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My Slightly Chaotic Life

Balancing Life, Children and Chaos

Lifestyle

Dear 16 year old me….

September 25, 2018 Comments : 21

Ever wondered what advice you would give your teenage self? Find out what I want to tell my former self. | Teen | Growing up | Life changes |
Ever thought about what advice you would give yourself during high school? Check out what I would tell my former self and why it is important to always be yourself. | Teenager | Life changes | Getting older |

Dear 16 year old me,

You are now 17 years older and wiser. You have been through the many ups and downs that come with life and have come out on the other side stronger and at times a little more jaded.

I can’t go back in time and change your path but I can tell you you’ve learned and grown from the mistakes as well as the victories.

Despite this there are a few things I want you to know about life, love and friendships.

Be your own, independent self

Too many times it is easy to follow the crowd and lose your own individual identity. You wear what’s trendy even if you don’t like the style, join the popular crowd even if you don’t like the people, and and mute your ideals because someone may not agree with you. You should dress and act how you want to. You are your own person and nobody, not even the popular crowd, can take that away from you.

Don’t be a mean girl

There will be so many girls who will try to bring you down. Girls who will make fun of you for the way you look, the way you dress, even your weight. Don’t be one of those girls. Be better then them. Be the girl that is remembered as being kind, the one that people like because you made them feel good. Those mean girls in high school will most likely stay mean girls into college and then become the mean girls on the PTA. My point is, be kind to everyone. You’ll feel better about yourself in the end.

You are not fat

You are not overweight. You may look in the mirror and not feel comfortable in your own skin but I am here to tell you that your body issues are unfounded. Your body will go through many changes as you get older including weight gain, weight loss and creating two tiny, beautiful lives. Embrace your ability to wear whatever the fuck you want to now while your still a size 4 and your metabolism is sky high.

That boy you thought was the one, was not and will never be the one

In fact, you will meet a man who will be everything you wanted and more later on in life. Stop focusing on trying to get this guy in high school who will most likely end up meaning nothing to you later on. Also with that said, if a guy wants to be with you he will be with you. He won’t wait to call for days on end, blow you off or make comments about how he’s just not ready for a relationship right now. If he does any of these things: run. Don’t settle for anything less then you deserve. This is one thing you will learn the hard way.

Chase your dreams

If you want to become a lawyer or try to go to the Olympics for high jump: chase after it. It’s okay to have big goals in life. These dreams may come crashing down but you will always regret not trying. In my opinion regret is worse then failure.

It’s okay not to have your entire life planned out

I spent many sleepless, panic filled nights wondering what I was going to do with my life. Which college to go to, which career path to take, questioning if I was making the right choice. I’m here to tell you that none of that mattered. You will eventually find your way and it may be doing something you never thought you would do like becoming a nurse.

No one in the real world gives a shit if you were the most popular in your class

They give a shit about your character, your work ethic and your personality. Sure it feels good to be liked and have people know your name long after you graduated but in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t really matter 10 years down the road.

You’ve hit a few bumps along the road but you’ve managed to find a job you love, become a mom and find the man of your dreams. Is your life what you pictured it to be at 16? No, but in some ways it’s better. So hang in there. You’ll get to all the good and the bad that growing up has to offer.

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Comments

  1. sarah garden says

    September 25, 2018 at 3:38 pm

    Yes yes yes! That part about high school boys 🙂 Awesome! Know your worth!

    Reply
  2. Monidipa Dutta says

    September 25, 2018 at 3:43 pm

    I am 25. If I could go back to 16 I would just say to myself, “Vent out your pain, don’t repress it. Close people die and it is a part of life”.

    Reply
  3. Tammy Staley says

    September 25, 2018 at 3:59 pm

    You will have many more of these dear you letter throughout your life. As long as you keep learning about yourself you will be fine!

    Reply
  4. Carmen Edwards says

    September 25, 2018 at 5:28 pm

    Such great tips to a younger you. I wish we had these tips when we needed them most. By the way you gave away your age lol.

    Reply
  5. GiGi Eats says

    September 25, 2018 at 7:46 pm

    Oh man, a letter to 16-year-old me would say – DO NOT GIVE A CRAP WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK because THEY DO NOT MATTER AT ALL!

    Reply
  6. Sarah says

    September 26, 2018 at 4:03 am

    Such a great post. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and give myself a talking to.

    Reply
  7. Maartje says

    September 26, 2018 at 6:49 am

    This is lovely. I should probably write one of these myself. My life is not at all like the way I thought it was when I was younger…

    Reply
  8. Laura says

    September 26, 2018 at 9:37 am

    This resonates so much. Every 16 year old girl should read this. I believe in a time of social media influences that that have it even Harder than we did

    Reply
  9. Megan says

    September 26, 2018 at 9:50 am

    This is amazing, thank you so much for sharing. I’d like to say a lot of this to my 16 year old self too.

    Reply
  10. Rachel Bli says

    September 26, 2018 at 3:29 pm

    I remember being 16 and how insecure I felt as a teenager. But I also remember that confidence and self esteem grows and you care less about what people think as you get older.

    Reply
  11. The Tale of Mummyhood says

    September 26, 2018 at 3:49 pm

    It’s definitely so important to be yourself, it’s taken me a long time to believe it but it’s so important!

    Reply
  12. Britney says

    September 26, 2018 at 4:41 pm

    I love this! I would have so much to say to my 16 year old self.

    Reply
  13. Evelyn Hernandez says

    September 26, 2018 at 8:12 pm

    Wish I could talk to my 16 year old self, I would surely tell her to chase her dreams as well.

