Dear Ash

Here's the thing. I completely forgot that this blog even existed actually. But luckily for me, I found it. A lot has happened over the last two years, a lot of things I wish I had known would happen. For my sixteen year old self's sake (or perhaps for my current one right now), I wanted to write a letter to my past self, telling her all the things she would learn in the years to come. So, without further due...

Dear Ash,

Hey girlfriend. Me being the pal that I am, I wanna let you in on a few tips and secrets that it took me a couple years to figure out...

First off, you can do it. It may not feel like it all the time, but you can do anything you put your mind to.

To follow up on that last one, everything you do does NOT have to be perfect. Cut yourself some slack, or you'll do more harm than good.

Your heart will get broken... multiple times. But don't keep running back to the person who broke it, look for healing in someone else.

It's okay to not be okay. It's okay to ask for a hug. It's okay to cry, even if it's in the school hallway, or to your teacher. It's okay.

Draw in your eyebrows. It'll change your life.

Stop comparing yourself to those girls on Instagram. Stop believing that you are inferior to them because of their likes, number of followers, the aesthetic of their feed, or any other ridiculous thing you come up with.  (P.S. follow me? @ashley.willliams)

Please realize just because someone else is succeeding doesn't mean you have to look at yourself as failing.

Set high achieving goals. The feeling of accomplishing them is better than anything in the world. (*SPOILER ALERT* You graduate high school with a 4.0 GPA !!! )

If you fail at something the first time, try it again. (*SPOILER ALERT* You make Student Council your senior year.) 

Don't beat yourself up if something doesn't go according to plan, especially your future. (*SPOILER ALERT* You get accepted to your dream college, but decide to attend USU instead.) 

It's alright to live day to day.

College finsta's are important. (@drop_it_like_its.not)

Gurl, you rock the all-natural look. Don't feel like you always gotta do the whole hair and makeup thing to be beautiful.

Learn to say yes more often. So many additional opportunities come your way if you do. I mean, who knows? Maybe you'll get hired by a soap company to be a photographer/nanny and go on a killer road trip for a few weeks? Or maybe you'll be put in charge of the senior video for graduation? Perhaps you'll make bank over the summer by taking mission/family pictures for people? 

Appreciate the time with your friends. Go on trips, stay up until 3am eating cake, hike Mt. Timp to watch the sunrise. You'll eventually have to say goodbye to a lot of them, but that doesn't mean they won't still be there for you. 

Sure, you'll say goodbye to old friends, but you'll make new ones too. (*SPOILER ALERT* You have nothing to worry about with your roommates. They're actually pretty fun, and the best part is that Grace will be right there with you.) 

College is freaking hard. It takes a lot of time and effort, and it's difficult socially as well. But it's doable. 

Sleep is for the weak. (But also naps are important. There's a balance I think... I'm still trying to find it.)

Prayer is everything. 

Stop wishing you were someone else somewhere else. Learn to be present, and learn to appreciate your current situation.

Never ever take your family for granted. When you move out, you'll miss them more than ever. (*SPOILER ALERT* Your parents will finally build their dream house that will be a 20 minute drive from campus. Good Sunday dinners are coming your way.)

These next few years will be some of the hardest, most rewarding years of your life. You may think at times that it's impossible, and that you can't go any further. But I need you to stick with it! I promise that in the end, you'll be pleased with the outcome.

All my love,

Ash