Letter to me:

I found this while cleaning out my computer.  I think I wrote it about 7 years ago...It's funny, and quite interesting.  I am not exactly sure why I wrote it, maybe for a church activity or therapy...

If I could write a letter to me and send it back to myself  when I was a kid, I would say:

Dear Britney,

Choose your friends wisely, because they will impact your decisions later in life, and they will help establish your self esteem and self worth.  Tell Kate you are sorry, and don’t take her criticism so seriously, she was just an unhappy person at the time.  Tell Ian you just wanted to be friends, nothing more.  Include Lindsay with you plans, don’t single her out.  Fight, but be sure to make up, there is no point ruining a friendship over a fight, especially over one involving a boy.  Play and smile more, stop trying to be older than you are, you will never get to be 15 again so don’t rush it. You have your whole life a head of you! Slow down and take it all in and enjoy being a teenager.

Take school a bit less seriously.  Be OK with a B and don’t beat yourself up over it.  Stop comparing yourself to your siblings, you may not ever be as smart as them, but you have other qualities that are just as important.  Don’t EVER cheat!  It just makes you ashamed and embarrassed later on (especially when you don’t know the stuff you should know because you cheated).  Be proud of your accomplishments, and stop putting yourself down.

Don’t date and be alone with a boy even after you are 16 (even if mom and dad say its ok), it ONLY makes for trouble.  The things you do now you can NEVER take back, and you will regret ever putting yourself in such sticky situations (you don’t believe me now but I promise you that this is how you will feel). Tell your brother thank you for spying on you and telling mom…he was only trying to protect you.  Listen to big Jim’s words, “nothing good EVER happens after midnight”. Make sure you make it home before curfew, your punishment is SOOO not worth it.  Thank your parents for the boundaries that they did give you, they did keep you out of some trouble, (and like I said, you won’t know it now, but you will be thankful later).

Go to seminary.  Wake up, and stay awake, you will thank me later for the things you learned.  Stop ditching out on class on Sundays.  Be nicer and more grateful to your church leaders and teachers, they are doing their best.  Talk to the bishop WHENEVER you can, don’t wait, you will only destroy your spirit by waiting.  Remember who you are and what that means.  Don’t fight the spirit when it is guiding you against going somewhere you know you should not be going, or doing something you should not be doing.  Don’t go to Nate’s party!  Do not justify your actions, take responsibility and learn from your mistakes, you will be so much better for it when you are older.  Read the Book of Mormon as soon as you can, and pray about it.   The sooner you truly know your beliefs in the gospel, the easier it will be to remember who you are and to avoid temptation.  Remember that your leaders and bishops do and can make mistakes, talk to them, forgive them, don’t run away from the church because of them, they are human just as you are. 

Do more things with your family, and be nicer to your sisters, they are all you have when you are older, and you will never be able to get back all of those years.  Let them share your clothes and go out to movies together just you and them. Listen to them, empathize with their feelings wether you agree with them or not, they are true feelings for them and they need your guidance. Listen to you parents and forgive them for their shortcomings, they are learning how to be a parent just as you are learning how to be a daughter.  Go walking on the beach with your mom, play more games and do puzzles with her on the floor, take advantage of her physical abilities because they won’t be there much longer.  Remember to tell your dad you love and forgive him even though he won’t ever ask for it.  And remember to always give hugs to your family members because you never know when your last time will be with them. 

Be more optimistic, and listen to yourself and the promptings of the spirit.  You know what is right, just follow your heart (even though it will be tough). Be more patient, loving, and honest.   Most of all, Love yourself!  You are a good person with many talents to share with the world.  Don’t waste so much time and energy trying to be something that others want you to be.  Be happy with who you are and how you look, I promise you will never weigh less or look as good as you do now, so stop being so insecure and get in that pool!  J

Love always, Britney