I was reading a letter written by a blogger that I admire and interact with from time to time. She wrote a letter to herself, warning her about all of the things that were to come, and how to deal with these things. The post inspired me to write my own letter to the young me.
Check out Luvvie's blog
Read her letter here
Alana, we need to talk...
I know you have your life mapped out, I've seen the plans. I just hope you know that there will be road blocks and detours. You are at an age where everything around you is getting ready to change drastically. You are a couple of years away from high school. A place that will ultimately shape you into the person you will become. It is a place where you will have highs and lows. Some will cause you to stumble, others will make you cry, and then there are those moments that will make you question why you are even here. Nothing and no one will be able to console you on those hard days when everything is going wrong. Life will seem impossible, and hard, and ugly, and it will be, but it will also be beautiful, and fun, and different, and worth it.
You are not perfect so don't try to be
Boys are going to start coming into your life at the age of fourteen. You will start to date quietly because you aren't sure that this is really dating. You will date some people who are bad for you and others that are great but you won't be ready for those relationships and will be forced to let go instead of holding on. Trust will not come easy in any of your relationships (friendships or otherwise) mistakes will be made, and what I say to that is, don't crumple or fall apart. Don't allow your mistrust to ruin great relationships because that will ultimately become something you regret. Regrets, they happen, let them go. People will try to walk in and out of your life (friends, family, and boyfriends), when they walk out, lock the door. Forgive, but protect yourself by never forgetting.
Life happens, so live it, and learn from it
Love...*sigh* you will think you know everything about love because it will seem so simple. It's not. It's hard and confusing, and contrary to what people say, it does hurt, because it can end in the blink of an eye and you might find yourself loving someone who no longer loves you or never loved you. I'm hoping to protect you from hurt by telling you this, but I know that because you are stubborn like your mother, that you will do what you want to do regardless of the warnings people give you. Your first heartbreak will have you feeling like your heart is breaking, you will cry, and you won't believe it when people say that it will get better, but it will. It won't be the last time you'll feel this way, but it will always get better. You will ALWAYS bounce back.
Choose the career that you want, don't allow those who think they know you decide who you are supposed to be. If you would do it for free, that's your place, it's where you are supposed to be. Don't ignore that feeling that makes you say to yourself, this is right. You can be anything you want, you deserve everything that comes into your life, know your worth and don't accept anything less.Grow up slow, don't rush this, it can't be rushed, take it all in, enjoy it, smile more, frown less, and more importantly, be happy. I say this to you Alana as someone who has been through what you are about to go through, close your eyes, don't think, just leap, I promise you won't be sorry.
P.S. When all else fails, turn Oprah on, she'll never steer you wrong. :-)
With love and worry,
The grown up you