Dear 16 year old me...

What would you tell yourself, if you had the chance?

Dear 16 year old me, mindless eating gets you nowhere... "he ate more than I did" is not a good excuse... it's not because your mother taught you to finish your plate that you have to finish this HUGE helping...
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Replies

  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    Dear 16 year-old-me, you have by now escaped some serious life issues, but you are about to make some horrible decisions that will haunt you for the rest of your life. Between now and about age 22, what you need to do is stay focused on what you love. Never ever stray from it. No matter what happens, even if you are homeless and sleeping in your car. Just do that, and keep focused on your goal and why you are doing that. You will be a better man for it, and you will be happy and not live with regret. No matter what, stick with what you love. Never stray.
  • katrwal
    katrwal Posts: 336 Member
    Dear 16 year old me:
    - smoking is not a good weight control program
    - neither is eating only lettuce
    - 16 year old boys who tell you you're not skinny enough (at a size 8) are probably looking.... for other boys to date :happy:
    - you'll have a lot more fun if you remember that you are not the center of the universe - so every random comment or glance is not a judgement of you... LIGHTEN UP!

    thanks. that was fun!
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    Dear 16 year old me,

    Dont date the girl from band class, she has crabs

    And kill drake so the phrase YOLO never exists.

    Also stock up on twinkies, use your left hand during alone time more, and dry to remember that cocaine is a hell of a drug.

    k thanx
  • Dear 16 year old me:

    It's okay that all those girls thought you were gay, and wanted to date you! Complements!
    Guys are stupid and they don't know what they missed out on.
    Great job on beginning to lose weight on your own.
    Life is too short to worry about anything but school, do better next time!
    Please please please please don't go after that 28 year old again...when you're 17/18 he was and still is a worthless piece of crap!
  • CincinnatiDEIFan
    CincinnatiDEIFan Posts: 188 Member
    Dear 16 year old me - pick a different undergraduate school. Work more; take out less student loans. PLEASE! They will haunt you.
  • Skinny_minny_mo
    Skinny_minny_mo Posts: 1,272 Member
    Dear 16yr old me

    You are unique and special. STOP COMPARING yourself to others.
    love yourself more and worry less :smile:
  • crazyellybean
    crazyellybean Posts: 999 Member
    - don't screw up in college and blow your chances of a 100% scholarship just because you want to go out and drink with your friends

    - don't go to homecoming, because you will spend it in the bathroom with your friend on the other side crying, because her date stood her up!
  • kcoburn327
    kcoburn327 Posts: 111 Member
    Dear 16 yeard old me,

    Go out and live. Do not try and escape who are you because who you are is just who you need to be.

    Do not be afraid to step outside your box and embrace things you love instead of hiding them because you are afraid of what everyone will say.

    Do not lose your virginity next year because you are the only one in your friends who still had it (yes that is true sadly).

    Enjoy college more and the guy who you end of making fun will become your husband. So laugh now because he is one of the best things to happen to you.

    Be proud of what you do because you can do so much more than you realize.

    Don't run from the challenges that life gives you but embrace them.

    Spend more time with your dad because he will be gone in 2 years and you don't realize that your kids will never get a chance to meet their grandfather.

    Love me! love you :)
  • Dear 16 year old me:

    - Invest in a flat iron. You will thank me later.

    - Of all the styles that were "in," why on earth did you stick with the grunge look?

    - Never date someone you meet online. Especially don't marry them.

    - "Online" is the internet. Believe it or not, you can chat with people on there. You will find this out in a couple of years.

    - See that upperclassman walking down the hall? He will end up being the love of your life in 10 years. Not the short dude you will meet online when you're 18.

    Love,
    Me
  • Dear 16 year old me,

    GO TO COLLEGE!! Don't focus so much on boys that you lose your own future. Call your Grandparents more because they will die very shortly after your 18th birthday and you will miss them more than words. Remember that nothing is forever and very soon you will be FREE. Oh, once you turn 20-you will get fat..so start eating healthy now so that it won't be so hard to lose weight.

