At the age of 16, I experienced my first heartbreak.
There are so many things I wish I could go back and tell myself that are coming into my future.
I wish I could tell myself that I get over it and I grow immensely from that "first love heartbreak." I wish I could've gone back and sat with myself as I cried about a half rate high school soccer player and told her that she was deserving of so much more.
At sixteen I thought that I was going to grow up and be a teacher. I thought my life was going to stop at four walls and a classroom. Teachers do change lives, do not get me wrong. However, I believe I need to set the world on fire in my own way. I wish I could've told myself how strong I was going to become and how brave I would be in future endeavors.
I wish I would've known how to prepare myself to deal with grief. I wish I would've been able to handle sadness in a different manner. When I felt things, I wore my heart on my sleeve when I was younger. Although I still do, I have begun to shy away from such deep feelings. Those feelings often got me into trouble and I wish I would've known how to handle myself.
I wish I would've known better self-acceptance at sixteen. Hearing how to deal with my weight, my acne, how I should dress, how I should be doing at certain things, how I should have a relationship by now are all unavoidable. The thing I wish I would've known is that those things don't determine my worth. They are only parts of life that I can currently control to the best of my ability.
Dress how you want to dress. Look how you want to look because along the way babe, you'll catch some attention. You are so gorgeous on your own.
If I could also go back to myself at sixteen, there is one final thing I would tell her. Your best friend will come back into your life. Although just the year before you felt the loss of not speaking to her, do not fret. You both grew into strong, empowered women who were able to come back to the friendship at nineteen years old. You both grew into women with AMAZING career fields.
To me at 16,
You had so much growing up to do and you honestly still do at 23. You aren't perfect. You are learning. However, you are loving, you are beautiful in your own skin, and you are worth fighting for. No one can tell you that your weight makes or breaks you anymore. You are so successful on your own.