    Reply
  14. Lindsay says

    September 26, 2018 at 10:02 pm

    I just love reading these! Don’t you wish we really could go back in time and speak to our younger selves. All that time wasted worrying about “popularity” and feeling fat. Beautiful post!

    Reply
  15. Emily Fata says

    September 26, 2018 at 10:59 pm

    What a beautiful reflection. It inspired me to look back on how much I’ve changed since 16 (I’m 24 years old now), and think about what I would have told her. One thing for sure, would be to follow my gut!

    Reply
  16. HilLesha says

    September 26, 2018 at 11:30 pm

    I can relate to this! I was such an insecure teenager. There’s a lot I could tell my 16-year-old-self if I could turn back the hands of time!

    Reply
  17. Catherine Santiago Jose says

    September 27, 2018 at 1:53 am

    Wow, this is such a nice article to read and if I am going to say something about my 16-year-old self I would rather say be happy and contented in what you have and love without asking any conditions.

    Reply
  18. Geraline Batarra says

    September 27, 2018 at 3:25 am

    This is such a nice post to read and I am glad that at the young age you are able to understand everything in your life. Thanks for sharing this with us!

    Reply
  19. Preet says

    September 27, 2018 at 4:06 am

    This is a great post to think of a younger me. I would to write as for myself .

    Reply
  20. Trina Dinnar says

    September 27, 2018 at 7:03 pm

    What an interesting and insightful post! I really enjoyed your perspective and look forward to reading more from you in the future!

    Reply
  21. Jen says

    September 29, 2018 at 4:39 am

    Yes! I especially love the bit about no-one caring about whether you were most popular. The real world doesn’t care!

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Danielle. I'm a mom, wife and ED nurse. I love sharing my honest take on being a mom, traveling with kids and lifestyle content.

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This pregnancy has been so hard on my body and mind and I have never felt more alone. Maybe because I’m just trying to out a smile on and be happy but most days I’m struggling. Pregnancy after loss is a constant state of anxiety. Filled with feelings of being scared to become too connected with this baby out of fear of something going wrong. 
But I’m trying and with every passing week my heart relaxes just a little bit more. So here’s to the final stretch, the third trimester and to all the other mamas out there struggling with similar feelings I’m sending you so much love. ❤️
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#pregnancyjourney #pregnantmama #thirdtrimester #pregnancyafterloss #pregnancyaftermiscarriage #honestmom #motherhoodunfiltered #motherhoodunplugged #mainemom
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My go to: the New Mango Pineapple Refresher from @dunkin. 
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Refreshers available through August 16th or while supplies last! 

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Reading Eggs can also encourage parents to help children continue to learn over summer break! You can get @readingeggs with a free trial for 30 days and if you get a paid subscription, an accelerated 10-week Reading Eggs and Math Seeds online summer school is included. This is the perfect program for kindergarten to 3rd grade. To learn more, make sure to check out my stories and get your free trial today! 
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I hate this world that my children are growing up I hate this world that my children are growing up in. My heart sinks a little every time I send them off to school or daycare, terrified that something out of my control will happen to them. I can control what they eat, what they watch, who they play with to an extent but I can’t control the unknown. And right now raising children feels a little like walking into the unknown. 

So where do we go from here?
How do we teach our children about kindness, forgiveness and trust when society these days is throwing the exact opposite in their faces? How do we raise children and make them feel safe in a world that feels so heavy? In the last 24 hours I’ve thought to myself, this could be my children and the pain that goes along with just that thought is not even comparable to the pain the families who sent their children off to school to never come home are feeling right now. The sad truth though is that the next time it could be my children, your children, our community, our schools that are effected by a tragedy like this. 
As a parent this is the most terrifying thought of all. 

 Holding my children a little tighter today and every day because this world is an unpredictable place and holding onto hope that change is coming. ❤️
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#motherhoodunplugged #honestmom #momlifeunfiltered #raisingkids #raisinglittles #workingmom #workingmomlife #motherhoodintheraw #motherhoodunited
My favorite place in my home? My bed and @brooklin My favorite place in my home? My bed and @brooklinen has made it even more comfortable with their bedding bundles. 
Not only are they soft and feel luxurious, the price tag is  completely affordable for any budget. So if your looking to make your bed more welcoming and comfortable (since we spend about 1/3 of our lives in bed anyways!) make sure to check out @brooklinen and use the code daniellenicole to get $20 off $100 or more! 
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#gifted #mybrooklinenstyle #cornerofmyhome #bedroominspo #bedroomstyle #mycozyhome #bedroomideas
Anyone else not a big fan of maternity clothing? Anyone else not a big fan of maternity clothing? 
I have absolutely zero desire to buy maternity clothes so seeing how long I can make what’s in my closet work for me. 
Thankful I get to live in dresses, shorts and bathing suits this summer but dreading being in my third trimester during the hottest months here in the Northeast. 
If your pregnant this summer let’s be friends! 
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#momstyle #pregnancystyle #pregnantmama #23weekspregnant #joyfulmamas #mamaswithstyle #pregnantstyle #pregnantlife #targetstyle #targetmom #targetfinds #affordablestyle #ltkunder50 #secondtrimester
Anyone else struggle getting enough sleep? I know Anyone else struggle getting enough sleep? I know I do, especially lately.
(ad) @marlowpillow is helping me get better sleep with their cooling, memory foam pillows that are adjustable to the firmness that you like. Making my bed a cozier place to be allows me to get the rest my body is desperate for. Make sure to check out my stories to learn more! 
And the more you buy, the more you save so keep that in mind when your looking to update your space! 
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#mycozyhome #homedecorinspo #bedroominspo #cozybedroom #pregnancylife #bettersleep #bedtimereading #momlifeunfiltered #pregnantmama #motherhoodsimplified #bedroomstyling #sleepytime
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