Jessa Hope Mendez

Me in 2016: Snapchat filters on, long hair, side-view selfies, leggings & skinny jeans. Winged liner, chokers, messy buns, VSCO vibes—filters hiding feelings, but the glow was real. 😂😭🥰

Hello, 2016 Jessa,

You didn’t know it then, but that year would break you open.
So much has changed since then—and somehow, so much of you has stayed the same.

2016 was heavy. It was the year everything fell apart so something better could be built.

These photos carry pain, tears, and quiet strength. They hold moments when you felt unseen, unchosen, and unsure of your worth—and yet, you survived every single one. You learned that holding on isn’t always love, and letting go isn’t always loss. You lost yourself for a while, but you found your way back—stronger, softer, and wiser.

I’m so proud of you for choosing to keep going when all you wanted was to cry yourself to sleep and disappear into the weight of it all. For every night you thought you wouldn’t make it through, you did. Every tear mattered. Every struggle shaped you.

You became the woman you once prayed to be, even when you were afraid to believe she was possible.
Stronger than your fears.
Kinder to your own heart.
Braver in love.
More grounded. More sure of who you are.

You became a mom to your furbabies.
A mother to two handsome doggies who remind you what unconditional love feels like.
An employee in your dream BPO company.
A part-time VA chasing growth.
And you dared to claim your biggest dream—becoming a makeup artist on your own terms.

You built a life from pieces you thought were broken beyond repair. You did everything you once told yourself you couldn’t. You lost people you thought would stay forever—but that loss made room for the ones who truly see you, love you, and choose you.

And that… made all the pain worth it. 💛

unwind