100 reasons to keep going, part two.

Letter #028

May 31, 2025

dear younger me,

This week marked the 4th year since my best friend Mitsu passed away. I cried on that day, not just for him, but because I was surprised how much my life had changed in the time since. I was surprised that although things were still not easy, they were so much better than they had been in the past and I wonder if they could’ve gotten better for my friend as well. Mitsu was someone who deserved to take up space, in all of his beauty, and he was someone who deserved to live a long and good life, just like the rest of us.

Mitsu’s life was cut short by mental illness. He died from depression, and over the years, it’s really rewritten the narrative of mental illness for me. It’s so powerful, people die from it? Wow.

Despite Mitsu and I sharing a serious mental illness, it still took me a long time, even after his death, to start respecting mine the way that I should have. It’s something I’m still working on today.

I used to think of mental health and mental illness as an afterthought and something that could be taken care of and tended to after my “more important tasks” were finished.

But I learned the hard way that it doesn’t work that way.

Health comes first. In all forms.

For me at least, it’s equally, if not more important than my physical health.

It’s been about a year since I last wrote you. How were the last 12 months for you?

For me, this last year was, for sure, one of the hardest of my life. Over the last year, I made it through a car accident, a breakup with someone I cared deeply about, and two hospitalizations that totaled 19 days. So it was definitely not a boring year.

Without a doubt, one of the cornerstones that got me through my last year was my faith and contending with the purpose of going through hard times.

I leaned on every resource I knew to get me through that year.

What I found was that it wasn’t in trying to white-knuckle my way through my experiences that brought me the most relief; it was in doing the softer but harder things like being vulnerable and honest with people about where I was at, surrendering to the process, letting things go unaccording to plan, and praying. These actually got me a lot farther than trying to make them go my way through might.

I’ve thought about writing another newsletter many times leading up to this one, but I didn’t, out of fear and self-doubt. I would get frustrated with the drafts I’d create and kept telling myself that people didn’t want to be bothered with me.

I’m here now with much thanks to my good friend Ember, who regularly mentioned my newsletter in our conversations over the last year and how much it helped her. I made a promise to her that I’d bring it back by June 1st, so I’m here.

There has definitely been a part of me that wanted to wait until I was better, certain things were better, etc., before I started writing again. But I realized 1) I don't have to be perfect to show up and 2) what better time for me to write about how to keep going than during a time when I’m still working on how to keep going?

Last year was profoundly hard, but note I did not say it was a bad year. A friend taught me that “pain is the touchstone of all spiritual progress.” It’s a quote from Alcoholics Anonymous.

My friend Mitsu used to say something similar and I do find it to be true. This past year brought a lot of pain, but it also brought about spiritual progress that would not have been possible without it.

2 years ago, I made a post about 100 reasons to keep going.

And today, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month,

In honor of Mitsu,

And in honor of overcoming seasons, situations, and circumstances you never thought you could…

Here are 100 more reasons to keep going.

For these reasons, I actually went through my Favorites album in my photos app to look through what literally, got me through the last year.

It’s helpful to me to have my reasons to keep going because sometimes when I’m in the midst of chaos or a really difficult season, it can be *really* difficult to zoom out and think long-term.

During those times, I can’t think of 5-year plans and where I want to be 10 years from now to help keep me going.

I need what’s going to keep me here tomorrow.

These reasons answer that for me. They are inspired by the little things in life. By the sweetness of it. The fruit of it all, if you will.

These are the reasons that if I can’t imagine how I’m going to make it to that next big moment, maybe, just maybe I can remember to keep going for that next little one.

A few things I told myself constantly throughout last year were that:

“We are pressed on every side but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” ~2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NLT
“All of this is for your benefit.” ~2 Corinthians 4:15
There is purpose in every season.

Here are 100 more reasons to keep going:

100 more reasons to keep going:

for funny memes and videos that still make you laugh every time you see them

2. for getting a hair cut that makes you feel like yourself again

3. for hearing a cover or a live version of a song you like and it’s beautiful

4. for the joy of giving someone else flowers

5. for strawberry lemonade that’s got jussssttt the right amount of sugar and lemon

6. for when you see someone who’s happy to see you

7. for short, simple quotes that change your perspective

8. for noticing the small ways you are breaking generational curses

9. for tight hugs

10. for açaí bowls with ripe, fresh, sweet fruit 😩🤌🏽

11. for seeing a meme that just “gets you” 🤝🏽

12. for watching a new favorite movie with someone you love

13. for when little kids do something cute or make a joke that’s actually funny

14. have you ever had a breeze just dance around you on a warm day?

