Dear Daughter,

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I don’t want you to aspire to be like me. Yes, I said it.

Not that I am a bad role model. And if we happen to share some personality traits, so be it—I'll love them even more on you because they are yours. Also, yes, I consider myself to be a kind, caring person and work hard to be a strong example for you and your sister, but I want different for you.

I want you to be you.

Simply that.

I think it’s a lot of pressure on a person to try to be like someone else—anyone in this world. We are all different, so what comes naturally to me, may not come naturally to you, and vice versa. I pushed myself, trying to be an image of what I believed was successful, and never found my passions until later in life. I tried on different hats of people I believed were successful and none of those hats fit my head properly, because they weren’t meant for me—they were forced on. I want you to find that hat that feels natural and gives you joy. I want you to wake up every morning and not hate the Groundhog’s Day that life can be. As humans, we get stuck in patterns and like in the movie; you can feel like you are repeating the same day over and over again. So, you might as well really like that day. I will teach you kindness, and help guide you toward positive life choices, but as far as whom you become--I want you to follow the path you feel in your bones. Your natural path.

I want you to be you.

Simply that.

Love always,

Mommy

This post originally appeared on the author's Facebook.