Dear 13-year-old me,
I know your life feels like a never-ending rollercoaster ride with so many ups and downs that you’re completely disorientated. But I have some good news for you. This feeling won’t last forever. There is a world awaiting you at the end of the tunnel that is high school and trust me, it’s worth every painful moment you’re experiencing right now. The heartbreak you’re feeling, well, that won’t last forever either. In fact, nothing lasts forever. So appreciate every minute because once it’s gone, it’s gone forever and all you’re left with is haunting memories.
Things get worse before they get better so if you find yourself at rock bottom, know that it can only go up from there. Don’t let the could have, should have and might have been’s creep up on you in the dead of night and steal your sleep. It’s okay to let go of things and people that hurt you. That boy and those “friends” you’re trying to impress don’t really matter. Some people are only your friend because you see them five days a week. You’re going to lose a lot of friends after high school, but at least you’ll find who the true ones are. You don’t know who you are right now and you never truly will. You know who you were, who you are and who you want to be. Every day that passes brings you closer to the person you wish to be because you’re constantly learning and growing. Every new year you can look back and see the changes you’ve made and experienced.
Just make sure you change for yourself and no one else because that someone might not stick around long after the changes are made. Never let someone make you feel like you’re not enough. You are always enough; they just aren’t enough for you. As weird as this might sound, don’t run from the pain. Lay your soul bare, give them your heart, and demolish your walls. Fall in love and feel every minute of happiness and sorrow. Embrace the heartbreak. Feel the pain but don’t let it break you, let it make you instead. Let yourself grow.
These are the important moments of life, they’re the ones that make you feel the most and therefore experience the most. Let them make you strong. Don’t let the world turn your heart of gold to stone because then they win. Eat that extra piece of pizza and stop looking at the scale, you’re missing the bigger picture. Scrape your knees learning to skateboard and ice your bruises from a vicious game of rugby. Life is happening while you’re too busy being cautious and living in a bubble. Let yourself be happy, let yourself go and don’t overthink. Worrying just wastes the precious time you have on this planet because things are going to play out the way they’re meant to and no amount of worry will change that.
Lastly, stop trying to be like everyone else because it’s a waste of who you are. They already exist but you don’t. You have so much potential, don’t be afraid to follow your own path and get lost on the road less travelled. Just be you, I promise you’re enough. So love yourself because at the end of the day, you’re all you have. You are going to be the one picking yourself up every time you fall. You are going to be the one nursing your wounds all the time. You are going to be the one taking care of yourself because you can’t always depend on others. They’ll be there when they can, but they’re also busy saving themselves. So love yourself because you deserve it, even if you don’t always feel like you do. Remember some days your greatest accomplishment will be getting out of bed and facing a new day.
Love,
Your future self