Dear younger self,
I'm sorry for judging you too quickly and not allowing enough time to pass to fall in love with yourself before I jumped into trying to change you and stifle you.
I'm sorry I mistreated your body for so long and for trying to make you look like what you thought others would want you to look like instead of owning it.
I'm sorry for not honoring your boundaries repeatedly and for not keeping promises to yourself but keeping your shame a secret.
I'm sorry for mistaking your past as your enemy instead of recognizing those moments as lessons and using them to grow.
I'm sorry I made you hang on to a false hope while waiting for apologies that never came which caused you to allow less than you deserve.
I'm sorry for giving away your power to people who didn't accept you fully and for all the exceptions you made for others while sacrificing your own well being.
I promise I've made changes to better support you and that set you up for success rather than failure.
When you take the steps to heal those wounds you help to heal the world.
When you step out into your authentic self you allow space for others to do the same.
When you show up fully for yourself, you are able to show up for others in a huge way.
So I give you permission to do whatever it takes now and every day to show yourself some grace and compassion.
Love, Dana
