Dear 17 year old me! Listen up!
Things I wish I knew when I was 17!
Well, I am 33 now and this year I will officially finish the second shift of 17 years in my life!! So it seemed like a good time to connect with you, my dear 17-year-old self.
Fruits and Veggies are TASTY !!!
Well, you are not completely an unhealthy eater. But then truth be told, you are not a healthy eater as well. Your fruit intake is ridiculously low in the day, week, and year. What I can tell you now is fruits are great and they have amazing health benefits. They will keep you in shape for a long time. So start eating them more often.
You will anyhow start eating them as you grow up and start reading about the amazing effects of having fruits included in your diet. And am not even talking about the Stir-fried veggies that you can have almost every day. You will be amazed to know that you now enjoy salads and not make those funny faces at them.
It is OK to know what you want and ask for it !!
You have been told all your life that asking for what you want might be considered impolite or rude. Do not worry about that. The world is far too preoccupied to put your wishes in priority if you never voice them out. So ask what you need, whether it is from yourself or people around you. Be ready to work for it and get things done.
You need to know that it is only fine to go with the flow only once in a while. For most of the other times, you should know what you want. Ask it out loud to the universe and you will get it.
Travel is fun and educational
You have not traveled much yet. But you will. And you will love it. Travel is amazing!! Will you believe me if I tell you that you went on a solo trip as well (even it is for a weekend)? You will travel all across India and you will end up living in Europe. While in Europe you will keep roaming all the places around.
In fact, you will also end up making your annual India trip a short travel vacation with the families. Travel will teach you that English is not the universal language. It will also teach you that street food is not common everywhere so pack your lunch while traveling. It will make you fall in love with things around you and make you grateful for things you have. It will help you make a bucket list of places that you want to visit. And in all, it will make you grow up as a person.
You have a LOT to learn!
No, you do not know it all! You are not the relationship guru you think you are by reading the romantic novels you have tucked under your pillow. Real-life romance is very different and nothing like the books or the movies showed. You will not have a knight in shining armor moment every day. But you will have the everyday kisses on the forehead moments which will assure you that all is well in your world. And trust me you will become your own knight in shining armor!!
You will learn to deal with the losses that you will see in the coming years. You will face the gut-wrenching pains and you will have moments where you keep wishing for that one more evening with mom but that will not happen. Know that it is going to hurt forever though you will not cry forever.
You will also learn new languages, new cuisines to cook, new ways to exercise( Acro and Aerial yoga), new things about human psychology, and so on. You will not ace all of them but you know what? you will really love and learn from all of them.
Mom’s home remedies work best
Mom was right! Fennel seeds, turmeric, aloe vera, and ghee are all good for you. You will remember her often when you see the same suggestion in the Youtube video.
Haldi (turmeric) milk is good for your health or something like that which all will just take you back to the time when mom was telling you about the benefits and you just tuned out. Try to listen to her more often.
HOT now is not HOT forever!!
The boy that was so HOT in the neighborhood? Guess what, in 10 years he will not be HOT. Well not for you !!
And that has nothing to do with him, but all to do with you. Your choices will change and long hair will not seem to be “the” thing. In fact, you will end up with someone with short hair and be really happy with him. So relax if that boy chose the other girl over you. Though a really good cry over sad songs always helps. Remind me again which song was it?
Be you! You are a ROCKSTAR!!
Well, Looking back you have had quite the journey. You have had your ups, downs and everything in between. But you have always managed to keep your head above the water and continue swimming. You have been blessed with an amazing family, super friends, and awesome colleagues!!!
17 year old me, you were a ROCKSTAR then and you are pretty much the same now!! You just need to know it! The photo is proof ;-)
