get that help, before it’s too late. And know this – you will make it out of the darkness once again. I promise you.

–Kris