a letter to my 18-year-old self.

after reading a couple of these by other people, i was inspired to write my own. i encourage you to do it for yourself!

slow down. enjoy being young, enjoy having the ability to schedule your day around soap operas instead of business meetings. quit hating the dorms and wishing for graduation day to come; it will come soon enough. too soon.

you think you're too fat and i know you cried when you ripped your prom dress after trying it on, but trust me. you're a skinny bitch. seriously- have another cheeseburger and don't worry so much about getting curves- you're already late to the game in getting them. embrace it honey- they're only going to grow!

your gut reaction to his proposal was the right one (in fact, your gut reaction to everything is almost always the right one, so trust it). and although it may have taken you longer to realize it than i wish it would have, you'll get there. you'll realize that as wonderful of a guy as he is, he's not YOUR wonderful guy. and that while letting him go might hurt both of you for awhile, in the end, it'll make you both happier than you ever could have been together.

and then you'll get your heart broken and then you'll get it broken again. and there will be moments when you find yourself unable to get off the bathroom floor, questioning your existence in this world, because of one man or another. but you will pick yourself up. eventually, you will learn how to move on. you might not be as innocent as you once were, but you'll also have gained something you didn't have before- perspective.

and the perspective is that if you don't love yourself first, no man ever will. and even if he does, it won't be worth it. you shouldn't look outside for something that is already within you. and only when you realize this is when you'll be truly happy. you'll work damn hard every day of your life achieving this, but you will be happy. it will take work, but it will be so, so worth it in the end.

(just remember that happiness doesn't always come easily. you will stumble again, you will have to learn how to pick yourself up again. but it is in those times you gain the most strength, so cherish those bad times just as much as you cherish the good ones.)

shit will happen. people will die and it will be horrible. and when that happens, be there. be there for the people that you love. because one day, you will need them too. (and we really are all in this together.)

accidents will happen, as will fights with friends. but that cheesy cliche is true- this too shall pass.and the ones that are meant to be in your life will be.

mostly, just know that even if it doesn't seem like it at the time, everything will be all right.

oh, and don't ever take shit from anyone.

with love,
27-year-old you