What I Would Tell My 16 Year Old Self

     30 Day Blog Challenge, day 4 - list 5 things you would tell your sixteen-year-old self if you could.

     Fat is not a bad word. Before I elaborate on that, you should know you are not fat at this time. But as you do now, you will struggle with your weight. But don't worry. You will find beauty in yourself, and so will others. Looking back, you won't know why you hated the mirror so much, and you should never hate your own reflection. Now, when I say fat is not a bad word, I mean that "fat" is not the same thing as "lazy," "ugly," or "useless." You will be fat, but you will also be happy. I know you don't understand that now, but you will. And, for the love of God, please stop looking up magical "diets" that, in reality, only starve you or make you feel groggy. You'll know them by how suspiciously stupid they sound, and you should definitely go with that gut feeling.

     You will not be alone for the rest of your life. You are picky when it comes to boys. Don't change that about yourself. Never settle. You will find a great guy, he will respect your boundaries, and he'll be the type to see you in messy hair, pajamas, and no makeup and call you beautiful. And you won't believe how confident he makes you feel. At twenty, you will have been in a rock-solid relationship for two years, and you'll still be going strong. I won't spoil it for you by telling you who he is (and you won't expect it!), but look forward to it and enjoy your life now. Learn to love yourself, and focus on your family and friends, and school. Sure, sometimes you'll be alone on Saturday night (not really, you'll be swooning over Ron Weasley between pages, which is totally normal, I promise), but taking it slow and not forcing yourself into a relationship will pay off in the end.

     Know that your dad is trying. I know it's hard. I've been there. But one day you'll realize that your dad really was trying his hardest, and it will pay off; he will change. Instead of hating his addiction, take the time to understand how addiction works. It will be difficult, but believe that there is no one struggling more than he is. There will be people who give up on him, both family and friends, but you should not be one of these people. Tell him you love him and you're proud of him daily.

     Math is cool. No, I'm completely serious. Take the time to actually listen in class and take note, and you'll find that math was really not so bad. In fact, it's fun. You have a talent here, don't ignore it. Few can say they actually enjoy math. You are only letting yourself struggle because you don't want to try.

     Always write and show it off. Don't let your fear get in the way of showing off what you write and, most importantly, don't let your fear keep you from writing or starting a story. I know that blank page is scary, and it won't get easier. Every blank page will be a bigger and stronger beast, but you can defeat it. You see life through the eyes of a child, and you are still scared of the "big people" writing your ideas off as silly. Embrace your imagination and write.