Thoughts | Letter To My Sixteen Year Old Self

A few months ago my little sister turned 16.

When I considered the prospect of my sister turning sixteen it inspired me to think back to when I was that age. It was only four years ago but it seems like a lot longer. I've grown so much as a person in the past four years and despite some bumps in the road here and there, they have been the best four years of my life so far. Reminiscing to life as a sixteen year old led me to consider the things I wish I'd known back then, so let me share the pearls of wisdom I've accumulated in the past four years in a letter to my sixteen year old self.

Sex isn't everything.
Yes the age of consent is sixteen but that doesn't mean there's an unwritten rule that puts any form of pressure on you to get jiggy with it (where does that saying even come from?!). I know at the moment it seems like absolutely everyone around you is in a relationship and loosing their virginity but that isn't the case, nor would it matter if it was. It will be a year or two before you meet someone special and that's ok, it's worth the wait. Don't feel like you need to rush anything or you're weird for waiting a tad longer than other people to jump on the sex bandwagon; just do everything in your own time and focus on yourself. Create your own timeline and do things at your pace, not at the pace society tells you to follow.

Working part-time will be really valuable.
Shortly after starting sixth form you'll start working part time; just 5.5 hours a week to start with. Although sometimes sacrificing your Sundays and opportunities to hang out with your friends might seem bad but the skills you'll develop whilst working this job for the next 3 years will end up being really valuable for you and help you to get jobs now that you're a grown up. It'll also instill a great work ethic in you than will put you one step ahead of a lot of your peers. Go for it girl!

Don't be afraid to forge your own path in life.
You've never been one to follow the crowd; you will always forge your own path through life with your own likes and dislikes regardless of what the 'popular kids' are doing. This determination to be yourself is one of your most wonderful qualities so don't be afraid to keep it up.

Your self worth isn't dependent on your weight.
We're getting serious with this point kid. Even though at the moment you won't recognise them as such, you have had disordered eating habits for a couple of years by now. Skipping meals, calorie counting and guilt after eating isn't healthy and I'm sorry to say that you're going to have a fight against these habits on your hands for a number of years. But please remember that food is fuel, not the enemy and the number on the scales do not impact on your self worth.

You're beautiful - clear skin or not.
Acne is a bitch. It can really ruin your self confidence without makeup and - regardless of how many skincare products you try during your teens - there's not much you can do about it. But just remember that regardless of how clear your skin is, you're still beautiful.

Friendships will dissolve sometimes, and that's ok.
As you get older you may seem to find yourself growing apart from your childhood and school friends and that is ok, it happens. During your later teenage years you'll find yourself discovering who you really are as a person and your interests, values and passions will really be established. As a result of this you may end up growing apart from friends and this is normal; and completely ok.

What message would you give your sixteen year old self if given the opportunity?

3 comments:

  1. Aw Chloe this is such a lovely post! I probably met you when you were around 16/17 and it's strange how much we both must have changed, but it's lovely to look back.

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  2. Hey Chloe
    This is such a fabulous post my lovely. Being 16 is so hard nowadays & you have so eloquently weitten the problems that many young girls face. You sound very wise 4 years on Chloe & things can only get better from here 😍😍

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  3. Great post - I think these are all wonderful things to tell your sister before she turns 16 :) It is so hard being a teenager, and I really wish I would have known these things when I was that age!
    -Jenna <3
    Follow me back? The Chic Cupcake

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