Note To A Younger Me

A while back, a year or so, I think, I found an interesting self-challenge on a blog. It’s been long enough now that I have absolutely no idea whose blog it was, unfortunately. Anyway, the idea was one I’ve seen before and it interested me. However, every time I’ve found this in the computer over this year, I thought about it for a while, and just closed the file. I found it again this morning, and it was finally time for me to do this.

Here is the deal: If I could meet my younger self as a young teenager (about 14 strikes me as the age I needed to hear this) here's what I'd say.

• Believe in yourself. You're smarter than you think you are.
• Have more self confidence. You don’t see it now, but you’ll realize one day how attractive, generous and genuine you are. People actually like you, but you must believe it or it is lost.
• Don’t look for love in the wrong places. Believe that you are worth anyone’s love and you will get it.
• Throw caution to the wind, but don’t step off the cliff.
• It's okay to make mistakes, people will still love you. At least the ones worth having in your life will.
• Spend time with Mom and Dad, and drop the attitude. You don’t see it now, but they will be so important to you later in life.
• Pay attention. There is so much to learn from others if you don’t have your head in the sand or up your own butt.
• Ask questions. Nobody else knows what you need to know.
• Don’t just follow the crowd. Follow your own ideas. They are good ones, but you need to believe it and act on it.
• Don’t be afraid of challenges. Yes, they are hard to face, but they will make your life more interesting and valuable.
• Trust your instincts. They are usually right. When they tell you to back away, run like hell. When they tell you to open your arms, do it. This doesn’t mean you won’t get hurt, but it means you will learn and grow, and your instincts will be stronger with each experience.
• Be bolder in love. Say what you want and need. You won’t get it all, but you’ll get more than if you sit like a quiet lump on a log. This works in friendships, too. Heck, it works in life!
  
• Don’t stop playing the piano or the violin. You will regret it deeply.
• You learned French, and you were darned good at it. Don’t let it lapse. And while you’re at it, study Spanish, too. You will be surprised how useful both will be.
• Start saving for a retirement plan when you get your first real job. It will change your life unbelievably. Remember you are the only one responsible for your security.
  
• Pay attention to what you eat. The day will come when that skinny little body will change, and you will be happy that you are already eating right. It will save you years of pain.
• Don’t be afraid to open doors. Don’t be afraid to close them, either.
• Find joy in everything you can.
• Dreams can come true, but only if you act on them and work toward them. The work is worth it, trust me.

If this interests you, by all means take it to your blog. Or to your personal journal. It's already stolen property, so there is no further crime to be hanged for! What would you say to your younger self?