Oh dearly deceased Yin (the darkness),

It’s probably not often that someone writes a letter to their “ex of sorts” to say thank you. I was stuck in a loop because of faulty beliefs, and a poetic, romantic heart. I kept repeating the same mistakes because I refused to learn the lesson. I hope I was the last one for you as well. Somehow, I think you went on to lather, rinse, and repeat more times than I care to imagine. You were the last for me, and I am thankful for your almost incredulous deceit.

You taught me once and for all that there is no such thing as a soul mate and to forever burn those red flags into my brain. You taught me to not only pay attention to the red flags, but to act on them. You taught me what true love looks like because I already had it in spades. You woke me up, and for that, I can never be anything but grateful. Thank you for permanently improving my life by teaching me about all the You’s of the world. You were classic, almost textbook.

1. Love bomb
2. Devalue
3. Discard 

There was plenty of attempted trauma bonding, but I fought back. The fact that I was abused and neglected as a child let me know what I never wanted as an adult. How can I hate someone who came into my life and turned it completely upside down so I could finally see? The lies of idealism, perfectionism, and romanticism are no longer in my repertoire. Those traits made me vulnerable. Even my incredible empathy made me vulnerable, but it no longer exists as it once did. The pity ploy is ineffective on me. Declarations of how beautiful, perfect, amazing and wonderful I am no longer have any power over me. Why? Because I love myself unconditionally and I already know those things about myself. I’m the master of my own psyche and ego and you are officially impotent.
I now understand that words and actions that do not align are deception. 

With reverence,
The Wisest of all Yangs (the light)