To me, when I’m ready to read this:

Right now, I’m carrying pain. It’s real. It feels overwhelming, but I need to remember—it’s temporary. The frustration, the anger, the feeling that I’m broken because things didn’t go as expected—none of that defines me. The emptiness I feel right now doesn’t mean I’m a failure.

This moment is just one chapter. Pain is a part of the process, not the end of the road. I don’t need to fix everything today, and it’s okay to feel hurt. In fact, it takes a lot of strength to sit with the weight of what I’m feeling. I don’t need to be perfect, I just need to exist, breathe, and allow myself to feel, even when it feels impossible. I am strong enough to endure this.

I am not a failure. The emptiness and pain I feel don’t define my worth. What defines me is my ability to keep moving, to keep trying, and to get up even when it feels like I can’t. I’m still here.

One step at a time, I’ll keep going. And when I’m ready, I’ll see how much stronger this experience has made me. But for now, it’s okay to take a breath, let the feelings wash over me, and remind myself that the pain will pass. I’ll come out of this, piece by piece, stronger and wiser.

I will take care of myself. I am not alone in this. I’ve got this.