March 10, 2015

Letter to my 15 year old self

*What I'd tell my 15 year old self. At 15, I was a grade 11 student at Yangchenphug Higher Secondary School.
I'm 23 now*


Dearest Sweta

You need to loosen up. Smile and laugh more. Don't  bother about your crooked canine peeping out when you do. Later in life, you'll remember the laughter, not the crooked canine.

Do not hold back from falling in love...it's natural. You have the right to fall in love several times just as much as you have the right to pick and choose. Everyone you love will  teach you a lesson and all these lessons put together will help you find THE man.
Nobody has the right to use you. Stay away from men who lie, cheat & sweet talk. Nothing good will come from them. There'll be those who will hurt you & break your heart, but you have to stand back up on your feet. You can and you will!

Spend more time with friends. Acknowledge them. It's important to have a small circle of amazing friends...number doesn't matter. Open up, trust them and love them.
Appreciate the time you have with them- the lunch breaks, the endless gossip, those short outings...these are the memories that'll you cherish when away from them in college.

Forgive. I know you're not a Saint but you need to start putting into practice the art of forgiving. Forgiving is a value which will help YOU in the long run.Forgive the girl who spread rumours about you, forgive the boy who stole your lunch..you have more important things to deal with.
Moreover, Dumbledore always says that people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right!


Eat! Don't miss out on the burgers, the fries, the ice cream and all those chocolate filled goodness that's available. Thank your metabolism and relish these yumminess before your metabolism slows down and you start putting on weight.

Exercise! If you don't start now, you never will. Run with the dog instead of complaining and sending mum out with the dog. Play more of basketball and badminton and make use of that skipping rope that's accumulating dust in one of the boxes in the store room.

Shop with a purpose. Don't just buy whatever you think is nice. There's a reason why shops have fit-on rooms. Make use of them, spend a good amount of time shopping and deciding on what looks best on you. Don't blindly follow trends; wear what looks best on you.

DO NOT pick  on your pimples. I know you get tempted to squeeze out the muck every time one appears on the face but resist the urge. Do whatever it takes, just don't pick on them. You'll thank me later.

People leave. You need to ready yourself for letting go. When you face loss, you'll think it's the end of the world and that you're finished but have faith in God and in the people around you. You will come out of it as a stronger person.

I know you feel that your mother is being over protective and looking at you with a microscope. Always remember that it's in your best interest and it's only because she loves you way more than you love her.

Value your family - everyone! They love you and care for you. Tell them that you do too. Tell your grandmother how much she means to you, say thank you for the dried fruits she brings for you. Tell them they matter before it's too late. Their absence will leave your heart hollow; a scar that even time cannot heal.

Speak up! If you feel strongly about something, voice your opinion. Do not be afraid to take the path un-trodden. You'll make mistakes but you'll also learn lessons from your mistakes; lessons you wouldn't get from anywhere else.

And finally, not everyone who started with you will finish with you. And that's okay.

Love,
Your Older Self