Younger self,

Hello beautiful. I am beside myself to see all the potential you have in your future. I know right now, you feel a little lost, and definitely pretty confused, but I am here to tell you, every struggle you are going through right now is worth it. You are navigating through some of the roughest waters of life, and there are many days that you will feel like you can barely stay afloat. Just know that this rocky time in your life is preparing you for the amazing person that you are to become.

There are many things I would like to tell you, because as they say, hindsight is 20/20. But I think that what you need to hear most right now is that it's okay not to know exactly who you are yet. Discovering your true self is what this time is all about. You are given more freedom at this time than you have ever had before, and it has ignited a beautiful, youthful sense of exploration in you. Embrace it. Kiss the boy. Buy the shoes. Take the class. Go on the road trip. Make mistakes and learn from them. And by doing all of this, you will learn about yourself in a way that you never have, and never will be able to again.

You are beautifully, remarkably, imperfectly human, and because of that, you have your own quirky uniqueness about you. That uniqueness is earth-shattering, and it will change the world some day. Bask in it. Do not conform yourself to societal norms in an attempt to please everyone else. You will only leave yourself feeling deflated in the end, emptied of the beautiful spirit that once thrived inside of you. Have your own opinions, and share them with the world. Do not be afraid of the colorful ideas in your head and the joyous songs of your heart. Do not waste these precious years of life pretending to be somebody you're not. Set your inner self free.

Lastly, love yourself before you love anyone else. You are a giver, not a taker, and while that is an astounding trait to have, it can be detrimental for your relationship with yourself. Do not allow your worth to be defined by what is between your legs, base it on what is in your head. Become best friends with yourself. Learn to laugh at your imperfections, and praise the good in others. Your body is a temple, and it should be treated as such. There is a bright, spirited, infectious soul inside of you, and you will love her, I promise.

Enjoy this bumpy ride. Be a student of your mistakes, and allow yourself to be 110 percent truly you. The moment you forget what everyone else thinks and you unleash your inner self, you will break out of the box you have built for yourself, and you will shine with a blinding brightness. Hold your head up, beautiful girl. Every wrong turn still gets you closer to the destination that is you. Discovering who you are is a journey that is built by mistakes, but never forget how strong you are coming to be.

Go forward, and do great things. You're going to love who you become.

Love,

Your older self.