Today’s giveaway features two California jewelry artists.
Textured Drop Necklace By Feisty Elle
Every time I wear this piece by Leslie Yang, I get compliments. I’ve actually had people stop me in the street to ask where I got it. It’s made of bamboo, so it’s surprisingly lightweight. I don’t even notice I have it on, and I love how effortlessly it elevates an outfit.
Can You Hear Me Now Brooch by Mama’s Little Babies
Mama’s Little Baby brooches are so witty. This guy is my favorite, but I also feel affectionate toward the artichoke and Gunther, the World Famous Lion Tamer.
Cute, right? I know!
To enter, please leave a piece of advice for your younger self. And don’t forget to check back this week for more contests.
Fine print: Please only leave one comment, because it’s the nice thing to do, and also because multiple entries will be disqualified. I’ll use random.org to select the winner, and I’ll announce who won at the top of this post and in a separate post next Wednesday.
Mighty Girl 
Dear younger me,
Please eat healthier. Also, so far your liver is a champ.
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Stop over analyzing everything
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Dear Me At Nineteen,
Don’t bother feeling guilty about dropping out of college. Ten years from now you’ll be back, armed with antidepressants and years of therapy, and it’ll be a much better experience for you. And while we’re on the subject, how about you go ahead and start with the therapy and Effexor *before* you have kids? Xoxo, me
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Spend all your money on travel before you have kids.
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Dear Younger Self,
Stop seeking reassurance from external sources and trust in yourself. You are doing beautifully. Really.
Love,
Older Self
P.S. Seriously, don’t scratch that chicken pock – it will leave a small but irksome scar on your chin.
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Other people’s happiness is not your responsibility.
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Dear younger me,
Stop giving a crap about what people think and do what you want. Life is so much more fun that way.
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enjoy your body more, it will never look quite that good again
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It truly is better not to peak in high school so don’t be so concerned with what the cool kids think. And listen to your gut and go to art school.
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Dear young Nat: Keep wearing weird stuff, and doing dumb things. Your old man may be right about most of the stuff he’s on about, but he’s wasting his breath trying to tell you now. It really only works if you figure it out on your own, which you do.
Stuff turns out all right for you. Keep playing guitar.
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Dear younger self,
A career in the arts is not more noble than a career in science. Also, you’re hot. How can you not see that?
Love, You.
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Walk. Bike. Run. It’s so fun to use your body.
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Hey listen up! Don’t earn your degree in a field were you will “always have a job”…do something you love. When that guy says his family and friends will always come first believe him and find someone who will put you first. Those goals you have?…WRITE THEM DOWN! Work less and play more, get your fun on!
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your legs are fine!
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dear younger self: use more sunscreen! really! and forgive people who hurt you, holding into grudges will just give you a tummy ache. and always keep dreaming like you are now; you will get there eventually, don’t worry.
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Hey there self,
You end up going to a really great college. But it’s been 12 years since you graduated college and you’ve still got a lot of it to pay for, so why don’t you take it a little more seriously? Cool it with taking the science classes for non-majors, and using the pass/fail option for a grade.
Also, that guy you date from ages 24 to 27? Just spare yourself a lot of grief and don’t pass him your number when you spy him on the Metro. He may be mighty hot, but he is so not worth it.
But you’ve got a great husband now, so it all works out in the end.
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Dear young Elaina: Don’t let anyone else define you. Learn to say no. You’ll laugh about it later, I promise. Smile. It all goes by so quickly.
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Younger self, nobody will ask about your high school GPA. Really. Party more.
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Dear younger self, you are beautiful! That voice telling you that you’re not? Tell it to go suck eggs.
Love,
you at 35.
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Trust your gut, and take yourself less seriously.
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Dear Younger Self: In 10 years, you won’t even care what these people are doing.
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Go to a state school and grad school – and yes, you will marry Stan – hook up with him earlier, will ya?
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Oh, Gretchen honey, don’t worry so much about your grades. It’s gonna be okay.
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Planning for the future is great, but take the time to truly enjoy the present as well.
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adulthood is not nearly as boring as you thought it would be. i promise.
