Hannah Irelan

You see, 21st birthdays (or any birthdays, honestly) aren’t these magical pills we take to fix everything wrong in our lives.

In these moments, these really dark, trying times, I would’ve given anything to hear someone tell me the exact same thing that I am telling you right now: What you’re feeling, regardless of how extreme, is valid.

I will never, ever be able to consciously put into words what this mere stranger has done for me, but I can say this: he mended a heart that I thought would never be full again, and because of him, 2020 will be the year that I rediscover who I am.

Keep fighting because your fight is worth it.

Don’t give up on yourself.

You will one day be proud of the woman you’ve struggled to become.

With every battle that we face, we become more and more resilient.

I can’t wait to be the person you fight alongside, the friend you can count on, and the partner you’ve always imagined.

Because our past doesn’t determine our future, but that doesn’t mean we forget it.

All the goodbyes. They led you to new hellos.

Just give her time.

Stay single until you find the love that makes your world stop because when you find it, you’ll know this is, this right here, is what you’ve been waiting for.

It’s not always easy for you to accept that some things will never change.

We don’t always know how we talk to ourselves, so take the time to be more mindful of how you sound internally.

Cancer: entire days spent in bed, counting the stars on a clear night, and being surrounded by the people you love.

This is how I choose to heal. Trust me, I wish it didn’t have to be this way, but I guess the only way to move on from you is forgetting you were ever here.

Realize that giving up doesn’t always mean giving in.

There was a warmth I felt when you were still around, and now I need it more than ever.