It's been such a long and exhausting year, but we wanted to take a moment to honor you—our readers, our community. You each tried to cope with the heaviness that came with the uncertainties of the pandemic, whether that's through: banana bread, indoor gardens, embroidery, space makeovers, at-home gyms, Zoom dates, therapy, and everything in between! Once in a while, you even took us along for the ride—thank you for sharing your stories with us.
For Women's Month, we'd like to ~celebrate~ each and every one of you by asking you to write a self-love letter to yourself.
Think about everything you survived this year and all the efforts you put into taking care of yourself. Did you commit to working out more? Did you move on from a job that no longer served you? Maybe you made hard, life-changing decisions to preserve your mental health. Or maybe you just tried to keep it together the best way you can. Even now, with no end to the pandemic in sight, you keep going. You're still pushing. And we're so proud of you.
Here are a few self-love letters our Cosmo Community wrote to themselves this Women's Month:
"Thank you for keeping on, despite the fact that you felt like a bird with clipped wings."
Dear Fatima,
Where do we even begin or go with this? We've had this conversation with each other a couple of times over the last few years. You began 2020 on autopilot, going through the motions and feeling wrung out by life in general. Then, you, and the entire world, were hit with a wave of change. I just want to say thank you for keeping on, despite the fact that you felt like a bird with clipped wings. Thank you for keeping on even on days you were so tired and depressed, you bled through your clothes because you couldn't bring yourself to change your napkin. Thank you for learning to love yourself more than ever. Thank you for using revenge, anger, and all the negative emotions to propel you to do better. This weekend, it's your birthday. You're starting your new year with a renewed sense of hope and drive. We're rooting for you.
P.S. It's okay to go back on the medication and talk to a therapist again if it gets too rough. Anytime you're ready, doesn't have to be now.
I love you, Timmy
"Things are finally looking up and you're having some sort of clarity in your life!"
Dear Melissa,
The last year has been a true quarter-life crisis! You turned 25, you left your dream job, and you've gone on both a lockdown and a long-distance relationship. But you know what? Things are finally looking up and you're having some sort of clarity in your life! Keep your head high and know that things are working out on its own pace and plan. You got this!!!
Love, Melissa
"Thank you rin at lagi kang grateful sa blessings mo—maayos na trabaho, walang malubhang sakit, safe and healthy loved ones, cute at healthy na baby, at masipag na asawa."
Dear Ginyn,
Thank you sa pagkapit sa banana bread, sour dough, SD cookies, K-dramas, BTS, Nailed It, Zoom e-numans, your gazillion chat and FB groups, one-soju-shot-a-night routine nung busy season, Hell's Kitchen marathons with hubby, and other random ways to cope with being cooped up. Thank you dahil hindi ka nag-impulse buy ng tickets to Korea kahit miss na miss mo na at mura talaga. Thank you na nakabayad ka pa rin ng bills at credit card kahit nabawasan raket mo. Thank you for being patient kasi may pumalit at bumalik naman na raket. Hehe! Thank you rin at lagi kang grateful sa blessings mo—maayos na trabaho, walang malubhang sakit, safe and healthy loved ones, cute at healthy na baby, at masipag na asawa. Go girl, mag-online shopping ka lang. Birthday mo rin naman, so enjoy lang. You deserve it!
Love, Ginyn
"Trust yourself and your decisions. You know what's best for you."
Dear Belle,
You've had it rough, but I'm proud of you for choosing yourself and learning to let go. This year's word is "Flow," so continue to open up and see what the world has to offer you. Keep trying new things, and be patient with yourself as you navigate the freelance world. There will still be hardships, and that's okay. Trust yourself and your decisions. You know what's best for you. Love you.
Sincerely, Belle
"One day at a time with faith, hope, love, and kindness."
Dear Twi,
Thank you for holding on. Akala natin 'di na tayo aabot ng 2020, but here we are: alive, FINALLY married, still struggling but fighting anyway. Gumana yung life formula natin. One day at a time with faith, hope, love, and kindness. 2020 may not have been perfect, and we still have so many things to work on but we're trying. That's all that matters. Kapit lang. Let's do our best to change and fight every day. It's a battle worth winning now. I love you!
"No one can love you better than you."
Dear Koy,
It's been wild but you made it!!! Last year was one of the hardest years of your life. After a breakup from a relationship of five years, a huge blow to the family business, and everything else in between, it should've been the worst year yet YOU MADE IT YOUR BEST. Every day, you learn to love yourself better than you ever have. Every day, you prove to yourself that you are more than what you thought. Here you are now, feeling better than ever with a new successful passion project, Aegyo Cakes, and a rockin' self-confidence. I'm so, so proud of you, I just shed an actual tear. I love you, self. And remember, no one can love you better than you.
Love, Koy
"I'm so proud of the woman you've become."
Dear Karen,
You're always stronger than you think. I'm so proud of the woman you've become, even if you had to go through hell to be where you are now. Always remember: Some people get burned by the fire, but you are made by it. I love you.
"2020 was the year you learned to really be your own companion."
Dear me,
2020 was the year you learned to really be your own companion. Sure, you talk to friends quite often, but it's nice to realize that you really like your own company. Keep liking and loving yourself that way (thank you, BTS). There were many things you tried for the first time during quarantine, and although you don't do them anymore, know that I'm proud of you for doing things for yourself so you can keep afloat. Now, I just want you to feel things, live in the moment, be more grateful and mindful of your actions towards other people. Be kinder even though the world is just so fucked up. Learn to be at peace and take a deep breath.
You nice, keep going.
Trina
"Isn't it much more fun 'pag hindi mo pinapagalitan sarili mo for every little misstep?"
Dear Ysab,
I'm happy you've made your mind a more peaceful place to live in the past six months. Isn't it much more fun 'pag hindi mo pinapagalitan sarili mo for every little misstep? Lol. What a breakthrough. I'm also excited for our personal projects this year, so I hope you make enough time for them kahit tempting to binge shows all day every day. But hey, as long as you're happy and healthy(ish). Love you always, Y.
"Thank you for giving us time to acknowledge the things that matter to us, the things that speak our truth, and the things that represent our core."
Dear me,
We said it again and again. The year 2020 was supposed to be the year we put ourselves out there and expand our world! But the Universe had different plans for itself and let's face it, the Universe knows what it's doing. The Universe is always right. In the end, we both know that we needed that time to ourselves to really look within and spend time with each other. Thank you for being so patient. Thank you for giving us time. Thank you for forgiving ourselves for all the things we have done wrong in the past and giving ourselves another chance. Thank you for giving us time to acknowledge the things that matter to us, the things that speak our truth, and the things that represent our core. Thank you because we can now say for certain that we are exactly where we need to be in life. Now, more than ever, we actually have a much clearer understanding of the direction we want to take and a clearer picture of the person that we are, have become, and is becoming. Thank you for holding on, thank you for moving forward. Thank you for always taking a step back to check on the bigger picture. Thank you for choosing gratitude. Thank you for choosing love. Thank you for forgiving ourselves when we revert to our old selves and deal with past trauma. Thank you for being gentle. Thank you for honoring our season of preparation. We are going to be fine. With His grace, everything will be fine. Continue to pray, continue to rest, continue to honor your journey, continue to celebrate everything that you are. I love you. And I am so proud of you. We got this!
Love, Chez
***
What does your zodiac sign say about you? Subscribe to Cosmopolitan Philippines and find out!
Follow Ysa on Instagram.