ph IDEAphoto

Hey there teenager Gema,

nice to e-meet you. It might sound a little weird but I am you and I am writing you from the future. You are 23 now and I would like to tell you about some lessons that I have learnt and also, some things that you shouldn't Worry about so much.

So, let's start from the beginning. As every teenager you are very concerned about boys and relationships. I know that you dream about that perfect guy, that romance and you worry too much that nobody is going to love you because you're not pretty enough, not slim enough, not funny enough, etc. Well, let me tell you - you will fall in love and when you do you will fall hard. Let me tell you as well that somebody will fall for you too. He will fall hard as well & you will be happy. However, I must warn you that you will know how it feels to have a broken heart. Don't you worry though - there's always a ray of sunshine after a big storm. I know you pretty damn well, so I understand that you will not take it easy - this is just how you are. It might sound a little scary now but these moments will make you YOU. Bear in mind as well that you are very happy now. It was a rocky road, you've made mistakes and bad choices yet somehow you survived and right now you wouldn't want to change anything cause you're very content with your life. Every single struggle you went through, tears you cried out, sleepless nights you had - it all shaped you into being who you are now.

Boyfriends - check, now friends - correct? As far as I remember you were always very concerned about your friendships. You always wanted to be the center of attention, the soul of a big group people. Let me tell you one thing first - people come into your life for a reason, for a season or for a lifetime. I must admit that you've had people that came for a reason & a season but now they're not with you anymore. It doesn't probably sound so great to you, but I trust me that you feel just fine. Those people taught you loads of things about loyalty, selfishness, care and reliability. They have formed the values that you live your life by now and I do believe that those are worth every single time it was hard to let somebody go.

Lastly, let's talk you and how to deal with self-confidence or should I say struggle with it? No, those diets that you're doing right now will not help you to have a perfect body. No, you'll not be 175 cm and not even 170 cm. Yes, you will achieve your 'perfect weight' but no, you won't feel the satisfaction out of it that you think you will and yes, you will still find loads of things that you don't like about your body. I guess you'll have to undergo all the stages of the extreme dieting, fitness, then binging on everything again in order to realise that the number on the scale doesn't make you YOU and that will not be the reason why you'll establish amazing friendships, meet lovely people and feel happy.
I know that you won't believe me, but I promise you that despite all of those drawbacks that you find in physical appearance every day you will learn to love. Not every day, there will be bad days where you'll hate yourself and hope to be a model who travels the world & doesn't have to worry about anything in life. Well, those will be just shorts moments because you'll know in your heart that it's not the case and everybody has their insecurities and troubles, which we don't see on their instagram feeds.
That's just social media life and  you will spend a lot of time on it. This will bring out some insecurities in you as well - just saying. A lot of them to be honest, but in time you will understand that numbers do not define you and there's no point in comparing yourself to others. It is indeed the thief of joy. I'm not saying that you'll be a super self-confident person, no, that's not the case either. You will worry sometimes and compare your life to others' yet the conclusion will always be the same - you have too many beautiful things to appreciate and to thank for in your life to be sad about it.

So, girl, please try feel comfortable in your own skin and just take life with a bit of salt. Everything happens for a reason even if you don't know it yet. x