A Letter to me at 17 ...

Tomorrow is my birthday ... I am going to be 27 - I know ... really old!  I have been thinking about what I would tell myself 10 years ago if I could, so I have decided to write a letter to myself at 17 ...

Dear 16 going on 17 year old self,
 

You are beautiful STOP telling yourself otherwise!  You are not fat either!  You need to stop bring yourself down - go look in the mirror ... seriously, do it!  You are beautiful and not even close to being fat.  Go back to the mirror and tell yourself that you are beautiful ... now do it again, but this time mean it!  When someone gives you a compliment don't defect it - take it and thank them.  They mean it or they wouldn't have said it.

Start running - run when you are happy, run when you are sad, run when you want to hit someone, and run when you are stressed.  Just run and maybe you will love it in 10 years.  Run to the store and buy a good sports bra - the girls will thank you later!  And while you are there buy some good shoes too!

At Christmas, your grandma and grandpa will come down to visit.  Grandma has cancer and she is losing her hair.  You will catch her looking in the mirror at the scarf on her head and touching where her perfect head of hair used to be.  She will give this look of sadness that you aren't supposed to see - tell her that she is beautiful!  Tell her that she has always been beautiful and she always will be.

When ma asks if you want to go up to see your grandma on really short notice say yes!  What she can't say is that grandma isn't going to make it much longer and that she is going up to say goodbye.  I know you have a Spanish test, but trust me you will never use Spanish and your family is more important than a test anyway.  It will be hard, but you are a strong girl.  Let yourself cry - salt water may not heal all wounds but it sure does help!

There is a boy that keeps asking you out on a date - just go, he's a good guy!  You'll have fun and soon you'll see him as more than a friend.  I know it is going to be your Senior Year and you don't want a boyfriend, but just go for it.  And when that boy takes you shopping and asks if you like a necklace DON'T tell him that it is hideous then go on and on about how you could use it for a weapon and all of that - he already bought it and has it wrapped up for you.  You will feel really stupid when you open it.  Tell him it is nice but you don't like gold or something like that.

You are having problems with a certain teacher in your life and they are only going to get worse this year.  Be the bigger person and tell her that how she is treating you is not ok - stand up for yourself.  Treat her with respect even if she doesn't treat you the same.  At the end of Senior Year you will make a bold move in regards that that teacher - you will have a whole army of supporters (including your amazing mom) so go for it!  

People always say that time flies - they are right!  Before you know it you will be 27 yet still feel like you are 17.  Enjoy being young - do something stupid so you can laugh about it later.  You don't always have to be the responsible one. And take lots of pictures - it is fun to look back.  

A few random things: Always wear sunscreen, put on night cream every night, spend money on good shoes - your feet are important, save at least 20% of your income, start a retirement account NOW, tell your family, friends, and boyfriend how amazing they are - do that often, and never compare yourself to others - be the best YOU that you can be!

Don't let anyone tell you that you are too young to do something!  Sharks are born swimming!  And for that matter - don't let anyone tell you that you are too ____ to ____ (that teacher who told you that your boobs are too big for public speaking when you were a Freshman - she was wrong).

Make time for your friends!  One of your friends will drive all the way down the Arizona (oh, by the way you will live in Arizona for a few months) just to support you and your boyfriend after his car crash.  She is an amazing friend and you will never find a way to tell her how much her friendship means to you, but try anyway - be there for her no matter what. Another group of friends will skip class to come to your grandpa's funeral just to give you a hug and tell you that they are there for you.  You have been blessed with amazing friends - make time for them and tell them how much they mean to you.  Be there for them and pick them up when they are down.   

The next 10 years are going to be hard - some days you will feel like you have lost everything and you won't want to do it anymore.  Some days you will cry yourself to sleep and some days you will not be able to get out of bed.  People you love will battle with cancer and lose.  There will be car accidents that change your life forever.  People you love will say horrible things to you that can never be taken back.  You have amazing friends, amazing family, and an amazing man that will be there to pick you up when you need it.  Don't be afraid to ask them for help.  Don't be afraid to tell them how you feel.  

The next 10 years are going to be amazing also.  You will graduate from high school, you will graduate from college, you will get your teaching credential, you will earn your masters degree, the most amazing little man will come into your life and you will not be able to imagine how you lived without him, you will have a beautiful home, and most importantly you will have an amazing group friends and family to share it with!  Laugh every chance you get and remember to enjoy the good times!

Love, 

You at 26 going on 27

What would you tell yourself 10 years ago?