15. for when someone genuinely smiles at you

16. for when you smell really good food

17. for quiet, peaceful hikes in nature

18. for gorgeous flowers that remind you that there are still gifts in imperfection

19. for the gift and the privilege of waking up and getting to do something you love each day

20. for friends you can just do nothing with

21. for the experience of trying out a new restaurant and finding you love it

22. for the chance to marvel at beautiful architecture and design

23. for having the courage to do something you thought you never could

24. for when you see a nice photo of yourself

25. for the gift of noticing and observing the world around you

26. for good therapy sessions

27. for good meals with friends

28. for somebody trusting you to hold their baby

29. for stumbling upon unexpected beauty

30. for good surprises

31. for good news

32. for a sign that things are changing for the better

33. for the gift of animals

34. for having a pleasant customer service exchange

35. for making it longer than you thought you could have

36. for sobriety from what no longer serves you

37. for a clean kitchen

38. for friends who help you clean because they know you hate doing dishes

39. for impromptu family picnics

40. for impromptu karaoke

41. for home-cooked meals that heal you a bit

42. for making the most of the “last time” with someone before you know it’s the last time

43. for long phone calls with good people

44. for when you find a really good YouTube video/show/reel

45. for when you get a glimpse of how far you’ve come

46. for when you realize you’re handling something differently than you would have last week, last month, last year

47. for when you realize things aren't as hard as they used to be

48. for the gift of getting to watch kids grow up healthy and happy

49. for something that interrupts a bad mood and unexpectedly makes you laugh and remember life is not so serious

50. for when it feels like you’re getting better

51. for when you notice something doesn’t affect you the way it used to

52. for the joy of finding people who just get you

53. for good music

54. for satisfying word play

55. for hearing someone with a great laugh

56. for those times something just makes your day

57. for those times things line up just right and your day gets much better after that

58. for remembering the world is much bigger than yourself and you’re really not alone in it

59. for the artists who create art that speaks life

60. for finally returning to a clean space

61. for seeing life and love through the folds of a flower

62. for the gift of getting to know good people

63. for last-minute plans that work out beautifully

64. for those times you receive exactly what you needed in that moment

65. for beautiful views

66. for finally getting the help you need

67. for seeing yourself grow in ways you once thought were impossible

68. for it finally making sense after all these years

69. for finally feeling like you’re someone worthy of love and having your actions match that

70. for a perfect cup of tea, or coffee, or matcha

71. for hearing someone call your name across a crowded space and getting to connect with someone you love and haven’t seen in a while

72. for those texts or calls that come through right when you need them

73. for just the right amount of inspiration you needed to make it another moment, another hour, another day

74. because you’ve already made it so far and don’t you deserve a happy ending?

75. to see growth: in nature, in others, in yourself

76. for when the right song comes on at the right time

77. for when you walk right up to the register and don’t have to wait in line

78. because you know it has to get better.

79. because your younger self deserves a happy ending to their story.

80. to honor the people who have come before you and paved the way that made it possible for you to be here

81. to experience “the good part”

82. to realize the good part is never too far from us after all

83. for the feeling of waking up after a great night’s rest

84. for people who send messages just because they think of you

85. for the feeling of sliding under the covers after a long day

86. for the feeling of being safe, of being held, of not being judged in your most vulnerable moments

87. for starting new traditions

88. for the moments you realize you’re stronger than you thought you were

89. for moments that make it all feel worth it

90. for younger you

91. for current you

92. for older you

93. because you deserve to heal no matter how many times it takes

94. because you deserve to know peace no matter how long it takes

95. so that you can show the next person, “it’ll be alright and here’s why”

96. so that you’ll know your efforts weren’t in vain

97. because your life is precious

98. because you are precious

99. because you are stronger, more beautiful, more lovable, more tender than you can maybe see right now. but just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there. you deserve to take up space. you deserve to have a good life. don’t give up before it gets to the good part. i’m rooting for you. you will make it to the other side of this if you just keep going. patience. don't be in such a hurry. one day at a time. one step at a time. one moment at a time.

100. because it always gets better. but you have to be around to see it get better.