    Love,
    Your 16 year old self
  • nturner612
    nturner612 Posts: 710 Member
    oh how i wish....

    dear 16yr old me,
    the world is a hard nasty place and u think u know it all but U DONT & u have No clue! while it may seem pointless, b the best u can b in school. be nice to people, be forgiving and b loving. love ur family all the time and dont be so mean. sigh. dont stop exercising.
  • Dear 16 year old me,

    * Dont stop training, yes you reached youre perfecct weight but it wont last without hard work
    * Study hard! Failing As level PE isnt funny and studying Sport and Exercise Science is HARD work
    * Continue to have fun...but cut down on the booze, you'll get wasted at Univerisity, throw up on youre bed and then swear off hard drinking
  • dorianaldyn
    dorianaldyn Posts: 611 Member
    Dear 16 year old me:
    When you start college, sign up for, train for and run a marathon. Don't wait until you're nearly 40.
  • Dear 16 year old me,
    Being a hell raiser will only be cool for a little while longer and you are smarter than that. Ditch the douche bag. Turn your back now on the back stabbers. Stop expecting more from people who are and always will be incapable. People will always remember what you have done so fly right, they will never forget and always judge. Pull your head out of your *kitten*, smile because you get to keep your most awesome friends and never settle. You will be great but you don't have to go through hell to get there.

    Me xoxo
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    Dear 16-year-old me,

    I am so proud of you.
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
    Dear 16 year old me,

    Please don't hurt me. I realize I've gone soft. No I am not as hard core as you were. You don't need to prove it to me. Enjoy yourself.

    --xo



    Ima gonna go lift now, in case that 16 y.o. me shows back up sometime. I wanna be able to take her if she starts *kitten*.
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    Dear 16 year-old-me, you have by now escaped some serious life issues, but you are about to make some horrible decisions that will haunt you for the rest of your life. Between now and about age 22, what you need to do is stay focused on what you love. Never ever stray from it. No matter what happens, even if you are homeless and sleeping in your car. Just do that, and keep focused on your goal and why you are doing that. You will be a better man for it, and you will be happy and not live with regret. No matter what, stick with what you love. Never stray.

    This. That was my experience. Even the ages. This is beautiful
  • bboogle
    bboogle Posts: 189 Member
    Dear 16 year old Me,
    Believe in yourself. Don't be so afraid of succeeding. You can succeed, and you will!
    Go to college and own it, don't give up!
    Start to run before you hit the age of 40!
    But never run away from yourself or your life or any of the things that matter.
    Set boundaries. Take care of yourself not just everyone else. You will soon find that truly taking care of others will require some serious self care.
    You ARE worth it,
    Love from Me to You.
  • darthmolly
    darthmolly Posts: 26 Member
    Dear 16 year old me,

    Good choices around deciding to be who you are - never loose site of that again, pretending to be something you are not is why you ended up where you did.
    Be grateful for what you have instead of resenting it - things are not so bad in Utah, and you will get out eventually - you'll even miss it!
    Just be honest, fair, and friendly.
    You're about to find yourself in the middle of an eating disorder. I won't rob you of that experience because it has made you a kick *kitten* counselor - and at the age of 26 you will finally start developing a healthy relationship with food and exercise again, and it is going to feel good. Things will feel better - and this too shall pass.
  • Tilran
    Tilran Posts: 627 Member
    16 year old me,

    Please let 24 year old me know to keep working out when you see him. Let him know that when he gets 30, he wont look like you anymore if he doesnt and that 32 year old me would have a much easier time looking like 16 year old me again.
  • PicklePlum
    PicklePlum Posts: 192 Member
    Dear 16 year old me.

    Wax your eyebrows.
  • miracole
    miracole Posts: 492 Member
    Dear 16 year old me,

    Keep being awesome. Your life choices have been good so far and are going to keep getting better!