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Dear younger self:
You applied to 6 colleges in Boston. You applied to 1 college in New York City. You did not end up in Boston, and looking back, you are so glad for it. Don’t sweat turning down the “Boston dream.” In retrospect it would have been a horrible idea.
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Spend more time smiling instead of scrunching up your nose in self-doubt. In 20 years your first wrinkles are going to be in between your eyes, right on the bridge of your nose. You don’t want your wrinkles to be telling that kind of story.
Oh how I am hoping for that beautiful necklace!
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Yes, you *can* do all of those things, but more importantly, when will you!? It’s okay to be underprepared, you’ll learn as you go along. And everyone is rooting for you.
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Love yourself more. Care less what others think. Spend more time on the phone with your parents just because you can.
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Save that allowance! Soon, your family won’t be able to afford giving you money like that, and you will wish you had the savings to leave a toxic home life earlier.
Get off the couch, ignore the naysayers and imaginary judgmental jury, and do what you want, knowing in every cell of your being that you are awesome (or fake it until you make it). Because you will regret giving up swimming out of body shyness, you will wish you hadn’t given up writing from listening to your mother tell you it’s useless, you will realize that nobody really thought you had no business in after-school Animation classes so you should’ve gone anyway. Live as you dream of living. You have great instincts but you need to listen to them instead of your doubts.
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Enjoy the body you have now. It only goes downhill from here.
Thanks for the giveaway!
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skip the shots!
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Accept compliments. Never accept them boastfully, but always graciously.
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If you’re worried and stressed about something you cannot change, you’re probably NOT taking the initiative on something you can.
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Remember to say “eff it” more often and enjoy yourself.
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Remember you deserve it all.
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Learn how to roll the kayak.
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Dear Younger Self:
Raise your hand in class more often and stand up straighter. Speak up. You have much to say.
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It turns out you DO like beer. Keystone is not beer. Also, don’t take yourself so seriously. The brooding thing won’t go away, but the ability to share it humorously will make all the difference.
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Dear Me
– stop dating that loser
– don’t be afraid to be your own person
– do what you love – you’re going to end up doing it anyway, so why waste time?
love,
me.
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You will eventually date someone and he will be awesome and you will have an amazing little boy together. Enjoy the friendships that you do have and stop obsessing about not having a boyfriend.
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Dearest little Lisa,
We are blessed with two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen more than you talk.
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Dear HS self,
Quit looking down your nose at those “sluts”- you’ll be less miserable if you date/ get some before you are 20.
Your Sexually Older & Wiser Self
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The only to figure out what’s best for you is to block out every other voice – recognise that and don’t feel bad about it.
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Dear younger me,
Don’t get back together with him. It will always end up the same, yes even the third or forth time…
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Dear self,
Stop trying so hard. You are awesome as is. Also, drink less and change your major. You may not know it now but you actually really love science and helping people and years later you will wish you’d identified these interests earlier.
E
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You know, just stop. Slow down. Take time. Enjoy life. It will (on reflection) just rush on by, it doesn’t need your help. Stop worrying. It’ll all happen eventually, and if it doesn’t, well pffft, it clearly wasn’t meant to. Embrace everything (with the exception of a few icky individuals). Keep an open mind. Take every opportunity given to you. Say “Thank you” and “I love you” more often. See you real real soon….
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Don’t worry so much!
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Learn how to take care of your hair — it’s gorgeous and curly and you’re going to lose most of it thanks to birth control. Don’t be a vegetarian for eight years if you’re not going to learn to like salad, because a pasta diet will do you no favors.
Realize that your parents are as clueless as you are and get some outside advice when it comes to higher education. Guess what: STUDENT LOANS EXIST! You don’t have to pay all by yourself or get a scholarship! Really!
Please stop painting yourself into the last available corner when it comes to making life choices. I know the endless opportunities that being a reasonably intelligent, middle class white American grants you are overwhelming, and that fear of failure is what makes you do it, but honestly you just can’t undo some of the choices you will make after being forced into them at the last minute thanks to your own self-handicapping.
Oh, and speaking of last minute choices, fuck that law school noise. It’s the worst possible place for you, and the debt is no joke.
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I’m loving reading everyone else’s. Mine is, you are not fat. wear the slutty dress, you look great.
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