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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Elon chapter.

This past year I’ve learned love and I’ve felt loss. But most of all, I’ve learned to heal, trust the journey and not be so hard on myselfd.

I never expected to be here — to be this person. But I am grateful for the heartbreak I experienced, because I turned out stronger in the end. This was definitely a process, one that did not come easy. And I don’t think anything or anyone could have prepared me for how hard letting go really is. After the end of my relationship, I felt stuck. 

The unexpected breakup made me vulnerable and pulled out every insecurity I had. I couldn’t seem to get out of the slump. I really had to push myself to get help and regain confidence. Though each day is different and some are harder than others, progress is being made — that’s all we can ask for. 

It comes in waves. Some days you feel like you can conquer anything, while others you feel defeated. Letting go is harder and easier in different seasons of life. It takes a lot of strength from within yourself to pull out of a dark place, but the fact that you are trying is more than enough. For me, it hurt badly. Until one day, it didn’t. The weight on my heart felt lighter. I try to remind myself that healing isn’t linear — something I learned in counseling. 

The best advice I received in this new season of self love and self healing was this: Letting go isn’t forgetting, rather it is accepting that something has changed and coming to terms with that change. This again, takes time. Change is uncomfortable. 

We are in complete control of the outcome of our lives and what happens from this point forward. The power to overcome is already inside us, we just have to learn to believe it. 

If I can leave you with any advice, it without a doubt would be this: Don’t be too hard on yourself. There is beauty in overcoming. You are so brave and so strong. You just need to believe it. I spent a lot of time worrying that I would never get out of that pit of sadness, but each day I’ve tried to do something that makes me smile. I never wanted to believe that things got better with time, I wanted it to happen immediately. But by trusting the journey, I’ve come out stronger.

So to anybody struggling, anyone feeling stuck, don’t be so hard on yourself. You are strong enough to keep going. And you are capable of greatness. 

Miranda is a junior at Elon University pursuing her B.A. in Journalism and Communication Design with a minor in Dance. She is the Lifestyle Editor at Elon News Network. In her spare time, Miranda enjoys shopping, traveling and spending time with friends and family.