Dear 16-Year-Old Me,
Just you wait.
Oh how I cringe when I hear those three words.
I cringe because what is inferred is this: you don't have a clue, you haven't seen anything yet, all because the life you have led thus far doesn't measure up to what someone else has experienced.
Truth is, I don't want you to wait.
I do not want you ever feeling as if what you know--and who you are--are just shy of another person's version of what being enough is.
You are enough.
And you are empowered to define what being enough is for you.
Life is not linear. Your journey will be filled with undulation, crossroads, intersections, detours, bumps and a whole lot of open road. There will be days, months, even years when you will wonder where the hell you are. Hear me now-- you are where you need to be.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
I'm not going to tell you what to avoid.
I don't want to preach to you about what you might do differently. This is your journey and you are equipped to take it.
Know this-- you are strong enough, bright enough, brave enough and love yourself and others enough.
What I do want to give you from out here in the future are a few beads of wisdom, things that no one should have to wait to learn, this is my gift to you.
Here they are...
Approach each day with a grateful heart. You get to choose the messages you fuel your heart and soul with, so choose that which replenishes and makes you full.
Practice health. Nourish your body and mind with intention. Smile. Move. Laugh. Play. Dance. Sing. Stretch. Meditate. Listen. Sleep. Read. Learn. Write. Share.
Find your tribe. Seek people vested in positivity. People that choose to lead an examined life. People, who link arms, are empathetic and are eager to grow.
Love freely. Know your values, who you are and what you stand for. Recognize when someone wants you to compromise all that you are--and if they do--have the courage to move away from them.
You are entitled to your emotional and physical safety.
Be brave with your voice. When you are brave with your voice, you will inspire other to be brave with theirs too.
Have an attitude that if it were contagious, you would be worth catching. Cultivate and grow a spirit of abundance. Lift others up and celebrate what they offer.
Get outside. Make time to sleep under star lit skies. Be still enough to hear the call of birds. Be awake when the sun breaks across the horizon. Walk barefoot on beaches and when you can, find more dirt under your soles than concrete.
Be involved. Do things that help. Be a good steward of the earth.
Be present. Now is what you have. Allow the moments to unfold. Your time here is a gift. Remain observant. Notice. Act.
Cherish the all of it. You get one spin on this merry-go-round called life that I know of--make it a great one.
You are enough.
Earlier on Huff/Post50: