I hope you never stop investing in yourself no matter who you’re with or how much you’re loved or how much you’ve accomplished. I hope you don’t suppress your needs or desires because you’re afraid of how people will perceive you or how they’ll judge you. I hope you can always be enough for yourself without needing that validation from others, without waiting for a pat on the back because sometimes you have to start with yourself. You have to be your own motivation before others can motivate you. Sometimes you won’t find the support you’re looking for in others but you can always find it within you.

I hope you never stop protecting yourself from those trying to bring you down or hurt you or make you feel like you’re not good enough. I hope you can always protect yourself from those trying to underestimate whatever it is that you do; your work, your talent, your passion or your hobbies. Don’t allow their opinions to take up a lot of space in your head and don’t let how they see you be your mirror. Protect yourself from those who never walked a day in your shoes yet feel like they have the right to tell you what you should and shouldn’t do. Protect yourself from those who pretend to have your best interest at heart but don’t know what truly makes you happy or those trying to make it dark every time you truly shine.

I hope you never stop believing in love but I hope you can always be content on your own. I hope you don’t settle just because the clock is ticking and I hope you don’t stay too long with someone who doesn’t value or respect you. I hope you can walk away when you see a pattern that’s not going to change and I hope you can walk away from someone who brings out the worst in you because love is supposed to bring out the best in you. I hope you never stop bringing the best in you to the table even if you’re eating alone.

I hope you never stop investing in yourself no matter how busy or overwhelmed you are because at the end of the day, you truly only have yourself. At the end of the day, it’s hard to predict where life will take the ones you love or who will suddenly decide to pursue other things or who will move to another country. People will always follow what makes them happy, they will always do what’s best for them and you should always be prepared for these moments. For the moments when you’ll have to be all alone or the moments when you’ll feel like no one is by your side. Prepare yourself for the moments when you’ll need all your strength and resilience and no one else can give you that.

Invest in yourself because it’s worth all the time, money and effort in the world. Invest in yourself because it may as well be the only commitment that’s guaranteed and the return on investment is always rewarding.