An Honest Letter To Myself As A Teenager: Healing Journal Prompt
Dear Teenage Self (Lauren, Lulu, Lo)
“These are the best years of your life”. BULLSHIT. FUCK THIS ADVICE.
Then why do they say this nonsense? I think it’s because these years do have potential. And in retrospect, they are amazing. But they are also so hard. Here’s the thing though - it’s okay to feel two things at once. It’s okay to be grateful AND overwhelmed. To love your friends AND feel like a loser sometimes. The thing that bothers me about the “these are the best years of your life” nonsense, is that it is not hopeful for teens struggling with anxiety or depression (aka being a teenager).
What would be more accurate advice then? Something like “No one else has it figured out either.” This is true, and more reassuring. Everyone is fighting their own battle. So, be kind. Be kind to others. But also to yourself. You’re doing the best you can - what more can you ask of yourself? One more time for the people in the back - IT IS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.
Your mom is probably right, also. About most things. Like:
wait a year of feeling like you NEED a tattoo before getting one
don’t drink and drive (irreversible damage, fair)
don’t dye your hair unless you are prepared to deal with the damage - literal damage
nothing good happens after midnight
do your best but don’t drive yourself crazy in the process
seek balance
listen to your intuition
do what is right, not what is easy
Also - I’m sorry for all the heartbreak. I know it feels like you will never recover. It’s hard to see it now, but In the long run, you will be grateful for it. This is a learning experience - how you will know FOR SURE when you’ve picked the right partner.
You can’t buy the first prom dress you try on. You have to see what you like, see what you don’t like; be sure it’s the right fit.
Some say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger (I think Brittney Spears says it, but whatever). I think, yes, or it’s just hazing into adulthood.
Inevitably, fitting in is important to you. As much as it is cool to come off as you don’t care about what people think, of course you care. AND THAT’S OKAY. Hormones don’t help. Just remember that everyone else is more concerned with their own shortcomings and how cool they are, than they are about you.
Change is the only constant in life. Flow with the universe and learn to ride the waves of anxiety.
Doubt kills more fear than failure ever will. Keep moving. Learn from the past and move on. What is done is done. Each morning we are born again. It is what we do today that matters most.
You have so much to learn. We are not meant to go it alone. Your parents are here to support you. There is something to be learned from every experience. Opportunities are endless. Anything is possible. Change it forever. And most importantly, IT GETS BETTER. I pinky swear ya.
I love you whether you realize it or not.
You are enough.
You are more than enough.
XOX
Lauren
