Dear future me,

I would have preferred to write this letter to past me in order to prevent my mistakes from happening, but seeing as time travel is not possible, I will settle for writing to my future self to prevent me from making the same mistakes over again. Anyway, here I will list all the lessons I have learned over the years just in case I ever forgot them.

People are unreliable. You have learned that the hard way, so don't forget it. Sure they mean well, but sometimes even your best friends just forget about you and the fact that you have feelings. I know it hurts, but just remember, you don't need anyone else's approval. All you need is your own best effort. Remember, the way to respond to bullying is to focus your attention on something else. Work hard at something. Your hard work will lead to success regardless of whether or not anyone likes you.

Never pretend to be anything you're not. It may bring temporary acceptance, but you will find no lasting happiness. Don’t try to make friends by pretending to be like people you have nothing in common with. You will have to live a lie which, besides being extremely exhausting, will always make you feel inadequate. For this reason, friends based on lies are worse than no friends at all. Find friends who you actually share common interests with, friends who accept you for who you are. It may be difficult, but it will be worth your while. Also, never downgrade your intelligence to make friends. This doesn't mean you should brag, but don't lie. If people don't like you or if they make fun of you for being smart, see who's laughing in 10 years.

Sometimes you need to let your feelings out. I know you don’t like to, but sometimes it’s necessary. I don’t mean you should be the overly emotional girl type, but you do need to let your opinions be heard sometimes. You will never get what you want if you never tell anyone what you want. I know this is perhaps the most difficult thing for you, and I know that you, for good reason, have a very deep fear of rejection. However, as I already said, you don’t need people to like you. When people have hurt you in the past it was only because you allowed them to by caring. Trust your instincts; ignore the critics.

Never make fun of anyone. You know how both ends of bullying feel, and you know that neither is fun. Just remember that causing others pain won’t relieve your own pain. Also, never feel superior to anyone. You will begin to rely on being better than them in order to feel adequate, and as much of a cliché as it is, we all have different strengths and weaknesses. You’ll just be disappointed when you discover the things that they’re superior to you at.

When you feel like everything is just going wrong, take a break from it all. Isolate yourself from all people and media, and breathe some fresh air. Take your dog with you; they are good for keeping you company without causing stress. Go outside and just sit under your favorite tree for a while. Appreciate everything around you. Trust me; nature is much more refreshing than caffeine.

Last, but not least, love yourself. Have faith in yourself. If I may add one last cliché, if you don’t love yourself, no one else will. With that I leave you. Good Luck.

Love
Your past self