    Oh, and despite the fact that you just quit gym class and swore you'd never be forced to do the 12 minute mile challenge again you will run a marathon in 11 years, and another one in 12 years. You can stop laughing now, it's happening.
  • Kelley528
    Kelley528 Posts: 319 Member
    Dear 16 yr old me,

    You will be in the best shape of your life between the ages of 22 an 27. At 26, when you meet that tall guy in your friends French class dont go out with him. He will derail your life for the next 4 years. Besides getting your body back in shape, you will also have to undo the emotional damage he caused.

    Stop spending your time waiting for other people to catch up with your life. They NEVER catch up.

    Sincerely,

    33 yr old you.
  • Dear 16 year old me,

    It's okay to NOT be a Christian. Don't struggle with it so much.
    Go to the doctor and get put on anti-depressants, don't wait, this is your life. Live it.
    Don't be so afraid of what others think.
    Try harder.
    Take harder and more important classes, but still take guitar -- that's where you meet your future husband.
    Get out more. Work harder at friendships.
    You will be going to college and getting a job after, just forget that homemaker stuff. You suck at cooking and are too lazy to clean.
    Eat better, starting now. You looked like crap in your wedding dress.
    Don't major in art in college. It's cool and all, but you can't do **** with it. Minor in it instead. (Take the ceramics classes!)
    Stay the **** away from that bearded fellow that works at Walmart. (hopefully you won't be there anyway.) It takes years for your head and heart to be right after him.

    Don't stray from your love. Remember to communicate.

    Sincerely,
    ten years down the road you

    PS: I love you. It's taken me way too long to figure that out.
  • snug
    snug Posts: 2
    Dear 16-year-old-me,

    You've always been confident, gregarious, focused on the things that count, true to yourself. That makes you very different from most 16-year-olds out there. Of course you don't fit in. Some people will see that and try to bring you down to make themselves feel better. But in 10 years time they'll look back and admire you, wishing they could've been that comfortable with themselves.

    So don't listen to them when they tease you, or call you names. Don't take it to heart when they call a man because you're more comfortable in jeans than dresses. Don't listen when they make fun of you for not knowing what's going on with the latest celebrities and TV shows. Don't believe them when they call you fat because you're not following the stupid diet from their stupid magazines.

    Don't start to think that there's something wrong with you. You're perfect the way you are. Don't think that dressing differently or starving yourself will help. It will distract you temporarily, but it will also give them more ammunition, because they can see it's getting to you. And then before you know it, it'll be a monster out of control, and you'll lose years to it.

    Seriously, you're fine. They are the ones who need to change - to work on a better way of handling their insecurities. Just breathe. It's hard, but you can do this.

    Love,
    Your-26-year-old-self.
  • digitalbill
    digitalbill Posts: 1,410 Member
    Dear 16 year old me.
    Good job staying away from the drugs. You will soon join the Army. Do NOT sell your surfboard. Keep surfing. Your 42 year old self (and your hot, readhead wife) will thank you.
    Yes, I know you only go for blonds but, your taste will change.

    Stay away from Lisa. She will screw you up emotionally and financially and it will take you years to recover. You will know her when you see her.

    Keep the Buick. I know it seems like a money pit right now but the 1972 Skylark will always be cool.
  • ajball90
    ajball90 Posts: 211 Member
    Dear 16-year-old me,

    I am so proud of you.

    I like this! Focusing on the positive :)
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    Dear 16 year old me:

    Go forth and mess up in a million ways. Make the mistakes. Live the life. Because by the time you're 36 you will have figured out a whole hell of a lot and you will be so in love with your life.

    Seriously, guys. I absolutely love my life and where I am now. I wouldn't be the same *me* if I hadn't learned those lessons. :heart:
  • kaceelawlor
    kaceelawlor Posts: 184 Member
    Dear 16 year old me,

    Dont date the girl from band class, she has crabs

    And kill drake so the phrase YOLO never exists.

    Also stock up on twinkies, use your left hand during alone time more, and dry to remember that cocaine is a hell of a drug.

    k thanx

    LMAO
  • Dear 16 year old me......

    Don't drop out of high school
    Continue playing football
    Don't sale drugs
    Don't be a hoe LOL

    "I am grateful because all that help shape me into a be man....."