A Letter To My Teenage Self: 

Dear Vi, I have so many things I want to tell you, but I am honestly not sure how to even write it all out. Let’s start with the girl I know you feel like you are now. I know you feel like the girl who has to put on make-up and do her hair every day to feel pretty or seen. I know you feel like that girl who feels the need to project anger to make her feel better. I know you feel like you are so alone in the world. I know that you feel confused about relationships and what they are “supposed” to look like versus what you actually feel. I know that when you go home you feel like your family life isn’t as good as your friends are. I know you feel like you have to live up to society’s standard of what beauty looks like and I know that sometimes you look in the mirror and you don’t feel like you align with them.

Now that we got past the dark stuff, let’s talk about the woman you are now. First of all, I just want to say that I am so proud of you and proud of the person you have become. You have learned to love yourself and it is the most amazing feeling! You have surrounded yourself with people who love and care about you. You have taken everything you have been through and turned it into this positive life for yourself.

So let me give you some tips for your life now. Let go a little. Be that goofy person you are and don’t hold back because you care what others think. It is okay to not know what you are doing with your life and have it all figured out – to be honest, you still don’t. It is okay to speak up for things you are passionate about. It is okay to cut off toxic friends and family. If they are not providing support and happiness to your life, it’s time to let them go. You definitely need to drink more water. Also, maybe drive a little less recklessly – you’ll end up getting a lot of tickets.

Lastly, and most importantly – love yourself. Stop looking in the mirror and criticizing yourself so harshly. We are all human beings and we are all beautiful. There is not just one standard of beauty. Bodies and beauty come in different shapes and colors and sizes. 
I guess what I really want to say in this letter to myself or anyone that might be reading it is that life can feel so heavy sometimes. It can feel like you are going nowhere in life, you aren’t happy with your body, friends and family aren’t the support you may need, but it does get better. I remember when I was younger people would say that to me and it would feel so surreal, like it wasn’t going to happen – but it did. You are happy, you are beautiful, and you are loved.

This blog was written by Viansa, an intern with Immunize Nevada.