1.

The world keeps spinning, even when you feel off-balance, even when you feel alone, even when it seems like nothing makes sense. Take comfort in the fact that the world doesn’t stop for you, won’t stop for you—this is a good thing. The world keeps on, as you will when you find your footing. Continuance. Permanence. Take a deep breath and keep on.

2.

Change is a natural part of this life, of figuring out who you are and where you belong. Take a deep breath. Find something you enjoy and focus on that. Remember that you can only be a stranger for so long, then you will start to feel as if you’ve always belonged.

3.

The way you’re feeling right now won’t last forever. Trust in that. Know that you are human and this is just a part of the process. You will be fine.

4.

Remember that everything is temporary—this minute, this hour, this day, this tree with its bright green leaves, this season, this body, and this feeling you’re experiencing.

5.

You are one speck in the map of this universe. There are problems much bigger than yours, there is pain much greater. In the big scheme of things, your uncertainty is a blip on the radar, and it will pass.

6.

There is nothing stronger than the human mind, then the power resistance. You will overcome these feelings bubbling inside your chest. You are more resilient than you think.

7.

We were all strangers once, trying to map out our paths, stumbling around with eyes that couldn’t see and bodies that were unsure. We will all feel like this again—weird, foreign, timid, alone. But these feelings lead to growth, to new beginnings, to a new sense of self. Hold on. You will reach the other side a better person than you were before.

8.

I know you’re afraid. I know you feel lost. I know there’s a thousand things you wish you could change and I know you wish you could press rewind. But this is life, and there’s no going back. There’s only forward, which is a blessing. There’s a chance to rebuild, to start anew, to continue forward into bigger, better things. The future looks intimidating, but you are ready. Let go and press on.

9.

You are not alone.

10.

You are feeling off-balance, but that doesn’t mean you’ve suddenly morphed into someone new. You might not recognize the face in the mirror, but you are still the same person, same beautifully broken soul. And you will always be that person, that blessing to the earth.