"A letter to younger me"- I'm not perfect

I am not very old like in the 40s or 50s, I am just in mid-20s - if you know what I mean.😁😁

I think who I was 7-10 years back (A TEENAGER!!) and who I am today (ADULT) is very different because of the all the opportunities that came by and the choices I made. Following pieces of advice, I wish my favorite Santa had gifted me this letter a decade ago.

Dear younger self,

Your dream has come true, I am a grown-up woman now and guess what, I have the freedom to do whatever I want and make my decisions for life. But to mention, I am still not close to ‘PERFECT’. "I miss being you” who was crazy, hyped up, casual, and irresponsible but increasingly bold, adventurous, creative, and beauteous. Enjoy your role as a teenager because once it is gone, it’s gone forever.

With all the new environmental and hormonal changes you are confused about right and wrong, I understand that. I know you must be thinking that your friends are your parents and your parents to be your enemy. It is okay!!! 😇The best thing is they know and understand this situation. It is the time to explore and not neglect your curiosities.

By the way, I have not timed traveled to give you any philosophical advice.
Down below are a few realistic ideas you can introduce to your life. At the end of the day, each person will choose what is right for them at any particular time, but there is no harm in spreading the inspiration that may make some difference in someone’s life.

Develop a Schedule: I cannot stress more on how important it is to have a schedule ready for a day to be productive. When we tick one box after another in the to-do list for a day, a sense of accomplishment strikes which gives the zeal to stretch yourself in attaining the day's target.

I know you are highly ambitious and hard-working but working towards your goal every day consistently requires some kind of preparedness. Only by developing your day to day schedule you can do better and save some time to learn some new skill.

Get good at something: Oh Yesss!!! I wish I realized that little sooner I would have mastered something today. (I am doing that now 💗💗).
(In bold) (Anonymous quotes), “Apply consistency to anything you start in your teenage years and you will be master by age 30”  I cannot emphasize more on this because the day will come when people will look up to you for your ability to do something that is worth emulating. And who knows you might earn bread and butter out of it (lots of money).
I have a friend who is an excellent speaker and speaks on many platforms, one day I eulogized her talent to be God gifted. And she smiled faintly and replied that with practice everything is a gift of God. She spent much of her teenage time improving her public speaking and reasoning skills when many of her friends were chilling, partying, and hanging out with others. "There is nothing wrong with it", she replied, “Sacrifice today for a far better tomorrow”. Her thoughts made me understand the value of practice, persistence, and consistency. I wish greater success to you with this knowledge.

Be grateful: Take it as a command - to nurture an attitude towards gratitude. I want this to be a part of who you are & who you would be. There are many struggles and challenges waiting for you. The only way to deal with stress, anxiety, and failure is by exercising gratitude at least once a week.
I used to think gratitude to be very boring and clichéd (I was very wrong). Trust me when I say this to you, it might look “this is not my cup of tea” but try it as an experiment and take 15 days challenge. It is a habit one has to cultivate, it never comes naturally to anyone.
To understand more about gratitude- https://blog.mindvalley.com/gratitude/ explained really well.

Read books: I know Mom must be shouting and yelling to make reading as your habit but like always you are ignoring her. Please don’t. This habit will save you in many ways in life. Today I read. But a few years back when I started reading, it was a real pain. I will give you some tips to start. Create a beautiful corner with lights & seating arrangement to read, take the help of the internet, and set a time of 10-15 minutes to read. 💪💪💪

Don’t give up easily if you feel bored keep on choosing one after another till you find the right taste. The reason I am saying you is that it is not only a learning experience but also it will boost confidence, make you an empathetic person, improve your imagination, reduce your stress, and sharpen analytical capacity.

Have your favorite dessert: “Yesterday, I offered a piece of a chocolate bar to my neighbor’s daughter. She refused to have (She is 17 years old, skinny, and used to love confection). I was stupefied after knowing that she stopped eating anything sweet to maintain her weight and be slim to look healthy.” Now I feel blue, but no wonder we all know where it comes from. The glamourous media world represents that you have to be slim to be healthy.

I suggest you, my dear, not to torture yourself by not having what you love. Eat whatever you crave, not as a substitute for nutritious food (Of course*). Nothing needs to be labeled as JUNK, if taken in small portions. Your body will be thankful to you for treating it just like a unique individual. So, always bake or order a dessert (includes chocolates, French fries, milkshakes, etc.) and don’t hold yourself responsible or guilty for it.

Defend yourself: Last but most important thing I insist you on learning right now until it is too late. After going through experiences that were tormented, I understand how important it is to learn the art of defending yourself. Today I carry self-defense weapons with me but that still does not make me confident enough to act with the presence of mind.

Ask yourself, “What if someday you find yourself in an unexpected physical abuse or confrontation? Will you be able to come out safe?”

Some kind of martial art or technique of defense allows combating a rough situation quickly. Some more benefits of this art are physical fitness, sharpened reflexes, and getting along with a dedicated group of people from different spheres and diverse experiences. It is definitely a win-win situation 🙌 🙌.

Today I don’t regret anything. At the same time, it is important to reflect. It also never hurts to learn from other’s road (mistakes, people may call it). We can all help each other and evolve as a better version by sharing the pitfalls of our lives.

Share your thoughts in the comments below, I will be elated to know. 🥰🥰