Letter to My Teenage Self

Hey lovebugs! It's #CenteredThursday and you know its time for some self-reflection!

I found this letter in a notebook from earlier this year, and I think it's a healthy exercise to go through and meditate on how far you've come in your growth process. I'll be revisiting this letter each year and update with the new lessons that I've learned. i'm hoping to maintain these letters to myself so that I can share them with my future children when appropriate.

• You don't have to be grounded in a relationship to establish yourself as valuable, worthy, complete, or in order to ensure support. A relationship does not make you more valuable or worthy. You are complete just as you are, no matter who you are connected with.

• You are beautiful inside and out, and you are intelligent and clever. You don't need to hear these facts from anyone else for them to be true. 

• Take time to understand who you are and what's important to you, and do not pin importance on one single person. You need time, space and energy to find yourself. Only you have the answer to that. It's okay to indulge in other's interests, but you must make it a priority to feed your likes and interests first.

• Don't look for yourself and your worth in someone else's bed. Enjoy life and all it has to offer. Be safe about sex. Don't do anything out of pressure or acceptance. Always get consent, and understand that consent can be withdrawn at any time. 

• Surround yourself with people who are smart and ambitious. Their good habits will rub off on you only IF you invest in understanding and implementing the basics needed for a strong foundation. Learn discipline and incorporate discipline in your circle.

• Schedule fun things in your life alongside your responsibilities, otherwise you'll burn out and become a recluse.

• Stop overloading your plate. I know you like to challenge yourself with how much you can handle because you've convinced yourself that it makes you marketable and well-rounded. It doesn't. It makes you look flighty and indecisive. Fuck alladat. You gotta focus on something. Master that first before clipping on a new hobby. 

• Find your passion and don't give up so easily. All things will not come easy to you, but that's not a signal for you to give up. You are a fighter and growth is uncomfortable, yet necessary. You have to push yourself to become the greatest version of yourself. Only you have the power to get yourself there. 

• Being busy isn't sexy. Taking care of yourself is. Your health is your wealth. You can't take care of anyone else unless you take care of yourself.

• You should be reading and writing. Don't ever stop. 

• Drink more water and get more sleep. Those should be your top health priorities.

• Enjoying sex and having multiple partners doesn't make you a hoe. Just be safe, okay? And make sure that you are open and honest with your partners. You are not married to your feelings, so if you change your mind and something is no longer serving you, you have the right to verbalize that and move on.

• Maturity is relative. Don't rush to be grown and live an "adult" life. Don't be so quick to cut someone off just because they're not on the same maturity level YOU THINK you're on. 

• Communication is key and planning TOGETHER (if you have a partner) is essential.

• You don't need to be in a relationship, but if you choose to be in one, RESPECT IT.

• If you want to experiment or you're curious [and what you want to do does not endanger your health and safety or that of the people around you], then just say that. Speak your mind, lovebug.

• You must be comfortable with being alone. If you don't master being alone, you can develop unhealthy dependencies on other people.

• Everything you do, whether you think people know or not, is fair game for questioning. Be proud of both versions of yourself.

• COMMUNICATE!

• Continue to be a good friend, but do not allow people to take advantage of you. 

• Stop doing things to impress other people. 

• Get dolled up for yourself. 

• DO NOT mess with anyone married. EVER. Separated is still married. Yes, I have to say this. Let them work on themselves so they can approach you ready. Do not wait for someone who is married. Yes, I have to say it. 

What would your letter to your teenage self look like? Share with me everywhere @jazzmynblu

Letter to My Teenage Self is an original post and appeared first on BYNradio.com by Jazzmyn Blu.