This post is part of the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge hosted by WEGO Health. I will be writing a post a day for all 30 days. You can learn more about it here:http://info.wegohealth.com/HAWMC2012.
Today’s topic:
Write a letter to yourself at age 16. What would you tell yourself? What would you make your younger self aware of?
Dear 16-year-old me,
I could tell you all the things that are going to happen in the next 10 years, but I think it would take some of the fun out of living. So, instead, let me tell you the life lessons I have learned in that decade of life…
You…
…are so much stronger than you think you are. You can deal with so much more that life throws at you than you can even imagine. …are not alone in this world. Friends and family will support you. Stop trying to do everything all by yourself. Life doesn’t work that way. …need to remember that things that don’t always go the way you plan. You have to accept this, and believe that something else will work out that will still make you happy. …ought to understand that some things aren’t meant to last. Enjoy them while you have them, and let them go in peace. …need to believe that you are beautiful – no matter what. This means no matter the weight gain, the puffy face, the swollen joints, the hair loss, or the face rashes. …should realize that friends who abandon you when they hear news that should make them want to support you were never truly your friends in the first place. Let them go. You’re better off without them. …must learn to take chances. This means putting yourself out on that ledge that you’re so scared of, and not hiding behind your well-built wall that keeps people out so that they can’t cause you pain. Some things require taking a chance. Yes, you might get hurt … but you life can’t move forward without those risks. …are a good friend to people, because you love and believe in them. They won’t always be good friends to you. Know that this doesn’t mean that you aren’t worthy of their friendship, but rather that they are not worthy of yours. You don’t need to be a loyal friend to people who aren’t loyal to you. Don’t waste time on people who don’t see your true worth. If they can’t figure out how wonderful you are, it’s their loss. Chasing after them won’t convince them to change their minds. Focus your energy on people who see and love you for you. Those are the people who deserve you. …must do this most of all: Learn to love yourself. Learn to love yourself despite everything in life that makes you not want to. At the end of the day, only you truly know yourself, and if you don’t love yourself it’s awfully hard for you to let anyone else love you either.
There are so many more things I would love to tell you, but I think some things have to be learned through experience….
Love always,
Shruti
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