Dear future me,

I hope as you’re reading this you are somewhere living in the country in a huge house with a wrap around porch and a jacuzzi bath tub, drinking cheap wine with the love of your life, but most importantly, I hope you’re happy.

As I am writing this, you’re about to turn 20 years old, and life is as confusing as ever. Just when you thought you had your life figured out, you were thrown some curve balls and got knocked down. For someone who has lived with anxiety your whole life, you should remember the panic attack you were having knowing that in two years you were supposed to know what you wanted to do with the rest of your life. Weren’t we in Kindergarten last week? As you have grown up, I hope that you left some of our baggage in the past, but I also hope that you’re still the same bubbly girl who laughs at her own jokes, sings as loud as she can in the car, and fights for what she believes in.

I hope you let the past make you better, not bitter. Lord knows we’ve struggled. We’ve had our heart broken, we’ve lost some friends, and we’ve questioned our faith, but I hope whatever we went through has made you stronger because of it; and I hope that whatever you go through in the future, you find the courage to overcome it.

I hope you keep in touch with the friends you made in college. Even though you only spent four years together, they were the best friends you have ever had. They spent countless hours listening to you cry over a guy, eating disgusting cafeteria food with you, and struggled to pass spanish by your side. I hope you still get together for spontaneous shopping trips or maybe even to play Cards Against Humanity while drinking wine out of coffee mugs.

I hope that you found the love you deserve. I know that in the past you have given your all to someone who didn't do the same for you, but I hope that didn't stop you from trying again. I hope that whoever you're married to, they're your best friend. I hope that he makes you laugh until your stomach hurts, watches Harry Potter marathons with you, and makes you feel like you're on top of the world.

I hope that you never settle for anything less than you deserve. This can be in relationships, or life in general. Don’t settle for the guy who claims he loves you, but never puts you first. Don’t settle for the job that pays well, but makes you dread waking up every morning. Don’t settle for the simple things, either. Don’t settle for vanilla ice cream, when what you really wanted was Chunky Monkey; because if there is one thing that I have learned from this crazy life of ours, it’s that life is entirely too precious to just settle.

Lastly, I hope you always remember to love yourself. Because there is so much to love about you.

Sincerely,

The girl who always has your back