YouTube is running a campaign in honor of National Women Day (March 8th) asking its users to have a talk with their younger selves. I have a YouTube channel, but as a writer I have always felt much better at expressing myself through words.
So here goes nothing...
Dear Me,
Let me start out by saying it gets better! It may not seem like it now, but trust me it will. You don't feel comfortable in your own skin, but one day you will embrace yourself flaws and all.
Right now, middle school is tough. You get teased relentlessly and any attempts you make at being "cool" fail miserably. Every morning you think your hair is never right, your teeth are in major need of braces, and your glasses are always just a little crooked. You swim in all your clothing because you haven't discovered the wonder of the junior clothing department. You walk around thinking that everyone notices all of the things that you think are wrong with you.
Here is nice little tid bit from the older you, one day you will look back at an old picture and realize that everyone around was just as awkward and probably feeling the same exact way. No one noticed because they were going through it too. The girls who breeze with puberty are the lucky ones.
High school will come with its own hurdles. You will ditch the glasses, your teeth will be perfect, and your style will have improved, but you will need to get over an extreme narcissistic vanity. It came with one too many people telling you how beautiful you have becone.
You will struggle to fit in. Not because you won't have amazing friendships that could have lasted a lifetime, but because you can never be content. You will be so focused on social climbing that you will learn the hard way to not to burn bridges with the people that truly matter.
You will also experience great loss in high school. The loss of 3 grandparents and a childhood friend over a course of 3 years. It will be gut wrenching, but believe me little one it will make you stronger. So much stronger! More than anything else, it will teach you to love and appreciate those who matter every day that you have them.
To sum it all up, I know right now it seems like life is so hard. I know you can't imagine things getting better, but I PROMISE you they will. You will have amazing friends, experience great love, and have the best family a girl could ask for. Stop worrying about what people think, stop trying to fit in, and as cliché as it sounds...be yourself! Once you do this you will be infinitely happier! It seems easier said than done, but really you can do it.
Love you so much,
Your older, slightly more stylish, and hopefully a little wiser self
