A letter to my Teenage Self

*** Quick Update ***

Thank you for all your messages about my last blog! It seems my troll got the warning and has ceased sending me abusive messages! Hooray!

My column at the Southend Evening Echo has changed, I’m now a regular contributor and my first piece was published last week! (Click here to see the entire New Woman feature PDF or click the picture below for just my article). I have to say, I’m rather proud of my by-line and photo!

Click me!

*** End***

This Wednesday is my 29^th Birthday (If you’re wondering; I like chocolate, cupcakes and Boots/Clothes/Amazon Vouchers... just if you’re wondering ;).

I recently bought some books called Dear Me – a collection of letters celebrities have sent to their teenage/younger selves, giving them kudos, hope and advice. Since I’m entering my last year as a twenty something, I thought I’d write to my 19 year old self.

I’d love to know what you all would tell your younger you, if anyone would like to join in, I’ll post your letters here!

Letter to my Teenage Self

Dear Lynsey,

            Approaching 30 is not as scary as you might think! Life is really good for us, not perfect, but then is anyone or anything ever truly perfect?

We haven’t changed much, we’ve subjected our hair to a rainbow of colours and styles but for once our funny little face is in fashion. Huge eyebrows and a gap between your two front teeth are all the rage (look up Cara Delevingne and Georgia Jagger!) in 2013 – who’d have thought it?!

We still talk too much, worry too much and bite our nails! Thankfully we’ve discovered make up, namely concealer and straighteners.

At 19, you’re about to have your heartbroken, it hurts – ALOT! But it’s rare that anyone marries their first love, you’ll get over it and try not to be bitter about it! In fact you find that it's an excuse to have a "Dumped and Proud" party!

20yr old Lynsey

You meet the real love of your life, Mike, at 21, online (where else?!?) after a Summer mildly stalking two of your crushes with Siobhan as your wing woman, neither take any notice of you, and to be honest you probably scared them off!

Mike is a geologist with a passion for genealogy and comic movies – he’s is way cooler than I’m making him out to be - with the cutest squinty eyes and muscular arms – hot! You also gain a second loving and supportive family going by the name of Garrick.

You and Mike

No, we’re not married, don’t you start either! We get asked at least once a week if we’re ever going to get married or if our biological clocks are ticking loudly. Mike and you spend our money going on fabulous trips, countless cinema days and bar crawls.

Yes, you heard me right – bar crawls, we actually gain a social life! Your Facebook profile (Facebook is an online community website that will cause dozens of arguments but will reunite you with many lost friends) will have over a 1000 photos of you happy/tipsy/fluffy/drunk but you’ll love every minute of it! But I warn you now, you have an addiction to taking photos, thousands of them in fact, I know it's your "thing" or even a defense mechanism, but try and calm it down, do you really need 10 more photos of Helen pole dancing?

We have a particular love of fancy dress

Mum and Dad will continue fighting the world and their household gains three new members of the family after you move out. We become even more proud of them - you didn't think it was possible did you? But it is and you love them even more for it! You still try and mother your siblings, they still hate it, unless I’m offering money or booze, you still wind them up, but they/you still love each other never the less!

Completely out of the blue – we become quite popular. I’m immensely proud of the friendships I’ve built for you, all ages, races and beliefs, even gaining a few adopted Mums along the way! 

You’ll support and be supported on everything from miscarriages, hen dos, break ups, marriages, sexuality, child rearing, job hunting and lots, lots more and although it’s stressful – I wouldn’t want it any other way!

I hate to be the one to break it to you but your health does get worse. The RSD becomes CRPS and it continues to govern your life, but we still never let it take over. After 20+ years with the condition it spreads to your right leg (the good one!), our left arm and back – frustrating to say the least!

As we always try we see the silver lining; in our disability, you become a blogger (an online writer/diarist) and your dream of having an audience is fulfilled. We even gain interest in the local press and you make several appearances in the papers, and chat (almost!) confidently on radio – spreading the message that disability doesn’t equal the end; it just makes for an interesting future.  

So don’t worry little Lynsey, life does get better, there is a lot of fun to be had amongst the difficult times, you cope quite well with the help of ice cream, Rum and music as your aids.

I’ll write again in 2023 just as you’re about to embark on your 40’s *I just threw up a little* until then rock on, be silly and forever sing into our hairbrush!

Lynsey xxx