You’re not fat. Trust me. Stop tying things around your waist.
You’re not going to lose your virginity this year. Stop worrying about it.
Stop being so mean to your dad.
Look up what kegels are and starting doing them…now.
Smile more. I know you don’t think you are pretty, but you totally are.
What do you need to tell yourself?
I’m telling YOU to smile more because YOU are pretty.
I still don’t even know how to do a kegel. I am doomed, likely.
I posted this topic on my blog yesterday. I really wish I would have listened to my “wiser” self when I was 16. Great list, Brittany!!
* Appreciate your goodness, your compassionate side and don’t let anyone ever knock you for it.
* You are beautiful inside and out. Please, please, don’t waste your time or energy on the idiots who only want to sleep with you and you allow because of your negative self image.
* Love your parents even when you don’t feel like they understand you or have your best interest at heart – they DO!!!
* Learn to stand up for yourself – have a voice! Stop trying to befriend the whole world and being too afraid to displease anyone because you are afraid you’ll hurt their feelings. Speak truthfully but with a compassionate, loving soul.
Nice, sistah.
xox
I think it’s safe to say we ALL thought we were fat :/
As big as your boobs are now, they’re just going to get more unmanageable, so get used to it, sister! Also, just relax. You won’t care about ANY of these people in five years. Promise.
You are NOT crazy, you just have OCD.
You are not gay, so stop sleeping with guys to prove you’re not gay-you are just Bisexual-its ok, lots of people will come out as bi in the coming years. Its normal, its ok. (ps…that girl youre crushing on is bi too, and you should totally go for it)
Don’t drop out of school.
Your mom IS a drug addict, and what she puts you through is legitimate child abuse-go ahead and report her and ask to be removed from the home-its better than ‘enduring’ it. Its not your fault.
(though as a disclaimer i have to say i feel like if i fucked with my past it would drastically alter my life now-and as much as i complain I would be lost without my husband and my kids-and the experiences that gave me my present perspective on life-plus im totes empathetic.)
TO my Sixteen Year Old self…Pay more attention chicks actually do dig you.
Don’t be a man whore, but don’t get so wrapped up in one girl.
Smoke less weed
Don’t wait until you have three kids and a fourth on the way to finish college
Marry for Love
WATCH OUT for Red HEads they will break you in two
Oh and DO NOT drop the cute girl in Washington for some stripper bitch
Finally…Dear 16 year old self take all that money you saved from not smoking weed and buy the shit out of Apple, Microsoft, Genentech stock, oh and when the internet comes out create this social networking site…call it Facebook…spread it around to colleges, and remember “relationship status” is the key
Ok that’s all ..now get job young man before you wind up in prison with some 300 lb biker trying to skull fuck you.
Don’t waste time on boyfriends, no matter what you think you will NOT marry these boys!
Put the bong DOWN!
Make school your priority, it truely is the most important thing.
And, size 7 jeans is something you will long for in ten years so embrace them!
this is a great post……
Its alllll going to be OK, thats what i would have told myself.
Don’t sacrifice so much of your time for that boy. Pay more attention to your self and your friends. They’re the ones who’ll love you down the road.
You’re not fat.
Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’ll go on to get an awesome job, while most of your classmates will end up working for their parents.
I love you, Brittany. I needed to tell myself most those things today. As well as ‘don’t worry about your hair. It’s gray because you have many life memories.’
Quit taking high school so seriously – you’ll get into a good college, even if you don’t make honor roll every semester.
And (in a difference to some of the above posts) you are right to drop (some of) your friends for that boy. You aren’t going to marry him, but 16 years down the line, he’s still going to be one of your best friends, while the others have fallen to drugs and other things. He’s a good guy, even if he isn’t the right guy for you.
To my 20 year old self: beware of any man you meet in a bus station.
I saw so many “you’re NOT fat!” tweets yesterday, it broke my heart. If we all only knew!
