5 Things I Would Tell My Younger Self

My best life advice for teens and young adults.

I should confess that as I'm writing this, I am a teen myself (19). So yes, I am still a young padawan, but I feel like I'm jusssst about out of the woods of my teenage years (thank goodness!). Some of the hardest challenges I've ever had were the ones I endured throughout my teens. At the time I thought they'd kill me (literally), but now I know they've made me into the strong woman I am today.

1. It gets better

As I said, the challenges I faced in my teen years -- specifically during my time in high school -- seemed insurmountable at the time. I know this is grim, but in all honesty, I was certain that I would not live to see my high school graduation... and yet here I am. Contrary to what my depression and anxiety had convinced me, everything has gotten better since I graduated. I've learned that I'm much stronger than I thought I was, and that time will take care of everything.

2. You have so much to be grateful for

After I graduated high school and started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, I found myself with a whole life ahead of me that I never thought I'd have the privilege of experiencing. Since then, little things excite me, I pursue more fulfilling work, and I invest more heavily in myself. Overall, I'm a happier person because I feel grateful for everything. The way I see it, of all of the lives to be born into, mine is one in which I live in a beautiful home, my family are my best friends, and I get to pursue a career that I love. I consider myself a very very lucky gal.

3. Finish things

In the wise words of Emma from A Beautiful Mess, "it’s the people who actually finish [their] ideas that [make] something happen." By now you may know that I am a biiig daydreamer. I have big goals and I love fantasizing about them. But when I was younger, instead of acting on my dreams, I was the type of person that was allll talk and no action. This was such a terrible personality trait because I would often let myself and others down. As I've gotten older I've realized that most things are way easier said than done and that's okay! The hard work that I put into my passions is what makes them worthwhile and meaningful. I've gotten a lot better and turning my daydreams into realities by planning and staying organized.

4. Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right

My younger self was socially anxious and riddled with self-doubt. Although I knew my strengths, I was always more focused on my shortcomings and fixated on avoiding the things I thought I couldn't do. Now, my approach to my shortcomings is to just go for it. One of my favorite mottos is "sometimes the only way out is through." Specifically, I apply that to social situations because ya girl is still very intimidated by them🤣. But instead of shying away from them, I tell myself that the only way I'll get better at socializing is by socializing more (practice makes perfect). Overall, I know that I can do anything I put my mind to. I talk more about this in my post 4 Universal Truths to Ease Anxiety if you want to dive deeper into the concept.

5. Have more fun

In the words of Lilly from @allthingslillyann on insta, "being alive is the special occasion." I used to be the type of person that just went through the motions of life, waiting for things to happen to them. To be honest, I'm still trying to be better about this! I'm trying really hard to be intentional about having fun by saying yes to more things and not taking life so seriously. I advise you do the same even it's just sitting in the sun or writing down all the things you're grateful for.

Thank you so much for reading, I really appreciate it! Let me know if this resonated with you in any way and as always you reach me on insta (@ariels_view)💖💖💖