Dear Sixteen Year Old Me . . .

Life is not what you think it is or as you think it will be.  Almost all of the things that matter to you now, or that you think are important now, won't matter a whit in the years to come. At the end of the day what you look like, what you wear, where you live, the car you drive,  and what you do won't matter nearly as much as who you've become.  And all of those popular kids who sneered and laughed and bullied, they won't matter either. 

What will matter is that you are kind and thoughtful and caring, respectful.  That you can reach out to others, especially those less fortunate than yourself, that you can make a difference in the world, even if only in a small way. Every little helps. 

He is not the one. Don't let a man or men define your world. Make your own way. You don't need a man to take care of you. You can take care of yourself.  Get as much education as you can and forge a life for yourself that nobody else can take away, or control. Learn to be strong on your own.

 

Don't be afraid of being different. Be afraid of being the same as everyone else. All of the people in the world who have achieved the most and who have forged new paths, invented new things, done amazing things, achieved great things  . . . have been different.  It is your differentness that makes you special and unique, that sets you apart. 

Life is all about balance. Be kind, but don't allow others to abuse you. Trust, but trust with wisdom.  Don't allow others to deceive you.  Be content, but don't allow being content  keep you from achieving great things, moving forward, meeting new people, finding new places . . .  .

 

Learn to love and value you yourself, not in a narcisisstic way, but in a self-care way.  Be gentle with yourself. Don't get overly upset about your imperfections, but don't be afraid to make changes either. Its okay to be disappointed when you fail, or lose, or fall short of what you had planned, but don't let your imperfections define you.  Use them to grow, become, learn . . .  they are not anchors. Don't let them keep you down or held in place.

Learn the value of moderation.  There will always be more cake, another chance, new opportunities, someone else who will love you the way you deserve to be loved. 

One day you will wish that you were as beautiful or as thin as you are right now. Enjoy you, now . . .  don't waste your youth on comparison.  Comparison will always be the thief of joy. 

  

Make yourself proud, and others will follow. Know your own worth and don't be afraid to hold out for others who see that in you, be they employers, friends, partners, etc. Don't settle for less than that.  Don't settle period. 

One day you will wake up and see that life is short, too short . . . and it passes in a flash.  Don't be afraid to use the good china now.  To wear the nice things now. To enjoy all that you have and all that you are . . .  now.  All of our days are numbered and none of us knows what that number is.  Be. Happy. Now.  With. What. You. Have. Now.  Don't waste your days in yearning. 

Believe in you. In your dreams. In who you are and in who you can become. 

Nice matters. Kind matters. Honesty matters.  Truth matters. Love matters.

 

Don't run away from your fears, your losses, your failures.  Face them head on and learn to overcome them.  Don't run away from what you don't understand. Be inquisitive. Never stop learning.  Knowledge is power.

There is someone special that is just for you.  Don't settle for the first one who comes along unless you know he is the right one. It matters most that he is kind, caring, honest, hard working and true.  That  you have interests in common, things that you can share with impunity.  That you are both on the same page intellectually and spiritually.  That he loves you as much as you love him. You can't fix anyone.  They need to fix themselves. Know your worth and he will too.  If he shows himself to be anything less, believe him, and move on.  Be careful of what you tolerate. You are teaching people how to treat you.

 

Put God and His ways first.  If you do that, everything else will fall into place. You will make better decisions and choices. That doesn't mean that hard times won't come. The rain falls evenly on the just and the unjust, but when you know His ways you are better equipped to deal with the rain.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.

I will remove from you your heart of stone, 

and give you a heart of flesh. ~Ezekiel 36:26

Above all, treat each day for the gift that it is. Enjoy it as much as you can. Every day may not be a good day, but there is good in every day. Look for it and you will find it.

When you fall down, get right back up again. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. 

Read good books, watch good films, talks, programs. Garbage in, garbage out  . . . the happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.

The happiest people are the givers, not the takers. Don't be afraid to give and when you do give, do so without  expectation of anything in return.  

Mountains do not rise without earthquakes.  Rome wasn't built in a day.  They may sound like cliches but there is truth in every word. Be patient.  Good things DO come to those who wait. What doesn't kill us does make us stronger. The best way out is always through. You'll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind.  

Learn to trust your instincts and follow them.

 

Life is fragile.  Make memories.  Tell the people you love that you love them and never stop telling them. Spend time with them. Take plenty of pictures.  Real pictures that you can hold and keep forever. Take note of how they feel in your arms, the beauty of their smiles, the sound of their voices, their laughter.  Love with impunity. You never know when they will be taken away. 

Fall asleep at night with love and forgiveness in your heart.  Pray always. Trust your journey and rest your soul. 

Don't worry.  Be happy. 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *Tact is the art of  making a point

without making an enemy.

~ Sir Isaac Newton•。★★ 。* 。 

 

In the English Kitchen today, Small Sized Angel Food Cake.  Baked in a loaf tin. Yummilicious!  

Have a beautiful day!  Whatever the day brings don't forget!   

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And I do too!