Dear 16 year old Me… 10 Things You Would Tell Your 16 year-old self, if you could

10 things 16 year old self

Today’s topic in the “30 Things I Want My Son To Know About Me” is, “List 10 Things You Would Tell Your 16 year-old self, if you could”.

I originally thought this would be an easy topic to write about, but dang if it wasn’t tough. I thought I’d be able to come up with more than ten things, yet as I sit here looking at my screen, I’m coming up blank. Not my screen, but my brain.

This topic has me reflecting. Really taking a good look into my past and my present.

Here’s what I finally came up with and in no particular order.

Dear 16-year-old Me,

1.  Take chances. Please, please, please take chances. Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you back.

2.  In a couple of years you will be influenced by a few girls/women into smoking. Do. NOT. Do. It.

3.  It’s okay if you wear pants. You are one of God’s children and He loves you. You will not go to Hell just for wearing pants.

4.  Convince Mom to let you go to Haiti. I think it would be a life-changing experience.

5.  Stop worrying about being too skinny. I promise you there will be a day you’ll wish your were small again.

6.  You will have several jobs after high school, do not take the job at Williamson Daily News. It will not be worth it… in more ways than one.

7.  Don’t perm your hair. Just don’t do it. You may think you hate straight hair, but trust me the perms just damage your hair and you will use a straightener one day. Besides, you can always use hot curlers to get curls. Same with coloring your hair. It will be more than a decade later, but find some other way to make a change in your life and leave your hair alone.

8.  Don’t worry so much about what other people think about you. I know at 16 you want everyone to like you and you want to fit in… be happy in your uniqueness. You have and will make wonderful friendships with people who love you for YOU. All the others… don’t matter.

9.  I’m so proud of you! You are a kind young lady with a gentle heart. You’re smart with a hunger to learn all you can, and you’re funnier than you realize.

10. Explore your writing even more… I promise you it will pay off. 🙂

What would you tell your 16 year old self, if you could?

39 Comments

  1. I would tell my 16 year old self to face challenges, let more people “in”, and to be closer to my sister and brothers. Great question!

  2. Umm…this is a great topic idea! I love your list of things that you want your kids to know. I totally agree about worrying about others and being worried about being skinny.

  3. I can definitely related to #1 and #8. I’d have told my 16 year old self to let social phobia get in the way of my education.

  4. I am still working on the not caring what other people think one. I am not sure I will triumph over that at any age.

  5. Great post!! There are so many things I would say to myself!

    1. I think this would be one for me also!

  6. I would tell myself to be less insecure and appreciate the good qualities I already had. Then, I wouldn’t still be dealing with those issues even now.

  7. I love this! I wasn’t in the best place emotionally at 16 {though I’m sure the same could be said of most 16 year old girls} so I’m not sure what I’d tell myself.

  8. I would tell my 16-year-old self that everything is going to turn out just fine and that I’ll have a wonderful family and life. 🙂

  9. I would tell my 16 year old self not to fear heartbreak… it will take a few breaks to find your soulmate – and it will be worth it!

  10. I’m always saying “I wish I was as fat now as I thought I was back then!” I was a size 9 and thought I was fat. I’ve doubled that but am on my way back down now.

    I ended up with my Freshman bookfriend even though we broke up many many times. I wouldn’t tell myself to avoid the breakups, but I’d tell myself to avoid some of the things I did while broken up…

  11. Oh geez, my letter to myself would be a bunch of warnings and don’t do this’s. I was such a bad girl!

  12. These are some great things to tell your younger self. Especially #1, take chances!

  13. Ahhh…(now I am intrigued about that job you had)

    If only I could go back and talk to my 16 year old self.

  14. Don’t listen to mom when she tells you you have to break up with that boy! It will all work out in the end.

  15. Thanks for sharing this. I would definitely tell my 16-year old self a lot of the same things.

    A lot of healing in posts like these….happy Monday hun!

  16. I did this post also and I had the hardest time coming up with 10 things. So you are not alone in that.

  17. There are so many things I would tell 16 year old me. The first that comes to mind is “Slow down. You will be an adult soon enough”. Wish I had done that one…

  18. Aww I love this. I too have way way too many things or demands to my 16 year old self. But then again if I could have stopped myself back then would I really be the person I am today?

  19. I would tell 16 year old self not to be in such a rush to grow up. Take your time and be your age. Don’t rush into adult things just because you are presented with the opportunity. It’s not always good to be the youngest one doing things. Enjoy 16-21, one day you are going to wish you had!

  20. I think I’d encourage my 16 year old self not to worry so much about not having a boyfriend that she’d/I’d meet my husband a little later than most. And to like myself for who she is/I am.

  21. I agree! Haiti would definitely be life changing. For me it would be to go on a World Vision trip

  22. I’d tell her not to spend so much money in nightclubs during her 20’s ..lol

  23. Love this! I would tell her to stay in school, follow her dream, and love herself!

  24. I totally relate to #1. I have always been afraid to take chances, I wish I was a bit more brave when I was younger.

    Oh and number 7. That’s a picture I am showing NO ONE.

  25. Wow, great idea. Loved #8 about not worrying about what others think. That is so true, especially at that age, but even going forward.

  26. That one boy…don’t cry over him, he ends up being a person you’d never want to be with anyway. Oh to be able to go back and give myself advice!

  27. I would tell myself that the decisions I have made – despite costing me popularity points – were the best decisions I could have made. It’s something I questioned for years and wasn’t until I was mature that I realized that my life would have been very different had I made the “popular” decisions.

  28. Love this list! #3 and #5 were my favorites. I agree with the skinny one – I never really battled that one though. But #3? Yup. Amazing the things we feel guilty for when we are so young.

  29. Oh boy, I would tell myself to relax and have more fun. I was a bit uptight.

  30. I think more than anything I would give the 16 year old me a much needed hug.

  31. There would be so many things I would tell myself. And to never try a cigarette would definitely be the first.

  32. Great post!! There are so many things I wish I knew when I was 16. #1 for me would be forget the boyfriend and focus on fun and GIRL Friends. I started dating my ex husband when I was 16… I wish I wouldn’t have been so boy crazy in high school.

  33. These are great! I would tell my 16yr old self to explore the world and travel as much as possible before settling down.

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