Dear younger self,
You've been alive for almost 20 years now, and in those 19 plus a few months, you have learned a lifetime of information. I would give anything to be seven years old again. I would give anything to be 14 again. The point is, I would go back to my younger self in a heartbeat.
If I have learned anything in these almost 20 years, it is that life is like a game. You win some and you lose some. There will be days when everyone and everything is in your favor, while the next day feels like everything that possibly could be going wrong is going wrong. Take each as these blessings and misfortunes as lessons. Each and every one is a lesson learned.
People are going to be mean to you. Whether in the halls of middle school, in the dining room at your future college or at your summer job you will eventually have, people will not treat you like you treat them. Understand now that not everyone is going to think the same way as you. With that being said, stop expecting excellence from everyone.
Not everyone will like you. You'll get over that idea eventually. Most of your high school career will be spent making sure others "like" you. But, news flash: the second you walk across that stage with your diploma, your popularity status becomes irrelevant.
If someone gives you a dirty look, smile back.
If someone says something rude about you, compliment them.
Keep your mouth shut. More problems will come from you having a big mouth than from anything else. Mama always told you that if you don't have anything nice to say, you should say nothing at all. Listen to her.
Boys are going to suck. You'll ditch one, find another, think it's different, and once again be heartbroken when he treats you like dirt. It's a vicious cycle that I still have yet to beat. Brace yourself.
Your family is going to have your back through everything. Your dad will be your biggest fan and your mom will be your rock. Your brother will be the biggest blessing in your life, no matter how many times you tell him you hate him. Love your family to the moon and back and then some.
Be passionate. Find out what gives you butterflies and chase it. If someone tells you "No," prove them wrong. No idea is ever crazy when there is a plan behind it. Go vegan, even though everyone around you is telling you not to. You're going to get obsessed with animal rights in a few years, so get ready.
You are going to fall in and out of love with people and places faster than you can blink. It's just who you are; you're growing and changing in sync with the rest of the world.
Be you. Learn to be your own person and own it. Don't copy others because they're "cooler" than you. Don't ever be mean just because it looks like the mean kids are "popular." They're popular for the wrong reasons.
And finally, love. Love yourself, your family, your friends, your coworkers -- the list goes on. Learn to love your life with every fiber of your being. Life is so beautiful when you do.
Good luck, little me.
