0:00:00.020,0:00:02.820
If I could send a video to my 16-year-old self

0:00:02.820,0:00:05.490
(sigh) I would send her so much wisdom.

0:00:05.490,0:00:07.877
First of all, put yourself first.

0:00:07.877,0:00:09.660
16-year-old Anna, I know it's hard

0:00:09.660,0:00:10.938
because you're such a romantic

0:00:10.938,0:00:13.826
but god damn it, romance yourself!

0:00:13.826,0:00:15.168
Because, otherwise,[br]

0:00:15.168,0:00:16.960
you're asking another human being

0:00:16.960,0:00:18.576
to give you all the validation and love[br]

0:00:18.576,0:00:20.202
that you need to function,

0:00:20.202,0:00:22.988
and not only is that an unreasonable expectation[br]for him,

0:00:22.988,0:00:25.006
but that's codependent relationship for you

0:00:25.006,0:00:26.364
for the next decade.

0:00:26.364,0:00:28.764
Codependent relationship after codependent relationship.

0:00:28.785,0:00:30.595
So let's not learn that the hard way.

0:00:30.614,0:00:31.814
Time travel, go!

0:00:31.814,0:00:33.694
Two, I always struggled with hair.

0:00:33.694,0:00:36.174
Because, I was like, my hair is flat and limp,

0:00:36.214,0:00:38.254
and I hold it against my face and I look like a nun,

0:00:38.259,0:00:39.419
What the fuck!

0:00:39.419,0:00:41.609
What you do, is you take three to four sections

0:00:41.609,0:00:42.759
or maybe like two to three,

0:00:42.759,0:00:44.389
you tease them, spray them,

0:00:44.389,0:00:45.839
you take the sides, you tease,

0:00:45.839,0:00:47.919
you spray, you comb it all over,

0:00:47.919,0:00:49.109
and then you curl.

0:00:49.109,0:00:51.499
And it looks divine.

0:00:51.499,0:00:53.529
Three, stop putting down other girls.

0:00:53.529,0:00:54.737
Stop hating other girls.

0:00:54.737,0:00:57.639
Stop feeling threatened and insecure and jealous

0:00:57.639,0:00:59.877
because that's just getting in the way

0:00:59.877,0:01:02.707
of you knowing a really awesome human being.

0:01:02.707,0:01:04.797
You know, no one can ever be you.

0:01:04.809,0:01:05.969
No one is you.

0:01:05.969,0:01:09.649
So there's really no sense in feeling[br]any kind of competition.

0:01:09.649,0:01:12.009
I would rather go up to a girl, and be like,

0:01:12.009,0:01:15.269
"Oh my god! I fucking love you! All of this!

0:01:15.499,0:01:17.799
I don't know you, but I love this!"

0:01:18.029,0:01:20.789
Rather than being like (whispering gesture)

0:01:20.789,0:01:22.199
Because really?

0:01:22.199,0:01:24.039
THIS? What the fuck is "THIS?"

0:01:24.039,0:01:26.489
"THIS?" is not getting to know another person.

0:01:26.489,0:01:29.309
"THIS?" is "I'm missing out on all those[br]glorious girlfriend dates

0:01:29.309,0:01:31.499
where we would go to dinner and have cocktails

0:01:31.499,0:01:33.169
and connect and have fun

0:01:33.169,0:01:34.779
and I would have a lifelong friendship with someone

0:01:34.779,0:01:36.269
who truly cares about me."

0:01:36.269,0:01:37.925
So 16-year-old Anna,

0:01:37.925,0:01:40.001
get your shit together!

0:01:40.001,0:01:44.109
And love other girls, because they're awesome!

0:01:44.379,0:01:46.669
Four, go after what you want.

0:01:46.669,0:01:48.349
Don't be afraid.

0:01:48.349,0:01:51.519
No one else is gonna..pursue your career for you.

0:01:51.519,0:01:54.329
No one else is gonna maintain those relationships

0:01:54.329,0:01:57.089
or those friendships, or ask that guy out for you.

0:01:57.089,0:01:58.879
Who cares? Be bold!

0:01:59.039,0:02:02.879
You don't wanna be on your deathbed, like "#regrets"

0:02:02.879,0:02:04.509
You wanna be on your deathbed like,

0:02:04.509,0:02:07.536
"Yeah! I did everything I wanted to do

0:02:07.536,0:02:10.306
and if I couldn't do it, at least I tried."

0:02:10.496,0:02:13.076
Finally, make decisions out of love.

0:02:13.090,0:02:15.450
This is something that I'm trying to focus on now[br]in therapy,

0:02:15.450,0:02:17.720
and if you're not in therapy, you should be in therapy,

0:02:17.720,0:02:19.210
because we all gotta work our shit,

0:02:19.600,0:02:23.350
but, I spent a lot of my life making decisions out of fear

0:02:23.860,0:02:25.100
and it wasn't good for me,

0:02:25.100,0:02:26.900
and it wasn't good for the people in my life,

0:02:26.900,0:02:28.580
so now that's something that I really wanna do.

0:02:28.580,0:02:31.800
I wanna make decisions that are best[br]for everyone that I care about,

0:02:31.800,0:02:32.940
myself included.

0:02:32.940,0:02:34.630
Be happy. Go travel.

0:02:34.630,0:02:36.500
See the world. Say ''yes'' to people.

0:02:36.500,0:02:38.230
Meet friends. Make sure you work out.

0:02:38.230,0:02:39.904
Drink water. Take vitamins.

0:02:40.014,0:02:42.224
Respect your body. Respect your mind.

0:02:42.224,0:02:45.524
Adopt all the animals you can[br]reasonably love and take care of.

0:02:45.524,0:02:47.100
Don't be so hard on yourself, and

0:02:47.100,0:02:48.809
stay awesome, Gotham.

0:02:49.129,0:02:50.477
Subtitles by Skylar Coland via Amara