Finding this letter I had written to myself was just the reminder I needed! I have come so far.

Dear Katie,

You’re not broken or damaged, you are just a little bit bruised. Bruises heal. You are proof of it. You spent years going through hell with your mental illnesses, your self harming and your attempted suicides. The scars healed, and you lived. For some reason you were put in this world, to stay. You’ve been used and abused not just by yourself but by people you trusted. You’ve been through things no human being should ever go through, and not only did you come out on the other side, but all the things you’ve gone through and survived have paved the way and given you the tools to deal with and heal from more using and abusing done by other people. You put off admitting reality because you were afraid to have to go through it again. But, you eventually found your brave and proved again just how strong and determined to succeed you are! I don’t know many people that keep getting up again after getting knocked down. But, you’ve done it time and time again. You are so brave, so resilient, so inspiring. And I hope you can keep finding your “brave” and kicking butt at this thing called life. Katie Butterfly, oh the places you are going in this life, all because you decided to keep living when it felt like the whole world wanted you dead! And you aren’t just going places for yourself, you are also paving the way for others to find their brave, and their voice too. The world needs more people like you!

Love, Katie Butterfly