Dear 15-Year-Old Me,
You're receiving a letter of validation. You're lucky. This is something I've always wanted. A sign from my future self telling me that everything will turn out okay. I'm sorry, but I'm not here to give you every juicy detail of the life ahead of you. I won't focus too much on the future, because if I've learned anything it's that the best things in life come when you least expect it, and I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise for you.
I will give you this. Sadly, it's been five years and you haven't gotten much better at driving. I don't even want to tell you how many times you've been pulled over. Oh yeah, and when you're at the bank next year cashing in your very first paycheck? Avoid hitting one of the big yellow poles in the drive thru. That little incident cost more to fix than five of your paychecks put together.
Now I'd like to focus on you.
Your teen years haven't been the best. Don't worry. You aren't alone in this realization. Between heartbreak, friend drama and low self esteem, it can be pretty difficult to keep it together. Not to mention there's your academic future to plan and plenty of homework to keep you busy in the meantime. That's what jr. high does to you. I'm not going to say high school gets any easier, but you'll find the right people there to help you through it.
I want you to know that you are so much more than you think you are. So please don't ever let anyone make you feel inferior for being too smart or not smart enough, for being too thin or not thin enough or for choosing to dress like a tomboy. Don't cry over a bad hair day (you'll have a few) or because a pimple the size of Jupiter decided to grace your forehead with its presence the morning of school picture day. You're going to look back on that photo someday and cry tears of laughter. Don't feel bad about being too scared to cliff jump at the Quarries with your friends. Someday you'll conquer that fear and jump out of an airplane from 16,500 feet up.
Do me a favor and laugh harder and louder when people say your laugh is obnoxious. Because someday the people who love you will tell you it's contagious.
Do me a favor and let your parents know that you love them. Do this every day, no matter how much they may be getting on your nerves about doing your homework or taking responsibility. Because someday they'll help you graduate and move into college, and you're going to miss them. A lot.
Do me a favor and take that last spot on the varsity lacrosse team. Then stand up to the girl on JV who told you that you didn't deserve it. Because someday you'll have friends who are genuinely happy for your accomplishments and don't act out of jealousy.
Do me a favor and be proud of your writing skills. Keep up with your journaling. Your peers may think it's pointless and nerdy now, but it just might land you a really cool internship opportunity someday.
Do me a favor and be nice to your sister. She may be an annoying 17-year-old who steals your clothes without asking right now, but someday she'll be 22 and your very best friend.
And finally, do me a favor and walk away from the boy who not only broke your heart, but made you feel unworthy of love and self confidence. Because someday you'll meet a guy who calls you "princess," who loves you unconditionally and who helps you learn to face yourself in the mirror every day and be proud of what you see.
You might feel very lost and confused right now. Trust me, that feeling doesn't go away after your teen years. The key is to relax. Know that it's more than okay to make mistakes. This is how you learn to better yourself. I can't tell you how to live these next five years of your life. That would be cheating. That's why you will never receive this letter. But honestly, even if I could I wouldn't give it to you, because if it weren't for those mistakes you wouldn't have turned into me. And I like me.
Chin up kiddo, you're doing much better than you think.
Love, Your 20-Year-Old Self
