In a candid interview, Lucy Hale opens up to PEOPLE exclusively about her sobriety journey and how she finally learned to love herself.

Lucy Hale hit a big milestone in her “deeply personal” sobriety journey.

“The interactions, conversations and moments of vulnerability from people I know, people I used to know, from people I’ve hurt, from people who’ve hurt me, from strangers and even people on the internet have given my life so much color and meaning,” Hale, 34, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, January 2, to celebrate two years of sobriety. “Those experiences have been my favorite takeaway from this last year. To every person I have connected with … thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

After reflecting on her own experience, Hale finished her post by sending love and advice to others who “are struggling.”

“Please know you are not alone and that you do not have to trek this path alone. There is no right or wrong way to heal and it is deeply personal and unique to each of us,” Hale wrote. “My only advice is to remain open-hearted, curious and to find the people who see and support you. It does get better. Take it moment by moment.”

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Hale first opened up about her efforts to get sober in February 2023 after quietly celebrating one year of sobriety the month prior, explaining via Instagram, “While this journey has mostly been private, I felt compelled tonight to let anyone who is struggling know that you are not alone and you are loved.”

Hale later said she was “a textbook binge drinker” while reflecting on her decision to stop using alcohol.

“I have been working on getting sober since I was 20. I’m 33. It takes time. It took time. It took patience with myself,” she said on “The Diary of a CEO” podcast in February 2023, admitting she thought the “real Lucy” came out when she drank. “Guess what? Real Lucy did come out, but it was that rage and pain that I had been holding on to for so long, but it also quieted my mind. My brain just doesn’t shut off, and it’s exhausting.”

Hale recognized her patterns weren’t healthy, but even when she tried drinking moderately, her brain “always [wanted] more.” Eventually, the key to her success was to get sober for herself.

“I tried to change for boyfriends, I tried to change for my mom, I tried to change for my career, I tried to change for vain reasons, ‘I’ll stop drinking for that.’ None of that s–t works. I had to and wanted to get sober,” she said. “Because I said, ‘I deserve more. I deserve more out of this life. I have to try it a different way. And I have to be willing to just commit to it.’”