10-Year-Letter

I got the idea in my head to write a letter to my fifteen-year old self a couple days ago as a healing practice for me and I thought it would be worth sharing it.

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and smack the stupid out of myself. I know mistakes are a part of life and a part of growing into the people we are supposed to become but honestly, I would change so much about my teenage years if I could go back in time. But unfortunately they have not invented time travel yet- or if they have, I cannot afford it.

Now that I have said all of that, here is my letter to my younger self-ten years later.

Dear Fifteen Year Old Me,

I wish I could trade places with you and teach you everything I have learned over the past ten years. But you can't go back in time you can only move forward. I hope you never stop being yourself. Don’t let yourself live within the anxiety of not being liked by everyone, that’s okay because not everyone is meant to like you.

You are so beautiful and strong- even if you don't quite manage to see it yet. You dear one, don’t even know how much courage it takes to be you yet and I’m so proud of your journey into adulthood. You are going to move mountains when you're older and you don't even know it. Don’t spend so much time hating who you are, you’re worth so much more than words can express.

Don’t ever give up on your dreams. You’re full of them and you have a long life ahead of you to work on them. Work on your writing projects. Don't ever call it a waste of time. Stop giving up so easily. You are going to go farther with your dreams than you know.

Don’t worry so much about working for the family business, there’s plenty of time for that later in life. Focus on being a teenager and experiencing life with your friends.

It’s okay to have your sad days, just don’t let yourself live within them.

Create those life long friendships because one day you’re really going to cherish them when you’re an adult.

Don’t pressure yourself into dating just to fill some void inside you. Wait. Find the right friends to surround yourself with instead of forcing yourself to be with someone so you’re not alone.

Don’t rush into your life, ease in. Learn from your previous mistakes and don’t make them again.

Stop hiding your sad side from your parents, learn to communicate with them in a healthy manner. (That means no stealing your mom's cigarettes and hiding on top of the hay bales of all things to smoke them.)

Be honest with yourself about who you are as a person. Don’t try and pretend to be anyone else just to be liked or to fit in. Just be you.

Stop exploding on your parents. They are just learning how to be a parent themselves and you will discover that the hard way one day.

Don't hate who you are. Learn to love yourself. Embrace being unique because you're truly one of a kind. Cherish that and don't ever resent that.

Keep focusing on your goals and don't get caught up in what everyone else is doing. Your story is unique and you have to remember that along your journey into adulthood.

AND LASTLY, don't forget to pour some of the love you put into other people back into yourself. It will save your life.

With love,

Your twenty-five year old self

Chloe Rose Violet🌹