16 REMINDERS FOR MY 16 YEAR OLD SELF

I had another one of those "Ohmigod, I'm twenty six" moments. The phrase "10 years ago..." actually leads to a trove of memories instead of a haze of images, as was the case if you would've asked me a couple of years before. Uhhh.. let me see, at 12 I was in the 6th grade? The formative teen years have actually been a decade, give or take, ago. It's funny coz back then, I could've sworn it also felt "in between", like I'm not quite a kid, not quite an adult. Pretty much like now! Haha! Hindsight really does wonders for your perception. The things I worried about and things I didn't worry about back then respectively seems so trivial and important now. As such, I've compiled 16 things I wish I could tell my 16 year old self:

1. Physically, you look fine. You are not fat. Stop holding yourself to impossibly high standards of beauty. You may not look like Kristin Kreuk (I mean, who does?) but you're not ugly. CHILL. You should stop taking your skin for granted, though. It's never too early to start a skincare regimen. At the very least, please lather on sunscreen.

2. Instead of a grand debut, please consider traveling instead. With that amount of money, you could've gone on a Eurotrip. A more intimate dinner with close friends would've sufficed. Sorry to burst your bubble, you won't even be in contact with some of those "special people" a few months down.

4. Pursuing your art and passions is good for you. Everyone was worried that theatre and rehearsals would affect your grades. It did, but in a good way.

5. Don't let fear of failure or not being good enough cripple you. Don't take criticism to heart, take it as tips for learning and not as an insult. Be brave and courageous. Apply for an Honors course and don't keep it a secret for fear of being pahiya or ashamed if you get rejected. Coz guess what, you'll get in Ateneo's BS Psychology program. *throws confetti*

6. Take time to dream about what you want to do when you get older. Don't shrug it off coz you think that it's highly unlikely. Figure out what your wildest dream is - in full detail - and then take steps accordingly. Act like you're already that person. 

7. Put that Student Permit turned Non-Pro license to use. You keep paying LTO good money for that piece of plastic that only weighs down your wallet, DRIVE.

8. Don't freak out that your boyfriend has new girl friends. The world expands exponentially after high school. Don't be clingy and don't be insecure. You're gonna gain new friends too! Those girls you were worried about included.

9. Your family is awesome, your mom especially. You already knew that but you don't act accordingly sometimes. Be patient and always be present. There really is nothing like them. They'll always have your back and they deserve nothing less from you.

10. Don't change cellphones too much, you can put that money to better use. And, on that note, please take better care of your phones!!!

11. Stop ignoring your gut. Just because it's something you don't want to hear, or because it's something you weren't expecting to feel doesn't mean it's not real. Deal with it. (And fast, if I may suggest.)

12. Don't rush the future. Be in the moment. Drawing a salary also means having to pay bills. That "freedom" you are craving for comes at a price (aka: laundry and other chores).

13. Don't store all your photos in Multiply. It's gonna close down and you're gonna lose some of your photos. :(

14. Life isn't always gonna be peachy. You're gonna have hard days. You're gonna feel dejected and empty and you're gonna get your heart broken more times than you'd want to admit. But you will get through it.

15. Please write more. Ten years later, you'll go through what you've written and you'll be equal parts amused, entertained, mortified and inspired. Keep writing. And way to go for not censoring yourself! Continue that! I swear, you've made 26 year old you proud, beachg0ddess.

16. Keep (and feed!) your optimism and enthusiasm for life. Don't worry that you're living it wrongly. Enjoy, do something, anything!, make mistakes, spend too much time untangling your gummy worms during the UPCAT; everything will fall into place. Even your screw ups are arrows pointing you to where you ought to be. Live life as best you can and trust in yourself/God/the Universe.

Truth is, even my 26 year old self needs to be reminded of some of these things too. I mean obviously, I've learned in the last decade, but it doesn't mean that the learning stops there. So, here's to living better lives and being more attuned versions of ourselves. :)

What about you? Anything you'd want to remind yourself, past and currently? Please do share below!