If I could write a letter to my younger self this is something along the lines of what I would say. In high school I remember one of my assignments was to write a letter to my future self. "Where do you see yourself in four years" is what our teacher asked us. What I said is no where I am at today. It is okay though. Things don't always go as we planned them too. God's plan is always greater than ours. We may think our plan sounds better but God has a reasoning for things that we do and may go through. He knows what is going to happen before we even see that day. I think that that is so amazing. He knows what our future is. We have to trust in him because he has us.
Don't care what others think. I think that this is so important not to care what others think to a certain extent. When I say this I mean don't care what others think if you go to church instead of a party. Don't care what others think when you want to go eat fried food for the fourth time this week. Don't care about always pleasing others. I have always been a people pleaser but I have learned that you can't please everyone. There will always be people that judge you for the choices that you make. Their opinion really doesn't matter. God's opinion is the only one that matters. So dress in sweats, a t shirt and messy bun if that's what you want to do. Don't wear make up if you don't feel like it. Eat that extra cookie because you just want to. Live your life everyday as if it is your last and do what makes you happy. Don't care about always making every single human on this earth happy with you. That will never happen and you will just end up being disappointed in yourself.
Learn to be patient. The best things in life are worth waiting for. Nothing in this life comes easy. You have to work for what you want. Be patient wether it is being patient waiting in line at the pharmacy to get your medicine, waiting at the doctor for 45 min just to be seen, waiting on the cooks to prepare your meal or being patient with yourself because you are struggling in life and need some time. Wait for the things that you want. Wait for the man that reminds you of your papa. Wait for the man that will treat you how you deserve to be treated. Wait for the friends that will match your energy and that will love you unconditionally. Wait for the friends that will be there forever. Wait for the things in life that don't come easy. I could go on and on forever about learning patience. It is something that is applied in almost every aspect of your lives.
Bad days don't last forever. You may have had a rough day but guess what the bad days make you appreciate the good days. Bad days are still not bad because there is something good in everyday. A day is 24 hours. Even if you had a rough day, you have another chance tomorrow to make the next day better. Whatever you are going through or whatever may have happened today just know that it could be worse. I know that that doesn't always make you feel better. But it is true there is always someone worse off than you are so be thankful where you are today. Even if you're having a bad day remember how far that you have come from where you once used to be. When I don't always have the best day I will go get one of my favorite foods, watch some fail videos on youtube so that I can laugh until my tummy hurts and maybe call an old friend to catch up. Say a couple prayers and have a good cry. Crying is okay. Crying to me means that you are strong enough to express your feelings rather than holding them in. If it will make you feel better than do it. That always makes me feel better.
Try not to worry so much. Turn the worries into prayers. I once saw a quote that said "Anxiety shows that we are too close to the world, and too far from God."- John Piper. Every time you have a wave of worry or anxiety that hits you or you get into your head and start overthinking, I encourage you to talk to God. Pray about your situation. I encourage you to write in a journal or talk to a friend and pour your thoughts out. Lean on the Lord and when you have those thoughts. Do something to get it off of your mind. Go for walks, I promise I have great conversations when I go on walks with friends or even alone. Worrying just brings you down. Try and smile today.
Pay attention to what brings you joy. Even if your friends don't like it, it's okay. It's alright to be different. Do what makes you happy. Even if it's going to the local playground and swinging, go swing. Even if it means standing alone.
Take lots of pictures. You will never get that day back again. Photos become memories. Capture moments so you can later look at them and cherish that day or moment. Pictures last forever and behind every picture is a story to be told. Take pictures to show your future kids and grandkids one day. Take pictures to remember.
Let it go. Forgive others as God forgave you. Don't spend time dwelling on the past. You have come such a long ways. People make mistakes. No one is perfect. Don't be ashamed of who you once were but instead embrace it and how far that you have come. Be proud of yourself. Ephesians 4:32 says "“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Sometimes in life you get hurt. It's apart of it but if God can forgive us for all of our sins than we can forgive others. Holding something against someone is only robbing you of your happiness. Let it go.
Go on adventures. Take some chances, you never know what is going to happen. Some of my most favorite memories are from spur of the moment decisions. If you know me you know that I absolutely LOVE to go on adventures. I promise you that it will make you feel better.
Not all of your friends will end up being your life long friends. This one is a tough one. I know if you're like me then you are sad reading that first line because you love your friends and you want them to be in your life forever. But it is apart of life, you grow, you get busy living two separate lives and life just simply happens. Even though you may not always be bffs forever, they will always be apart of your memories. Remember the good times with them and I'm sure that if you called one of your old friends from high school or freshman year they would answer and be there in a heart beat but not everyone will always stick around. Those who do are special. I think that everyone who comes across our path is a blessing and has something to teach us. There is always a greater reason than we may understand.
