Another year down this road
In many ways I’ve grown
Spontaneity, once my greatest fear
A trip into the unknown

I’ll stop seeing my body as a prison
A cage that I can’t escape
For this “prison” has fought many fights
And is still fighting until this day

I’ll view the world with a little less fear
And give open doors a chance
Tomorrow isn’t promised
So I’ll make every moment last

I’ll tend to my own garden
Watering the field in which I lay
No more searching for greener pastures
Just staying in my lane

The spring will bring new flowers
The weeds may still arise
I’ll nip all problems in the bud
I’ll no longer keep them inside

I’ll be a better person
I’ll learn from my mistakes
I’m not as lost as I once was
Maybe this year I will find my way

We are shackled by insecurities
Followers and likes make up our worth
External validation is what we seek
It’s a never-ending curse

But I was looking in the wrong places
The answers are found deep within
So I’m reintroducing myself to me
And so this new journey begins

Hello, it’s nice to meet you
I’ve longed for a best friend
I decided to become the things I need
No longer living a life of pretend

I tell myself I’m worthy
And validation starts with me
I no longer need to look elsewhere
I’m exactly where I need to be

I was born to be successful
I was born to share my gifts
I was born to give love to this world
I was born to build and uplift

I am worthy because I’m loving
I am worthy because I care
I am worthy and uniquely created
Hand-crafted with so much to share

You are worthy when you wake up
You are worthy when the sun sets
You are worthy and I love you
In case no one has told you that yet

Hello there,

I’ve always been painfully shy. I swore that I’d never approach anyone, and that I’d never let anyone know how I feel because being mysterious was my safety blanket. It was my safety blanket for many years, but soon I began to realize that it was also my shackle; a personal prison.

In order to set myself free, I had to allow myself to be uncomfortable.

But one day I did it.

I missed him. I thought about him daily. I worried about him. I needed to let him know how I feel.

The moment the words left my heart and mind and made their way to him, I felt overcome with anxiety and relief.

We grow when we leave our comfort zone, but we also battle thoughts from the enemy. Sometimes we are the enemy. But those thoughts in your head are just words. Words have power. They can either build you or break you. You have the power to choose what they will do to you.

He told me I made his day, but little did he know that he made mine even more.

Never underestimate the power of words, the power of a simple action.

It was that moment that constantly reminded me how important it is to let people know how much you care about them. The feeling of regret is much worse than my fears of the unknown. Never again will I cower from opportunities to share what’s in my heart.

And please friend, don’t let your fears shackle you as well. The greatest opportunities started out with a simple action. May that simple action of yours take place today.

Love, Cherie.

Dear Cherie of the past,

This is a letter from your future self; let’s call me “Future Cherie.” I wanted to let you know that I admire your strength, perseverance, and the fact that you kept moving forward even when you had no idea where you were going. If it wasn’t for your determination, I wouldn’t be here writing this letter to you. As you are reading this, I know that you and I are in different places in our lives. Right now you aren’t sure if you’d be set free from the burdens that have shackled you for so long. But please, keep thinking about me. I am here to keep you going.

Please don’t look back and wonder why you didn’t take these leaps of faith sooner. Looking back will only hinder you from moving forward. The right time to start is now, as you read this. I know that people keep pressuring you to get married and to start a family because they think that your clock is ticking, but don’t listen to them. We all have our own paths and purposes in our lives. Yours might look unconventional to others but trust me, you know what you are doing. You always have. Don’t just do things for the sake of it. Good things take time.

I am a huge believer of divine timing. There is no need to regret. If you open your eyes and ears and learn to discern God’s voice from the voices of this world, you will realize that life doesn’t always have to be as complicated as we make it. I say this over and over: trust the process. I know that you are still learning. Please stop leaning on your own understanding, it is causing unnecessary stress.

I’m telling you right now that I am living the life you dreamed of. It’s not impossible. It just seems impossible to you right now because you are shackled by fear of the unknown. But there is beauty in the unknown. Soon you will take that leap, and you will never look back.

As you are reading this, your heart is healing from the person who gained your trust and betrayed you. I know you prayed that he would be the one for you. Everything seemed right, but believe me he is not the one. You just need to take off those rose-colored lenses that you were wearing for too long. The man that I love right now was worth the wait, and I can’t wait for you to meet him. He has been praying for someone like you, you just don’t know it yet.

This journey that you are on right now, is a journey of self-love. It’s a scary one, but this is the most crucial chapter of your life. I look back at it often and I am so grateful for everything. I am grateful for the pain, the heartache, the uncertainty. Everything happens for a reason, and it prepared me for all of the unexpected blessings to come. It’s time you stop hiding, and show everybody the person you were designed to be. You are not here for yourself, you are here for something far greater than you, and always remember that.

I hope you are smiling as you are reading this letter. I smile every day. I look back and wish that I had taken time to really be present and enjoy the simple moments in life instead of always thinking that I should be somewhere else. We often take precious moments for granted. I am so lucky to have an amazing journey to look back on. I’m so lucky to be able to write this letter and have you read it, because not many people get that chance.

Don’t look back and wish that you had taken time to be present and enjoy the simple moments of life. Don’t think that you should be somewhere else. Believe me when I say that you are exactly where you need to be right now. Don’t spend time trying to make sense of everything. Everything will fall into place. Trust the process. I’m so glad that I did.

Please read this letter every day. It’s a daily reminder. One day you will write a letter to your past self too!

Love Future Cherie.