This is an idea I got from a post on Magical Ordinary and a project for Pink Moss.
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me aged 12 hiding in the rocks on Bruny Island off the coast of Tasmania, Australia
My Dearest Self,
It might feel like you’re useless and ugly and friendless right now, but you aren’t. Everything is just about to change. When those braces come off your teeth next year they are going to reveal a whole new woman. You’re about to discover punk rock and New Model Army and music is about to become the most important thing in your life. And you’re going to make some fantastic friends.
Maybe the insane Flock of Seagulls haircut won’t be such a great idea, and maybe that awful orange hair dye could, in hindsight, be seen as a mistake but you know what? Do it anyway!
You are so beautiful, really you are, and you don’t even realise it. And the not realising, that makes you even more beautiful. When you’re in your 30s you are going to look at photos of yourself when you were 19 and think “did I really look like that? Wow!”. You won’t believe me now, but those braces are going to be totally worth it!
There are going to be tough times. Really tough times. To the point where you don’t know how you’re going to get through them, but you will, because your family love you and will be there for you no matter what. You won’t always think they love you but they do. Oh they do.
The most important thing I want you to remember though is this: All we have is right now, this moment. The past doesn’t exist and the future never comes so don’t spend your life worrying about them. Enjoy what you have, ever last minute of it. Live for today and don’t let anyone tell you what to do.
I would like to take this moment to ask you not to start smoking next year because whatever you say it’s going to be another 15 years before you give up, but I don’t expect you’re going to listen.
So let me leave you with this. You are beautiful, intelligent and funny. Not everyone is going to see this, but that’s OK. Just hold those who do close as hell!
Love Me, Your 35 Year Old Self
x
What would you tell your 12-year-old self?
Nice! If only our older selves could time travel back to our younger selves, befriend each other and give hugs and advice. If only, eh?
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Rachel Hawes. Rachel Hawes said: a letter to my 12-year-old self http://goo.gl/fb/5XHzG [...]
I like this a lot. If only we could chat with those 12 year old selves- it would make their lives so much easier. Still- they wouldn’t believe us anyway. Or take any notice. I know for sure that my 12 year old self would think my 36 year old self far to old and daggy to take any notice of. And I agree- they’d probably still waste their health and thousands of dollars on dirty ciggies. I must say I find it a hard challenge to live EVERY moment to the fullest- there are a lot of dud/boring/stressful etc moments which make up a life- but I do think that my life is much richer if I purposefully savour at least one moment every day, and take the time to be grateful. ps I got my teeth straightened in my 30s- I envy your 12 year old self doing it so much earlier.
I admit that even after all my years of mediation and yoga training and retreats I am still have issues with the whole concept of finding joy in the washing up. Zen Buddhism claims you can… I am still awaiting enlightenment
Maybe it’s the hormones from my impending cycle this week, but I’m sitting here crying. This is so beautiful and I’m so moved. And I might be a copy-cat and do exactly the same thing! Thanks for being beautiful and such an inspiration. Happy Friday!
Lauren! I didn’t mean to make you cry! Looking forward to reading yours
What a beautiful idea. I love it!
Love this, so beautifully written.
Thank you for your comments on my blog. Kepp reading
Julia
British Bride
Beautiful!
I would tell my 12-year-old self: don’t worry, one day you will laugh at everything you’re going or through now or will go through in your teenage years. You’re beautiful and you just don’t know it. Yet.
What a lovely post.
I would tell my twelve year old self just to take every opportunity that comes your way. Enjoy yourself more and don’t be afraid of things that haven’t happend. Oh, and don’t give up playing the saxaphone!
x
That’s lovely. If I could write to my 12-year-old self, I’d say: Stop being such a prissy brat!
I love this idea, because it helps me appreciate the person I have become. I would tell my 12 year old self to feel more comfortable being herself and to quit trying to be like other people, your authentic self is so much better than the one you are trying to squeeze into a mold. I’d tell her to try yoga when she first gets the idea instead of waiting so many years, it has truly improved my life, and like Rachel I would beg her to not to pick up the first cigarette, I smoked for many years but I’m proud to say I have finally kicked that habit to the curb. Thanks for a great, though provoking post. I can’t wait to read the rest of the replies!
I feel I would deliver the same core message to my 12-year-old self. I too struggled to see my own beauty and intelligence.
rachel… this was it. well done. just so fantastic.
i would tell my 12 year old self many similar things… g-d isnt it hard being a young, teenage-ish girl?
Oh how sweet and funny! What a lovely idea.
But, what do you think your 12-year old self would have written to your present self?
What a great post that reminded me of a similar activity we did in my level 1 teacher training. We didn’t write letters but had to speak it out loud to a partner who was suppose to be our younger selves. We did it at 5ish and teen years. So powerful! It really helps us appreciate the journey we’ve taken and see how much we’ve grown… also to put into perspective that even at the most difficult of times as a teenager, we survived and grew and now know that no matter how difficult things get, it will pass too.
What a great idea, and a great letter! I hated my teenage years; oh the awkwardness. Glad that’s over wiith. I can’t wait to start doing some more fun/interesting things like this on my blog when my essay is over (1 week to go, woo woo). Hope you have a great weekend x
oh I LOVE this! I wrote a letter to myself a couple of years ago. It was such an unexpectedly freeing experience.
oh i also had some teary moments. this was beautiful
Beautifully written. I wrote a letter to myself at age 16, to be opened when I was 26 – which I kept, and opened on the prescribed day. I laughed, but I also cried. I wrote a letter back to my 16 year old self, telling her everything that happened, answering all her questions, and just telling her that everything would be ok. My 12 year old self was even more idealistic and naive, I suspect
But it was an really profound moment for me, realising that even though there had been some terrible moments between 16 and 26, everything had worked out and I was finally on my way to living the life that the 16 year old me always wanted to.
Your book is going to be amazing
xxx
<3 Right around this age my household wen through some life changing things.
I love this.