Dear 16 year old me,

It’s been a while. I can see you’re hurting and you feel hopeless. You’re not alone. I’ve been there too. You’re 16. You have your whole life ahead of you, so many wonderful memories ahead of you if you just hang on. One day, your life is going to change, and you’ll be happy. Truly happy. And at 24, you will sit down with a glass of wine and reflect over your life and write yourself this letter.

I know you think the world is ending. I know you feel alone. All of your problems seem never-ending. But trust me, it does get better. You will learn from this, and it will make you stronger. You will become the person you’ve always wanted to, the person you’ve dreamed of, if you just let go. Let go of all the anger inside of you. Let go of the sadness and fear that is preventing you from moving on. Let go of the grudges and false expectations. Just let go.

Your life is such a precious and beautiful thing. Cherish it. Enough hurting yourself. Enough blaming yourself and everyone around you and move on. Allow yourself to be happy. Admit your mistakes and accept the forgiveness around you. You are loved. By many. So love yourself, and allow yourself to be loved.

Have no regrets. You made mistakes, we all do. Stop beating yourself up, you’re human. And only 16. Accept this as a bad year and move forward. Leave the judgments behind and create a fresh start. Open your arms to the possibility of a better tomorrow and take a leap of faith into the future. You’re worth it.

This is a big one. Appreciate your family. Unconditionally. Don’t ever take them for granted again. Hold them close and love them. You don’t know this yet, but in two years, your life is going to change. Pretty drastically. But don’t worry, your family will be there for you. They will be your rock. You’ll make it through. Let them be there for you and be there for them too.

And now for some friendly advice.

Laugh, laugh a lot. You’re awkward, and I’m sorry to say that never changes. Accept it and learn to laugh at yourself.

Use your friends. You’re a little shy, and that’s ok, but use your friends. Open up and let them in. They’re pretty great, and they accept you for who you are.

Stay away from Fireball. You’ll thank me later. And no matter what, shots on an empty stomach are never a good idea. This one we have yet to master but we’re working on it.

Don’t get caught up in money. You’re going to be in a lot of debt one day soon, but that’s ok. You’re going to find a field you love, and you’ll forget all about the low pay….still working on that one too…

Walk to your own pace. Don’t let anyone tell you what to do or when to do it. You’ll get to where you’re meant to be, and you’ll get there by your own speed. Enjoy life.

Black is your color, embrace it. Pair it with a RBF and you’ll be ready to take on Manhattan. Which you do and you love it there.

Don’t rush into any relationship you’re not ready for. Put yourself first. Do the work. Don’t conform to society. Being single is not a bad thing. Don’t feel the pressure to be in a relationship just because everyone else is.

Less is more. You’re beautiful the way you are. Cut back on the make-up and bronzer and embrace your natural beauty. Stop scrunching your hair and get rid of those bangs. Your natural wave and a little hairspray go a long way.

Practice your self-care. You’ll understand this more one day. Don’t forget to take some time each day for yourself. Watch TV (what did we even watch at 16?), take a nap, paint your nails, or whatever else you want to. Take care of yourself, and you’ll be a better person.

Broaden your horizons. Break out of that comfort zone you cling to and experience the world around you. Try new foods, make new friends, do the things that scare you. I doubt you ever saw this coming, but one day you will end up in a new city with a new life, and you will love it. Challenge yourself and embrace the unknown. It’s liberating.

And above all, be the person you want to be. Be weird, be bitchy, be crazy, be you. Accept yourself for who you are and feel proud of all that you have overcome. You’ve overcome so much at such a young age, but you’ve survived. I’m not going to tell you that life gets easier. You will have to go through some really tough things in your future, but you survive. You make it through stronger and better than ever. Accept these challenges as learning opportunities and teach those around you. You have so much to offer the world. Don’t ever forget that.

You’re going to be just fine.

Sincerely,

24 year old me