(Written by Tori Gleeson)

One day, while I was driving to rehearsal, I let my music play without really paying any attention to what was escaping through the speakers. I was in a bit of a daze until Jake Bugg’s voice suddenly shook me from this trance and I began to listen to the lyrics of his piece entitled “Note to Self.” The beginning of the song starts with:

“Girl, you’ve been forgetting just how special you really are, and I try to remind you. sometimes I can’t find you, but the truth is in your heart—so write a note to yourself.”

I was instantly inspired and loved the message of this sweet little tune. So I took his advice to heart and have written a note to myself for the sole purpose of it being a reminder to how special I am, because it is surprisingly easy to forget.

Although I may hone in on some of the things I find to be important to my life in particular, I hope anyone who chooses to read it finds something they can relate to. This piece serves as encouragement to anyone in need of it today, tomorrow, two weeks, or even ten years from now. Enjoy.

A Note to Myself

All the while this world keeps spinning, you are constantly evolving into an exquisite being with an intelligent mind, a strong body, and a free-flowing spirit. Your worth is immeasurable and, at this very moment, only a handful of people including your closest family and friends have truly experienced the importance of your love and presence in their lives.

Some others may have had the opportunity to welcome your light into their lives, but they foolishly closed the door on you, forcing you to stand strong, redirect your focus and carry on.

You have dreams and desires and the fullest ambition to conquer them all.

You have a purpose in this life and you have the intrinsic longing to serve God in the best possible way. You must make a promise to yourself every single day that you have been given the chance to start again that you will not lose sight of your purpose. You must not lose sight of your goals. You must not lose sight of who YOU are.

I know how hard it can be in this world to be tempted, discouraged, and drained of all positivity and strength, forcing you to lose sight of your greater purpose. However, I challenge you to move forward. Give yourself willingly to your faith, and rely on your unfailing grace that has carried you thus far. When times get tough and you don’t think you can carry on, read this note and be reminded that you are loved.

You are strong. You are important. You are independent. You are self-sufficient. You are worth more than silver and gold. You are going places. You seek fulfillment and won’t stop until your heart is full and you have achieved the perfect balance of everything your life has to offer with constant happiness and persistence to carry on.

You are very family oriented and hope to remain that way. Your father is the perfect example of the best type of man. He makes many sacrifices to recognize the importance of the needs and happiness of his family. He loves your mother and proves to be an awesome example for what true love really is. Your mother is simplistic and beautiful.

She has an equal strength and softness about her that inspires and comforts you daily. She is putting up her best fight against a mentally and physically debilitating disease. She has had Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for about 18 years now and her consistent strength and personal drive to live each day to her possible fullest is just completely stunning to you.

Stop taking her for granted and treasure each day you are given with her.

She loves you and is proud of you. She also really loves red wine. She is not an alcoholic by any means and yes she can only have about two glasses before her sentences start to slur and her walking becomes even more of a challenge than it already was, but it relieves her from the unbearable stress and pain that she lives with every single day of her life. So I hope instead of giving her the worried glare after counting her exceeding number of glasses, you learn to just pour more one more because you never know when it will be her last.

Your sisters are your best friends. The dynamics of both relationships you have with Olivia and Emma are very different yet subtly similar in certain ways. They make fun of you often for your little quirks that they seem to find lame and give you hell for being sometimes overly dramatic and not afraid to speak your mind.

Olivia reminds you to be tough and levelheaded, making sure that no one attempts taking advantage of you. She also has a soothing presence about her that reminds you to be more go-with-the-flow and open to new things and experiences. She’s known for being a little pistol with a quick mind and hot temper and, although it may be more difficult to be aware of her love, it is always there.

Emma reminds you to laugh often and not take life too seriously. She finds joy in the simplest of things and always wants to be hanging around with you. She is so wise beyond her years and impresses you constantly with her consoling advice and fresh perspective. She loves you, and will be the first to tell you that your Snapchat story should be deleted.

You are extremely fortunate to have been given the type of close-knit family relationships you have between each member of the little Gleeson Gang. Be thankful. They will always have your back and support you. They are the first ones you turn to and the last ones to judge you. They inspire you to create a cute little family of your own one day, God willing.

You are an especially passionate young lady.

Most people can gather this just by the sight of your wild, untamed hair and unique stride. You are elegant and bold, a simple contradiction that leaves those who know you and those just passing you by wondering what your next move will be. You love to dance and have pursued many exciting opportunities that particular passion has brought into your life. The ability to move your body in an emoting fashion helping relate to an audience, instructor, or maybe just yourself is a gift from God you will always be thankful for.

