Dear self,

You are beautiful. I am writing to you to remind you of some really important things about living.

1. You are so loved.

2. I promise that life gets better than 8^th grade.

3. I promise that these experiences will be comical in a few years.

4. The fights that you have gotten in with girls over the silliest things will make you stronger.

5. The time that you stand in front of the mirror trying to stand in different positions so that your thighs don’t touch is time wasted.

6. Spending time with your family is important.

7. Don’t lay on the couch, staring at your phone, anticipating a text message that you have yet to receive.

8. Guard your heart.

9.Girls are mean and when they tell you that they will keep a secret, they won’t.

10. You don’t know everything.

11. Eat the cupcake. Just do it.

12. If you wouldn’t text it to your mom, don’t put it on social media.

13. The number of followers that you have does not determine your worth.

14. Don’t pop pimples. You will regret it.

15. Life is more than grades, sports, or friends.

16. You’ll get your braces off soon.

17. Put the eyeliner down, girlfriend.

18. When you meet someone shake their hand and look them in the eyes.

19. It’s perfectly normal to have no best friends and it is perfectly normal to have 15 best friends.

20. Read books that challenge your mind.

21. Watch the news.

22. Ask a million questions.

23. Don’t spend half of your day straightening your hair.

24. Makeup doesn’t change what you look like on the inside.

25. Dive into the Bible.

26. Take care of your body.

27.Regardless of what you think, your parents are always right.

28. Look at your calendar before you slip on those white jeans.

29. You don’t have to spend every weekend away from your house.

30. Have frequent, random conversations with God.

31. Stop yelling at your mom.

32. Less is more with perfume. I promise.

33. Have fun in gym class. Everyone sweats.

34. If someone is sitting alone at lunch, round up a group from your table and go sit with them.

35. When a boy tells you that he “loves” you, take it with a grain of salt.

36. Act like the person that your younger brother or sister aspires to be.

37. Cursing doesn’t make you cooler.

38. Being more “experienced” with boys doesn’t make you look older.

39. You don’t have to tell your friends everything.

40. Your parents will stop fighting.

41. Learn to be forgiving.

42. Don’t be flaky.

43. Call your grandparents and tell them how much they mean to you.

44. Get involved in your community.

45. Don’t back-talk your teachers. Bite your tongue, baby.

46. Throw the phrase “I hate my life” in the trash.

47. No one wants to see your butt or the boobs that you don’t have yet. Cover yourself.

48. Sometimes slamming your bedroom door does make you feel a little better.

49. Take pictures all the time. (Mainly so that you have memories of poor outfit choices to laugh at)

50. Be yourself.

Sometimes I wish that I could go back in time to hold you, shake you, and remind you of how perfectly crafted you are.