A Letter to My Younger Self

Well, I’m officially part of the quarter century club. Today is my 25th birthday!

I have to say, I’m pretty happy with where my life is at. I know that my life now is a result of all the decisions and choices I’ve made throughout the years, so although I wouldn’t take things back, there definitely are things that I wish I knew when I was younger… say, 10 years younger. I started to consider the top life lessons that come to mind, ones I now truly understand and try to live by. With that being said, here is a letter to my 15 year old self:

Nicole,

There are times in life when people give you advice, whether it’s solicited or not. Sometimes you listen and really consider what they’re saying; sometimes you listen and ignore them; sometimes you simply don’t pay attention at all. This is one of those times where it’d be in your best interest to listen up and take in these wise words:

Firstly, don’t forget to put things into perspective. If you won’t remember it in a few months or even a year, it’s not really worth getting upset about. On the flip side, don’t hesitate to be joyous about the little things in life.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

Life is more fun when you stop trying to act cool. Just be yourself, and be confident that the person you are is deserving of great relationships and experiences. Laugh so hard you snort, love being in school and learning, be a total goofball, admit that you’re absolutely horrendous at geography, whatever… life is too short to be anything but yourself!

“When I was young, I thought confidence could be earned with perfection. Now I know that you don’t earn it; you claim it. And you do that by loving the wacky, endlessly optimistic, enthusiastically uninhibited free spirit that is the essence of style, the quintessence of heart, and uniquely you.” -Cecelie Berry

Let’s pretend the book and movie He’s Just Not that Into You is out circa 2002. Watch, read, and listen my friend!! If a love interest is acting like a total jerk, immediately move on. Why waste your time dating men who don’t treat you well? This also applies to non-romantic relationships. If you’re constantly putting way more effort into a friendship than the other person and the friendship is causing you more angst than enriching your life, it’s time to move on. Once you demand better for yourself, you’ll find yourself attracting great people into your life.

“In my opinion, the best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person is still going to think the sun shines out your ass. That’s the kind of person that’s worth sticking with.” – Juno

Whether you’re having the best time of your life or experiencing a seriously crappy week, never forget to recognize how blessed you are. Point blank period.

Last but not least, you should probably be nicer to your mother. You have a lot more in common with her than you think, and you two can become great friends.

Love,

Your older self