A Message from the Future

This was previously posted on the Grrrll Genius board on I-Village, but I kinda liked what I wrote. We were all writing letters to our younger selves...and this is what I wrote:

Dear L. at age 20,

I know you were a late bloomer and so excited to get into the game. But don't be afraid to let go of someone just because of your fears of 'dating'. Dating is a great way to figure out what kind of person you want. And you don't have to go out with anyone again after a first or second date. It's okay to say, "Sorry, this isn't working for me."

A lot of the time you'll be worrying about whether or not someone likes you. But the bigger question you should be asking is, "DO YOU LIKE HIM?". Really, it's so much more important. What do you like about the guy? What don't you like? Would your dad get on with him? (Cause really, dad has good insights on this stuff).

Don't worry if you are not in a serious relationship by 30. You're still learning about yourself and learning to make good decisions about guys. Oh, and if a guy tells you that he's cheated on a bunch of his past girlfriends...believe him...he'll do it to you too!

Enjoy your time on your own. It's a great way to learn about who you are. And seriously, you get to eat what you want, when you want. Celebrate it and enjoy your girlfriends. They are much more important than any guy.

Be excited because you'll learn to take risks. Sometimes they'll bomb, but that's okay...you can survive! And you'll have lots of cool stuff to look forward to. While you'll make some mistakes, as long as you learn from them, they're okay.

Self, you can deal with pain. Really difficult pain. And it makes you stronger and more capable. So bring it on! Don't live your life in fear of emotional pain or you'll lose a lot of LIFE.
That's it self. Oh, and begin to eat healthier and enjoy being fit. It gets harder as you get older.
Finally - be you. YOU are wonderful. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Love ya!
Your older, slightly wiser self