It is okay to say no. This one took me 19 years of my life. We are all so busy with our own things we have going on but we also want to go have fun with our friends. We don't want to miss out on anything. We want to go to every event and do everything our friends do. It's okay to say no you can't go because you need a day to rest or do homework. It's okay to just be exhausted and not want to go or even not have a reason. There will always be another event you can go to. Don't feel bad for not attending because sometimes you need to take time for yourself. I used to say yes to everyone to everything they wanted me to do even if it meant not doing the things I needed to do because I wanted to make everyone happy. You can still be there for others and take care of yourself too. It is all about balance.
Cherish your family and the time you get to spend with them. As we get older I feel like we understand and value the time we get on Earth with our loved ones. They won't be here forever and neither will we so make sure you tell them that you love them, hug them extra tight and soak up all the time you can. As we grow up we move out of our parents house and we go to work or college. We don't get to see them everyday like we used to. So when we do see them it is special. Remember to give your parents and grandparents a call or even surprise visit. They are proud of you and all that you are doing but they also miss you like crazy. Cherish the time you spend with your family.
Don't hide your beliefs. Speak how you feel. Live what you believe. Don't hide your beliefs about your religion or even something else. Tell others how you feel. It's okay if it's not the same as them but your opinion and feelings are valued and justified.
Happiness is found within. Okay so this is a big one. You make yourself happy. Only you can determine the outcome of your day. You pick your mood everyday when you wake up if you want to be happy or sad. Other people may in-fact do things that make you happy by their words or actions. They may make you happier but at the end of the day you can't put the responsibility on someone else to make you happy. You will never truly be happy if you can't find happiness within yourself first.
It is easier to be kind than to be mean. It takes just as amount of energy to be nice than it does mean. Be nice to others, you never know what they are going through. My mom always told me since I was a kid, "treat others how you want to be treated." By showing kindness to others they will want to be kind to you in return most of the time.
Your past doesn't define who you are. Your worth is not determined by your ACT score or your grades. Your identity is not your accomplishments. Your past mistakes and trials does not reflect who you are as a person. I have made plenty of mistakes in my life but that does not mean I am those mistakes. I have grown and changed. I am better than I once was. You define who you are in your identity.
Don't listen to people when they tell you that you can't achieve your dreams. Story time, my advisor my Sophomore year said that she did not think I would be able to graduate on time because I changed my major for one semester then switched it back. She doubted me because I had to take extra classes that semester and they were not the easiest. She did not believe in me. But I am here to tell you I have worked so hard. I have taken courses every summer. I have spent countless hours working and studying. Today I am going into her office to fill out my graduation application. I am graduating early and I am telling you that you can do anything you want to if you put your mind to it. Never let people discourage you. Show them that you can and you will.
Calendars will be your best friend. I am one of the most organized people you will ever meet. I love to plan. I think my life is so much easier when I write down all the things that I have to do and then cross them off. It is a weight lifted off of my shoulder when I have my whole week and month planned out. You have a schedule and deadline of when you need to complete things. I will even write encouraging notes or a Bible verse to encourage me to get through the day or week. Planners make my life easier, I promise you won't regret it.
The little things matter most in life. It means the world to me when I receive a meaningful text or sweet little note. Even a phone call will brighten my day. I think the little things matter the most like when your friend remembers your favorite movie or something you discussed with them that you never thought they would remember. The littlest things make peoples day. It could be a simple smiling at someone, holding the door for someone behind you, complementing your friend or even a stranger. Something small goes along ways. I have met one of my greatest friends by talking to them in a Starbucks line before class and just being kind. Who knew that a stranger would become someone I consider my family.
The value of words. If you are mad wait to respond. You might say things that you don't necessarily mean when you are upset. Take time to cool off and be rational before you say or do something you can't take back. Never go to bed upset. If you go to bed upset you will most likely not have a good nights rest and you will wake up feeling gloomy. Think before you speak. Words mean a lot to people so be careful how you use them because it can be stuck in someones mind forever. Words can be used in a good or bad way but it is up to you to choose how you use them.
NEVER apologize for how you feel. This is something I still struggle with and am working on. You are human. You have a right to feel your feelings. Some people are more emotional than others and that is okay. Not everyone is the same but don't let someone ever tell you that your feelings aren't valid. It is better to get your feelings out by talking to someone, a friend or even a therapist, write in a journal or just do anything. Don't keep your feelings bottled up. Just breathe, it will be alright.
I hope all of you that read this found something that spoke out to you. I pray that you will all do your best everyday to be a little better than you were the day before. Thank you for reading. Have a blessed day!
XOXO- Sarah
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