I recently wrote a letter to my teenage self. Why? Because some days I miss the young me. (Some days I don’t at all!) But on the days that I do, I often think about how the young me could have benefited from a little insight into what was to come. And a little guidance from the older, much wiser “me”, may have made some things a little easier.
So here goes… my letter:
Dear Teenage Me,
You’re awesome, even if you don’t think so! Here are important tips and advice from the older YOU…
Be Yourself:
As a teen, it’s so important to fit in. To keep up with everyone else. To be cool. But what’s actually cool is to be yourself. There is no one else that is YOU. If you like a shirt, wear it. If you like a book, read it. If you like music, dance to it. If you want to laugh out loud, do it. Don’t look around first to make sure others are laughing too. Always remember there is only one YOU. That alone makes YOU cool.
Worry Less, Enjoy More:
Don’t worry so much. Life gets much harder and more complicated. Anxiety is tough to avoid. So while you’re young, let others do the worrying and just try to enjoy simply being a kid. There will be plenty of things for you to worry about when you are older.
Embrace Your Youth:
Stay carefree, for as long as you can. Soon you will learn about responsibilities and mortgages and bills… And from that moment on, you will never feel carefree again. So embrace it while you can.
Forget Fear:
Don’t be afraid. If you want to ask a question, ask it. If you want to try something new, try it. Don’t limit yourself because of fear. This is the time in your life you can be extra brave and take a leap. So try new things. Welcome new experiences… it’s the perfect time in your life to discover what fits. When you get older, your responsibilities will stop you from taking those leaps. So take them now.
Don’t Wish To Grow Up Too Fast:
It may seem so appealing to be a grown-up because you can make your own decisions, but along with decisions come the consequences of those decisions. So don’t grow up too fast. Stay young and enjoy all the benefits youth gives you. The adults in your life will help you make tough decisions. Try hard to embrace their wisdom!
And most important:
Love Yourself:
You may not be your biggest fan right now, but one day, you will be. So try to listen to those around you who cheer you on. Pay attention to their encouragement. Listen to the positives and tune out the negatives. Feel pride. Forgive yourself for any mistakes you might make… you are human and mistakes are okay! Mostly, try hard to love YOU! Why? Because you are amazing, and someday you’ll believe that.
Trust me!
LOVE,
Me/You (20 years in the future) ♥
I wish I knew the things I know now when I was younger! Would have made life just a little easier!
I def need to write a letter to my teen self Lol. The mistakes I made as a young adult I can laugh about now. lol
I think doing this was a great idea. I am only 21, and there are already so many things that I wish I could tell myself 4 or so years back.
This made me think of what I would write to my teenage self. I would have told her not to pursue that boy because he is emotionally abusive. (But of course being the stubborn teenager, I probably wouldn’t have listened.)