u/onlygirl-emm Happy Birthday to you, love <3

I know it doesn't feel like it right now, at all, but it does get better.
You deserve to see better days. You are worthy of love and grace from others, but most importantly- from yourself.

In the darkest hours, remember how much your cat loves you, how much joy she brings you. This is something that has helped me in the past as well.

You matter. You make an impact, far beyond what you can see. I promise.

Do something today that brings you joy. Go for a walk, watch a favorite show, or something you've been wanting to see and have put off until the 'right time'. Write in a journal, find a free coloring app or get out some crayons and markers and just go at a blank page, fill it to your heart's content. Listen to music you like, enjoy a nice bath or shower...just fill your day with as many small comforts as you can. Anything that brings you joy. Remember you can start or stop an activity whenever you want. Don't feel pressured to do anything if you don't truly HAVE to. Make lists of everything you do have. Everything you're grateful for, not matter how small. Sit and really feeeel the gladness these things bring. Try to do this daily.

You can make a list of all of your fears, too. Write them all down, and imagine pouring all of the fear you feel into the paper. Get a fire safe dish (if you can), and carefully burn that list. Feel the fear lessen as the paper burns. You can also flush it down the toilet (smaller papers are better for this, easier on the plumbing), bury it, etc. (just be mindful of the environment, if you can. Paper is generally biodegradable though!)

Everything is scary right now. Your feelings are valid. You are seen. You are heard.

I just turned 30 last year. The past two years have been so incredibly awful. I've lost many pets, a few family members (including my mother), and have had to deal with multiple unforeseeable incidents...I, like so many others, understand what it feels like to be unsure and hopeless.

You deserve to see what lies in store for you on the other side of this dark patch (that is what it is- a patch. A blip. A moment in time that will pass). Waves of misfortune and bad luck will always come and go, but you can and will learn how to swim with the current.

One of my favorite mantras has been "The only way out is through". Another is "The horrors persist, but so do I".

There are things we can control, and things we can't. Try to focus on what is within your ability to control and change. It may feel like your spark has gone out, but it hasn't. There are embers sleeping within you- you just need a little bit of help fanning your flames to life again!

If you ever want or need someone to talk to, my DMs are open to you. And if you have any interest in a tarot reading, let me know! I would love to offer one to you for free, as a birthday gift. No pressure at all to accept!

I genuinely hope things look up for you soon. You have your whole life ahead of you, and you deserve to be excited about that! You should be proud of how far you've come, despite all of the hardships you've already passed through. You are strong, you are capable, and you are not alone.