A Letter from my Teenage Self
Lately, I have been wondering what my teenage self would say to me if she could see and be with me now. If my teenage self could talk to me now, she would have a lot to say. Some of it would not be pretty either.
I have been wanting to write this for quite some time now. It’s odd how I spend most of my time reminiscing about my teenage years. You would think I have more freedom now, so why would a time where my freedom was limited be appealing to revisit? Well, I was different back then. Things were different. Life was different.
Teenagers have this wild and reckless nature. This type of disposition sets you up for some unforgettable nights and crazy stories to tell later. When you’re a teenager, life is full of many prospects: meeting new people, going on adventures, and many sleepless nights. I can’t count how many times I broke my curfew in high school, and the sun beat me home.
For someone like me, someone who loves adventure, new experiences and unforgettable moments — I crave this in my life 25/8. I love being on the go; each day should be a different adventure than yesterday’s.
If my teenage self could talk to me now, she would have a lot to say. Some of it would not be pretty either.
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Dear Bri,
Listen. You already know why I’m here. What’s been up with you, lately? I see you’ve been making boss moves, establishing and managing two creative businesses. And with all the success that we’ve had, it isn’t enough is it? It just isn’t quite adding up to what you know? What you used to know. It feels different, and it isn’t an improvement. We got more responsibilities and less of them have to do with having fun or meeting cute strangers anymore.
We don’t like this at all. Our responsibilities are crushing us and making us forget what we truly need, what truly matters.
We care about living each day to the fullest. Immersing ourselves in creative writing for hours on end and losing track of time inside a book. Nature, sun and good company revitalizes us and lack of these vitamins depletes us.
We need more time and opportunities to discover new places, new people and new culture. Life is truly beautiful, and love is an experience that awaits us at every corner. Love awaits us in friendships, new opportunities, new relationships and within ourselves.
What can we do to change it all around, baby girl? Change it all around so that we are experiencing love on the highest frequency. Where our days are full of sunshine, passion and purpose. What do you think we have to do that we haven’t already? Is it up to us, or is it bigger than us?
I know you are at a point in life where you just want to give in. Take a break for a little while; let someone else take over the steering wheel. And that may be okay for a little while, just a little. When that time passes, what will your next move be? What would be best for the both of us?
All that you have accomplished for us, up to this point, has been because of your power. It all begins and ends with you. There is no one else to fear or compete with, other than yourself. You are the one to beat. Yesterday’s you and last year’s you. How will you be better NOW?
It is a lot different than we hoped. When we were younger, we imagined our early 20’s looking more glamorous and thrilling.
But I have a secret: I don’t think we were that far off from our visions. In fact, I think we are closer to them than it appears. Things may look the same in this moment, but once they change, they change forever!
What you need now more than ever is to reconnect with who you truly are inside. Once that connection is reestablished, the magic will happen.
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For more stories like this, visit my blog at bybriakiara.com.
