Advice I’d Give My Teenage Self (From the Girl Who Thought She Already Knew Everything)
(A Nihshabd Blog)
Dear Younger Me,
Yes, you — the confident, dramatic, hyper-independent teenager who believed she had life all figured out. The one who acted like Google, therapist, astrologer, and philosopher all at once.
Sit down. Future-you has a few things to say.
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1. Please stop trusting people like they’re walking TED Talks
Not everyone deserves your truth, your softness, your VIP all-access pass.
Observe first.
Then trust.
And always remember this golden rule:
Your intuition is the Wi-Fi — if the signal feels weak, don’t connect.
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2. What people think about you is none of your business
Seriously.
People only notice you for two minutes; the rest of the time they’re busy overthinking their own life.
So stop adjusting yourself like a radio antenna trying to get everyone’s approval.
Be you — loudly, boldly, unapologetically.
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3. Expectations? Keep them light. Like popcorn.
Expect too much and you’ll feel drained.
Expect too little and you’ll feel lonely.
Expect just enough and you’ll feel peaceful.
Balance is everything.
Not everyone will show up for you the way you show up for them — and that’s okay.
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4. Your feelings are valid. Period.
You feel deeply — and that’s not a flaw.
It’s a strength.
You’re emotional, expressive, and dramatic in the most adorable way.
Never stop being that girl who feels things fully.
Just learn who deserves access to those feelings.
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5. Relationships aren’t a syllabus to master
They don’t come with rules, formulas, or perfect strategies.
Choose people who respect your space, honour your voice, and understand your silence.
Choose people who don’t make you shrink to fit in.
And above all — choose you every single time.
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6. Self-love isn’t about spa days — it’s about boundaries
Say “no” without giving a PowerPoint explanation.
Rest without guilt.
Walk away from nonsense.
Protect your peace like it’s your password.
Your future self will thank you for every boundary you set.
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7. Dance. Always.
Dance when you’re excited.
Dance when you’re confused.
Dance when you have no idea what you’re doing.
Because nothing grounds you like movement.
Your body remembers joy even when your mind forgets.
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8. Success is not a race — it’s a rhythm
Your career will grow with your confidence.
Your dreams will expand with your courage.
Stop comparing your timeline to anyone else’s.
Your path is yours — beautifully, chaotically, uniquely yours.
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9. Yes, you think you know everything
And honestly, that confidence is iconic.
But life is funnier, smarter, and more unpredictable than you expect.
Let it surprise you.
Let it teach you.
Let it shift you into someone stronger and softer at the same time.
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The Big Advice:
Choose yourself, without guilt.
Choose the life that excites you.
Choose the work that energises you.
Choose the people who value you.
Choose growth, even when it feels uncomfortable.
And please — trust your own voice more than the noise around you.
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A Final Thank You
To my teenage self:
Thank you.
For believing in magic,
for dreaming without limits,
for trying fearlessly,
for laughing loudly,
for being bold enough to imagine a future no one else could see.