dear Bridget: introductions

Dear Bridget,

You don’t know me. But I know you, because I’ve been where you are. Sitting at your desk, trying to figure out who the heck you are and what you’re going to be. With a thousand voices coming at you, telling you who you should be and how you should act and what you should dream.

It’s a lot to deal with. Anyone who says differently is lying. (Or super old. Like, so old they can’t remember being under 40.)

Your life is complicated. And messy. And stressful.

I wish I could tell you all that ends when you hit adulthood. That somehow the pieces fall into place and you’ve finally got it all together. But I can’t. Because that doesn’t really happen.

There’s no magic moment when you suddenly feel like an empowered adult. But you will learn how to better manage the craziness. And you’ll start to figure out who you are and what you want.

But that doesn’t help you much right now, does it? That’s why I’m here. Consider me your cool big sister, giving advice from the other side, that place where parents don’t dictate/monitor my every move and males actually know how to carry on a conversation. That place where I have a job I like and a dream I’m pursuing and a husband who loves me.

I’m not saying my life is perfect. Life will always be a bit messy, I can promise you that. But it’s a thousand times better than high school. And some days, I wasn’t sure I’d get here.

But I did. And you will too.

So here’s what I promise: I promise to always tell you the truth, not random, crappy platitudes or parental directives. Just straight-up honesty. I promise to write with compassion and humor. I promise to introduce you to other awesome women so you’ll see I’m not the only one who made it through without losing my mind.

There’s a lot of change coming your way, Bridget. And it would be an honor if something I write helps you come out on the other side of your teen years a well-balanced woman who knows her worth. That’s my wish for you.

Love,
Halee

What’s Dear Bridget all about? It’s a new series, composed of letters to a hypothetical teen girl named Bridget. Why Bridget? It means strong. And it represents the current generation of young women. These letters are my attempt to break through the chaos and the crap that’s flying at today’s young woman in order to offer advice and encouragement, from me and other incredible women who remember what it was like to be in her shoes.

dear Bridget advice, high school, life, teen girls Comments