People dream about so many things whether it is about having a loving family or getting the job that you have always wanted, but it could also be something simple like getting to go to your best friend's birthday party. We all dream about having someone love us even if people in our life already do, but maybe not. I am not perfect, no one is, but we wish we were. People in our lives try to make us perfect even if it is not clearly visible. Sometimes I wish that I was perfect so that I would have more friends, my family would enjoy being around me, and my mental health would be better. People in my life say that your mental health doesn’t define you, but being a stubborn teenager, I didn’t believe them. Honestly, I didn’t want to believe them. I guess that I wanted to figure it out on my own, but I never did. Instead, I didn’t let myself feel. I pushed all my feelings down and I know everyone says that, but what most people don’t say is that they made it out. Which is sad because there are so many teenagers in the world who have felt the same thing I feel. For me it doesn’t matter what other people say unless it has a negative effect on me, which is most of the time. I don’t like asking for help, but it would be beneficial for me. I am just too scared and sometimes feel like I can handle it myself even though I can’t.  
Having a big family is hard and I know that from experience. I feel like my parents have favorites even though I know that they don’t. I don’t get to do as many things that I want, but mostly I feel like it is hard to talk to my own family and I feel like I am just going to disappoint them. I love everyone in my family but sometimes it is hard too, and I know that people think the same thing. I know that people have it a lot harder than me whether they don’t have a home or have cancer or some other deadly disease. I feel like I am too selfish when it comes to my mental health. But then again, we are supposed to be somewhat selfish because if we aren’t we might lose track of the things that really matter. Life is always going to be hard, but your future depends on you and how hard you try to become the person you always wanted to be. Lots of people in my life have tried to help me but I just don’t want help. I try to ignore them and move on, but I didn’t pay much attention to the fact that those people never stopped trying. I know that I don’t like talking or even feeling, but just the feeling of knowing that someone does care about me and there will be someone in my life who will care for me and love me the way I deserve to be loved. 
Depression, anxiety, and anger can be what we feel every minute and every second. Those things don’t define us, but it can feel like they do. Depression can feel really overwhelming to us, but it can also be our “go to” comfort. For me it usually ends up being a comfort because I became so used to being depressed. When you get used to feeling a certain way the more you rely on it, even if it's depression. Most people that I meet say that anxiety is just worrying, but the only thing that I would add is anxiety is worrying but a lot worse and it is persistent. It is very hard to calm down after an anxiety attack, but I know that you could. Most of the time lots of people try to calm you down. Even if they are all your friends, you should have one person that you really trust, and you must let them help you even if you think that you can do it yourself, I know that you are strong but, no one is indestructible; we need someone to be there even if we don’t think that we do. 
I hope that someday I will be able to become the strong woman that will accomplish everything that I put my mind to. In order to do that I need to try and be strong and overcome my mental health issues, whether it be depression or suicidal thoughts. I need to learn to lean on people that I trust and love, even if it might be hard. You can do it too; you don’t need easy; you need possible. I believe in you, and it might be time for me to start believing in myself first. For you to be able to help someone else you need to help yourself first. If you start helping others you are still doing great things, but you might be hurting yourself even if it is not clear. In your life and mine there will always be waves, big or small. You just need to be brave enough to fight them and conquer the waves even if you're scared. We are all scared of something, but we get to choose whether we use fear and use it to make ourselves stronger.  
Whether you are a girl or boy you should still have hope. I know it might feel like you have nothing, but there is so much love in this world out for the taking. So, I say grab it and never let go. There is so much going on in this world- politics, racism, poverty, and much more. I know how hard it is to find the light in your life but trust me there is. Everyone in this world deserves the right to speak up for themselves, to defend what they believe in. In your life there will always be heartbreak, mistakes, pain. What you decide to do with those things will make you different either positively or negatively. No one can promise you that nothing bad will ever happen to you because bad stuff will always happen. People can promise you that you will stand up and be strong.  
Be the flashlight in someone's life even if you don’t know them, but you never know what they had been though. Bullies are broken and need someone to help them get past that stage in their life. The sad thing is that you can’t change anyone. No matter how much you need it all you can do is stay with them and make sure that they know that you are there for them. The one person that you can change is yourself, and I know that we think that we are good just the way we are, but the truth is that everyone could learn a little bit more.  Don’t get me wrong, I think that everyone is special and unique in their own way. Mistakes will always be made but maybe that is not such a bad thing. After all we are only human. We choose who we want to be, and mistakes are good. They help you learn and know what to do and what not to do. 
We are all broken in our own way and all we need is a little push in the right direction. I think that everyone in the world deserves a second chance, even yourself. Remember you are beautiful just the way you are and if someone tries to take that light and your hope, don’t let them win. You are good enough just the way you are. So don’t worry about what others think, be yourself and show your true colors!