Dear Someone: Your exhaustion is not a sign of weakness—it's proof that you've been fighting battles most people couldn't even imagine.

A sacred letter, written just for you—offering a lighthouse of hope when your spirit feels shipwrecked on the shores of exhaustion

This letter was requested by a reader named Charis (who has chosen to remain anonymous), and I am deeply grateful for her permission to share it publicly. If there’s a letter or a vista of hope you’d like me to explore, please feel free to make a request using this form—your unspoken thoughts hold more value than you may realize.

In May 2025, Charis—a strong yet tender-hearted woman navigating the turbulent waters of life—reached out, baring her heart. She shared the weight of uncertainty, exhaustion, and fear that clouded her days, even as she fought to remain hopeful. Despite her incredible efforts to keep going, she felt lost, burdened by self-doubt, and in desperate need of solace. I crafted a letter that offered guidance—a path to light through the darkness.

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—Dear Charis,

The tears that fall from your eyes as you write these words are not signs of weakness—they are the overflow of a heart that has carried too much for too long. When you shared that you literally cried while filling out that questionnaire, something profound happened. You didn't just write words; you opened a window to your soul, and through that window, the light of hope can finally enter.

Let's sit together in this moment of truth. You find yourself at a crossroads where every path seems shrouded in fog. You wake up each morning with the weight of uncertainty pressing down on your chest, whispering those two words that echo in your mind: "Give up." But here's what's remarkable—despite feeling this way, you still get up. You still try. You still search for light in motivational quotes and find solace in words of hope. That, dear one, is not the action of someone who has given up. That's the quiet heroism of someone who refuses to let the darkness win.

The bar exam looms before you like a mountain you've already tried to climb. The memory of past attempts clings to you like shadows, whispering cruel lies about your worth and capabilities. "My best is not enough," you say, but oh, how wrong those whispers are! You see, your best is evolving every single day. The person who took the exam before is not the same person preparing for it now. Every tear shed, every moment of doubt faced, every page studied despite the exhaustion—these are not signs of inadequacy. They are the marks of a warrior in training.

When someone feels lost, as you do, it's often because they're standing at the threshold of transformation. That feeling of not knowing where you're going? It's not because you're directionless—it's because you're outgrowing your old path and haven't yet recognized the new one forming beneath your feet. Sometimes, the soul needs to feel lost before it can truly find itself.