10 Things I Would Tell the 16 Year Old Me

Day 4 of "30 things my kids should know about me"

Dear girls,
This one was actually pretty tough for me. If I look back at my teenage years, there is definitely some things I wish I could tell myself to change. However, while I made mistakes and some irresponsible choices, I was still a teenager, and I think it's pretty impossible to get through those years without wanting to change something. I did manage to make it through with no HUGE regrets, so that's something, right?
Besides, all of my choices led me in one way or another to where I am today, and for that I am very grateful, because I wouldn't change a thing now!

But, if I could go back, these are the things I think I would say:

1. Enjoy your friends. Your boyfriend right now is cool, but there is nothing like a really good friendship when you are a teenager.

2. Make more of an effort with your sister. One day you will be best friends again despite growing apart during the teenage years, but both of you will do so much better with each other's support.

3. Save as much money as you possibly can. You babysit enough that you could have enough for a car by college if you really wanted to. ( I didn't, but I wish I had!)

4. Enjoy those mozza fries and other deep fried junk food that you eat with friends. This is the ONLY time in your life that you will be able to eat them without feeling sick or fat LOL

5. Enjoy your body too. Don't waste a moment hating how it looks....this is the only time you will look like this, and you will never have this much energy again either!

6. However, that being said, this is not "the best" your body will ever be. It will change immensely when you have your children (5 kids....prepare yourself!!), and though it may not look as tiny and your tummy skin will be looser, if you pay close attention, you will be super proud of it. Not only will it grow and feed 5 children, but with hard work it will do more pushups than you can do now, run further than you do now, and have more muscle than you do....so just chill out and learn to enjoy it at every stage over the next 14 years.

7. Don't let harsh words affect you so much. You are really sensitive, and while that can be a good thing, it's also robbing you of the joy that comes with being confident in who you are. You have lots of reasons to be confident...try and focus on them.

8. Practice piano more. You will wish you had.

9. Stop worrying about the future so much...especially who you will marry. It's fun to dream, but don't worry, God will bring the perfect guy into your life at the perfect time...and it might be sooner than you think! ;)

10. You enjoy visiting with your mom already, but do it more. When you are older and both of you are busier with life, you will look back and really cherish those times and wish you could go back sometimes.

P.S. The zits will go away. I know they suck, but seriously, they don't last forever :)

I was 17 here, but I couldn't find a 16 year old picture!