You’re in a small pond
• These are the friends you have access to right now. Finding the right friends is heavily contingent on finding the right environment. College, your career, even a club will open opportunities to meet “your people.”
The best revenge is your future success
• It may seem easiest to sit back and let the pain of this experience take you over. Don’t give them that satisfaction. Pushing forward and forging your own path will lead you to greater things, and serve as a reminder to them (and you) that they did not destroy who you are and what you can become.
You’re not a finished product, and neither are they
• Even though these girls seem like the end all be all, they are also just trying to figure things out, and both of you are years away from being the completed, best version of yourselves. Focus on the positives within yourself and your life and find ways to highlight and expand on the good. This will bring you closer to your best self than trapping yourself in their force fields ever will.
You are not the only one experiencing this
• I know this is the hardest one to believe, but I promise you it’s true. In the same way that it’s difficult for others to recognize the pain you’re experiencing, it’s difficult to notice that others may be struggling too. No one advertises the loneliness and suffering they feel, but just because you may not see or hear of it, doesn’t mean it does not exist. The further removed from these years and these experiences you become, the more you will find that others endured the same hardships and are seeking the same healing that you are.
This is one aspect of life, not the whole picture
• This does not, and will not, define you. Friendships are a significant part of life, but there are so many other things that can bring you fulfillment. Remember to cultivate these other areas, and step back to recognize and take in the positives in your life, not just the negatives.
This is not the peak, so keep climbing
• No one peaks in middle and high school. And those who actually do assuredly wish they hadn’t later in life. There are greater things ahead for you, so don’t limit yourself now.
You are worthy of self-care
• Sometimes waiting it out is your only viable solution. But this doesn’t mean you should be neglecting yourself in the meantime. Take advantage of what you can control. What makes you feel confident, strong, pampered, and replenished? Time with family, working out, listening to music, snuggling with pets, taking a bubble bath – a good self-care routine is essential. Set aside time to take your mind off of what makes you feel powerless, and give your mind and body what it needs to recharge.