Learning to be appreciative of the things you have instead of coveting the things you don’t is something you should do more of. You also love to sing and feel uniquely linked to music. Your taste is rather eclectic and you seem to find personal common ground with tunes from both ends and in between the vast spectrum of genres that interest you. Music is a vital part of your journey through life. It will help you be happy, allow you to be sad, motivate you, inspire you, and bring your artistry and creativity to life. Keep close to it.

It is obvious you love to write, expanding your knowledge of linguistic abilities, definitions of big, beautiful words, and precisely getting your point across. However it is no surprise that there are some things words are incapable of expressing as well as music, dance, or art.

Luckily you have been blessed with these talents and should exercise them when words fall short or when you feel the need to express yourself after a long hard day of work. Allow your passions to bring color into your sometimes-dull walk of life and your perspective will suddenly shift and focus on the pure bliss they create.

You are the type of person to follow your heart completely without really paying any attention to your mind, even when your heart leads you to a complete dead end.

You are at peace with knowing that even if everything crashed and burned and left you with nothing but dismantled pieces of one-way relationships and good friendships, at least you knew that at one point, chasing your desires with open arms was exactly what you wanted. You would rather know that you gave it your all and played every possible card before giving up and walking away. All you have ever really wanted is to love and be loved in return.

What you fail to realize is, although it may not be the type of physical love you crave, you are LOVED by the people you are surrounded by on a daily basis. You are respected and adored for your bright essence that brings joy to the people around you. You have recently come to terms with the fact that you have never really experienced true love existing between yourself and another. You have, however, experienced extreme infatuation and the high levels of dopamine that drive you towards passion and this false sense of being cared for.

You seem to be attracted to all of the things that are the exact opposite of what you need. You have gotten good at putting others’ needs before your own and devoting too much of yourself to people who cannot reciprocate your feelings or give themselves to you in the way that you deserve. The only thing you have really learned from your past experiences is that you are vulnerable and honest and wear your heart undoubtingly on your sleeve.

You leave yourself open to destruction because you are so committed to finding this “missing piece” you want so badly.

Understand that there is no “missing piece.” You have been made in the image and likeness of the Lord and you are perfectly imperfect. Remind yourself frequently that you, yourself are enough and completely whole. It is often times hard for you to see that you are personally responsible for bringing on this damage to your heart. You must break free from this habit of devastation and seek goodness. Challenge yourself to never settle and to never lose sight of your morals.

Always treat your body like a temple and never be quick to give yourself away. Fall in love slowly and responsibly with someone who centers your attention on the fact that they are actually interested in your well-being. They will encourage you to grow in new ways you never thought possible and lead you in all the right directions. They will be good for your soul and when it’s right, you will know. Forget searching for anything and let it happen to you.

Let yourself be pleasantly surprised by what your fate leads to. For now, be selfish and learn to love yourself. Without that rock foundation of self-love, you will easily fall weak to the temptations of false hope and temporary passion. You are intelligent and capable of making smart, well-thought-out decisions that will only add to your personal happiness, instantly enhancing your already existing outer and inner beauty. And one day, when it is perfectly meant to be you, my dear, will experience true love.

Your heart beats faster at the first thought of adventure and exploration.

You have plans to study abroad and travel the world. You have no clear picture of what your future looks like, but you are not alone. You have an interesting work ethic that would be instantly solidified if you stopped succumbing to procrastination. It is an evil force that brings on paralyzing anxiety and agonizing levels of stress. Stop doing that to yourself. Be proactive.

Be present—embracing the place where life happens. Suspect to be broke right out of college. Be broke and relish in the fact that money cannot buy happiness. You may be broke, but you will make due and find ways to live a sustainable life. Never stop being thankful. You may graduate from higher education, but you will never stop learning and growing. You are a student of life and will learn something new every day. Life will sweep you off your feet, knocking the breath right out of your little lungs.

Do not be afraid to stand again. Not everything will be handed to you and not everything will go your way, but even flowers grow back after they are stepped on. You have the world at your feet and a whole life in front of you. Go out there and make a difference! You are a fierce force to be reckoned with. Be brave and always shine bright, leaving constellations in the wake of your footsteps.

“You can’t do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth.” – H.L. Mencken

Depth over Distance every time.