Four Pieces of Advice to My Future Children

The other day while strolling through our local Walmart looking for some type of  "canned diced tomatoes" my mom had texted me about I walked past an older looking woman and (what I'm assuming to be) her son who looked to be just a couple years older than me. What they were talking about, I don't know but it did consist of many "I don't know what to tell you" and a "Do I look like Dr. Phil?"

For some odd reason, hearing that while walking past the pair stuck to me. It got me thinking, in 20 years time I might have a family that I am responsible for. Children of my own who are in the same place where that boy, myself, and so many other teenagers are at this very moment. Juggling school, sports, a social life, and the overwhelming push from society and parents to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life when you really don't even know if you have found yourself yet in the first place. Then it hit me, "Oh god, I'm eventually going to have to give my own child advice." So I did what I do every time I get one of these moments, I wrote everything down. And so I present to you, Four Pieces of Advice for My Future Children.

First of all, I know what you're thinking.

You're having a little conversation with yourself, thinking away in that little head of yours saying "Mom could never know what I'm going through, she doesn't get what it's like to be a teenager." But I do, I so get it. I get that you think the world doesn't understand you, that everyone is out to get you, even me. I get how you are feeling because I at one time, felt exactly the same way. My mother nagged at me, probably the same way I will to you, about REALLY needing to pick colleges to look at, or finishing your homework. I can guarantee you will get sick of me asking you every time you leave the house if you are SURE  you have everything you will need for that sleepover. I know you're going to get irritated with me really quick over and over again, but I've learned that the constant questioning is only being done out of love.

Second, do what makes you happy.

These days people are so fascinated with the idea of success, power, and the quickest way to get there that when they do, they realize they really aren't happy where they ended up. I want you to wake up every morning happier than you were the previous day. Life is full of SO many amazing and spectacular things. I want you to dive into the world head first and experience it with all of the happiness in the world. Life is way too short to see the world in only black and white. Listen, if you find happiness in playing music on the side of the street, play that music until your fingers bleed. If you're happy in an office cubicle working nine to five every day, you sit in that wheelie chair! If backpacking through the island of Fuji is where you find happiness, do it. Even if you find your happiness working at some random carnival every other weekend, I will be proud, because you are happy.

Love yourself and be who YOU are.

I see so many people, including myself at times be so picky about what is wrong with themselves. Whether it is about your body, your personality, your voice, whatever it is, I'm telling you this right now, I never ever want you to be ashamed of who you are. You are so lovely and I want you to love yourself in everyway possible. So what, you don't look like the model in the magazine, I'll let you in on a little secret, the model in that magazine doesn't even look like the model in the magazine. Everything in that picture has been somehow retouched. YOU are beautiful or handsome or whatever word you want to use. Please, please, please, always try to keep a positive out look on yourself. Don't let society's ideals of acceptable and unacceptable ruin your self worth. As long as you are being you I couldn't be anymore proud. Don't worry about what others are thinking about you, if you're comfortable wearing that crop top, you go and rock that crop top. If you want to go to the store in an animal onesie, you zip that sucker up and strut through that store. If you like dating girls, great! If your happy dating guys, go get them! It doesn't matter as long as you are being true to yourself.

Lastly, learn to laugh at yourself.

I CAN NOT stress this one enough. Don't take yourself too seriously, have fun. There are going to be plenty of times that you are going to be absolutely mortified, and if you're anything like me you better get used to it because you're clumsy as hell. When you roll your ankle in the middle of a store and workers are staring at you, don't get mad or embarrassed, work it. Hell yeah you just totally face planted  in the middle of a mildly busy store, but trust me in a week or two everyone that saw it happen is going to find something else to talk about. Don't worry about it, it makes a hilarious story to tell all your friends when they ask you how you cracked your phone.

I guess what I'm trying to say is enjoy the beauty in everything, have fun, live life to the fullest, and just make sure you're happy doing whatever you're doing.

 Love Always,

Aleise