13^th July 2012.

A LETTER TO MY TEENAGE SELF...

Dear Teenage Risa,

You are a beauty and a gem, then and now….so stop tearing yourself apart trying to be everything all at once. You are messing your uniqueness and losing yourself, you are destroying YOU. Among the finest of God’s creation…SMILE, this will not only light up your day, but also the day of others.  Don’t try to be someone else. Keep walking around feeling like Cleopatra, that kind of CONFIDENCE will open doors you never even knew existed. DON’T struggle with PRIDE, this has been the downfall of many great men and women before and during my time…Don’t get too hung on your MISTAKES, you are yet to make your worst, but make sure you LEARN from them  and grow yourself. Learn everything and anything. Every day is a learning experience. Remember, the day you STOP LEARNING will be the day you start dying. Take your lessons seriously.

RESPECT other people; respect their time and their space. Listen to your elders, especially to grandma and grandpa. They are wiser than you. Honor your mother and father, for this is the first commandment with a promise (Ephesians 6.2). Love your FAMILY no matter what, at the end of the day they are the only people that will always be there for you. VALUE the things and the people that matter, TREASURE the people that you love, SURROUND yourself with people that will grow you, and always work on improving your relationships. PRAY, not for things money or nice things, pray for GUIDANCE, STRENGTH, PATIENCE. PRAY for others too, that they may EXCEL in their lives.  Remember, the way to realize your dreams, is to help others realize their own. Be KIND to others, and always treat them the same way you would wish to be treated.  Be HONEST first to yourself, and then to others.  Be very honest about your feelings- to yourself and to others too. Don’t be afraid to show others your feelings, scream when you angry, laugh when its funny, love when its real and don’t be afraid to walk away.

Thank God for the tough times, you have no idea how much tougher they have made you. No matter how bad things get, ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HEAD UP. Smile at the universe and keep BELIEVING in yourself. Embrace LOVE, even after so many heartaches….these have made you STRONGER and WISER. LOVE intensely, from the depths of your heart. Love as much as you ca. Love your enemies too, without them, we wouldn’t have come this far. Take your time to kiss the man your love. Kiss him slowly and deeply. Don’t waste yourself by falling for some guys, avoid the players too…(most of them have good looks and tattoos…) they will lead you on and toss you away. But no matter how bad relationships may seem, there are good men out there. Men who will treat you like the Queen you are.

LAUGH out loud. And please don’t FAKE it. Laugh till ribs hurt, laugh until you cry. Some of our friends may say we have a terrible laugh, but the beauty in the terribleness is how genuine that laugh is. Never forget to STAND UP for yourself, for the things that matter to you and for those things that matter to you. Even though people may be against you, don’t compromise on what you believe is good and is right. Don’t bother to explain yourself to those that don’t matter. Your opinions define who you are. Don’t worry too much that people don’t appreciate them. One day you’ll be proud. BELIEVE in yourself, be your number one cheer leader, stay away from those people that have purposed to bring you down. You can be anything just by believing in yourself. Talk calculative risks. A little bit of SKEPTICISM is ok.  No matter what anyone says to you, nothing is for FREE in this world. Just be careful about who you make deals and be sure not to sell your soul to the devil.

CRY when you are hurt. Sometimes even when you are happy. Have a friend you can talk to. Don’t bottle everything in, it will start eating you up from the inside out. FORGIVE and don’t hold grudges. This weight will slow you down and wear you off. Be strong enough to face things head on and don’t be afraid to CONFRONT issues as they arise. Avoid PROCRASTINATING, do you what you must do today. Tomorrow always comes with its own load. Learn how to save, a little a day. Have a backup plan and a backup for the backup…

Choose a career that you love, one that you will enjoy. Make this personal choice, so that you will not have any regrets in a couple of years. Do everything you can to grow yourself and your skill, be the best you can be, be indispensable. You will have great ideas along the way, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Take time and do researches, always what others (who are more intellectual) think.

Lastly, my dear young Risa, always remind yourself that your BEAUTIFUL, do not expect to hear it from other people.  LOVE yourself, RESPECT yourself and BE yourself. There isn’t anybody in this world as wonderful as you.

Always and forever,

Quarter Century Risa.