Let’s talk about relationships…

First, of course, I’ll let you know about your love life. Much to your own (temporary) dismay you won’t be one of those girls who gets engaged in college. You won’t be wearing a wedding gown before you wear your cap and gown. Quite a few of your friends will, though. You will see engagement rings and gorgeous white dresses and ultrasounds flooding your Instagram feed. You will feel inadequate, and in your worst times unlovable. You’ll ask yourself, “Why hasn’t anyone chosen me?” “Why doesn’t anyone love me?”

But I do have good news. You’ll fall in love with yourself, your personality and skills, your shortcomings and quirks. You’ll choose yourself and your dreams above all else.

Now we’ll talk about friendships. At one point in time you’ll fool yourself into believing that you have found a huge group of true friends. YOU DID NOT. You opened yourself up and it was when you were at your most vulnerable that the tables turned. It hurt you tremendously, and you thought it was never going to stop hurting.

But I do have some good news. It’s in the aftermath of this mistake (and several knives in your back) that you will discover what a true friend is, and you’ll love them for it. They’ll get to know you in your entirety, but they won’t try to change you. They’ll support you in your success and failure. They’ll commend you when you do right, and they’ll reprimand you when you do wrong. They’ll be you polar opposite, but the two of you will fit together like puzzle pieces. They know what makes you happy and sad and melancholy. They will talk you through the tough times, and you will do the same for them. You won’t know how you’ve lived without their influence in your life.

Let’s talk about your anxiety…

This invisible curse has kept you from being your best self. Your voice was silenced by fear of judgement or embarrassment. Your eyes were permanently locked on the ground ahead of you or the phone in front of you. Change mortified you, and self-esteem was non-existent in your life.

But I do have some good news. You overcame it all. You’re loud and outgoing, tenacious and determined. You say what you think to whoever is there to listen. You are an opinionated soul. You talk to everyone, you shine in a crowd, and your eyes are the window to your soul. Confidence in your beauty and brain allow you to wake up every morning and face whatever the day has to throw at you.

I’m not going to tell you all of the bad things that are going to happen. I won’t tell you who to trust and who to run from. I won’t tell you to choose right or left, up or down, yes or no. There will be joy, but also pain. This might sound harsh, but I’m going to let you experience the good and the bad. I gave you some good news, some hope.

Now I’m going to let you run this course; because you handled it like a queen.