1. Leave him NOW before he hits you.
2. Go hug your grandmother. She has gone above and beyond to raise you…she deserves your appreciation.
3. Thank your friends for being so incredibly awesome and nonjudgmental
4. Write to your sister and tell her to hang in there
5. Tell your mom to fuck off…you won’t ever need her.
6. You are worthy
7. Be brave
8. Sing louder
9. Fly your freak flag
10. Kiss more boys
You love him a lot, but he is not worth all the heartache he will bring. Move on and enjoy your teen years without him in the picture!
I wish we really could send these back to ourselves.
Tell a school counselor the things he’s doing to you, not your Mom, not your grandparents, they can’t handle it. It doesn’t matter if he’s your father, it has to stop. Now.
You won’t always be freakishly skinny and a “carpenters wet dream”. (weight issues can go both ways)
You will always be taller than most women, stop slouching and own it.
You don’t have to have sex with men just so they’ll love you.
Do your damn homework and save for college. God know your parents won’t.
Don’t be so embarassed by the way you look that you push your friends towards dating the boy(s) you like or turn boys down when they ask. So..your a little chubby, who cares…your super cute and funny.
Study more. You might be smart and HS might easy, but not learning study skills now is going to bite you in the ass later.
You are going to get your heart broken your senior year, but that sinlge event will change the course of your life for the better.
In college…don’t not do it because your afraid of what certain people will think. Sure, waiting is awesome….but your gonna miss out on quite a few good lays.
Love,
Your 32 year old self
to my 16yr old self?
speak up! people actually like you-especially if you talk.
stop don’t worry about your weight-you will wish for the day you were that size.
take more pictures of yourself.
kiss greg. he actually liked you.
@~You are not a slut. You did not ask for it. Parking with a boy does not give him the right to do what he did.
@~ You can be *both* smart and sexy.
@~ Guys don’t treat you like shit. You allow them to.
@~ That guy you work with at McDonald’s, he’s going to really love you forever. And he will give you your beautiful boys.
@~ You will spend your days pouring your soul into other peoples’ children who desperately need you to show them the world so take a few minutes to be irresponsible now while you can.
@~ You are smokin’ hot and will one day look back on the black bikini days wishing for a do over. Shake what your momma made you before it all shakes and wobbles on its own.
-you know that boy you are thinking about sleeping with? He is great in bed, but, he will be a lousy father to your kids.
-don’t listen to your father’s criticism, in twenty years you will decide not to ever allow him to belittle you again and you will start to LIVE.
-keep studying and making good grades, in twenty years, you will be a therapist and own two practices. Whose the nerd now????
-don’t be with any man who treats you like you are just one of his options. You are going to be someone’s everything, just wait and see.
-you are going to have a daughter someday and here’s another secret…….she’s beautiful, just like you!!!!
I love this post and am going to do something similar on my blog. Thanks for the idea. And I loved reading everyone’s responses!
*Don’t worry about these boys. Quit trying to make them happy.
*You’ve got some really awesome days not too far ahead. Be patient.
*Just go to church. I know it’s boring, but just go.
Totally weird, I just posted 2 things I would tell myself the other day…
1. You were a good kid and did the right thing with how much focus you put into school. You never skipped class, always did your homework, and strived for really high marks. That is a very important characteristic to have as it contributes to your work ethic. Please continue doing that.
2. Do not worry so much about the “cool people” in high school. Trust me, I have seen what these people have become today and they are far from “cool.” As a matter of fact, you are much cooler ;)
Dear Sarah:
1. Please save your red bongo jeans, b/c your 35 year old self is going to want to pass them onto your daughter.
2. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind! All those boys you liked? They liked you too, but were too shy to say anything. Don’t wait until your 10 year reunion to find out who had a crush on you.
3. Stop drinking all that soda! Your teeth will forever hate you for it!
4. Don’t worry about your breasts. They’ll grow in college and then you’ll want them to shrink back down.
5. Be nice to your sister! She’ll end up being your best friend and Tijuana dance partner. You can’t beat that.
I think perhaps you meant sisters..pluraled. Meanie! :) And I really cannot wait for you daughter to rock those red Bongo jeans, I’m totally gonna take pictures!