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If I could send a video to my 16-year-old self
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(sigh) I would send her so much wisdom.
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First of all, put yourself first.
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16-year-old Anna, I know it's hard
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because you're such a romantic
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but god damn it, romance yourself!
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Because, otherwise,
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you're asking another human being
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to give you all the validation and love
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that you need to function,
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and not only is that an unreasonable expectation
for him,
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but that's codependent relationship for you
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for the next decade.
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Codependent relationship after codependent relationship.
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So let's not learn that the hard way.
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Time travel, go!
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Two, I always struggled with hair.
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Because, I was like, my hair is flat and limp,
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and I hold it against my face and I look like a nun,
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What the fuck!
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What you do, is you take three to four sections
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or maybe like two to three,
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you tease them, spray them,
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you take the sides, you tease,
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you spray, you comb it all over,
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and then you curl.
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And it looks divine.
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Three, stop putting down other girls.
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Stop hating other girls.
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Stop feeling threatened and insecure and jealous
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because that's just getting in the way
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of you knowing a really awesome human being.
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You know, no one can ever be you.
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No one is you.
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So there's really no sense in feeling
any kind of competition.
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I would rather go up to a girl, and be like,
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"Oh my god! I fucking love you! All of this!
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I don't know you, but I love this!"
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Rather than being like (whispering gesture)
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Because really?
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THIS? What the fuck is "THIS?"
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"THIS?" is not getting to know another person.
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"THIS?" is "I'm missing out on all those
glorious girlfriend dates
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where we would go to dinner and have cocktails
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and connect and have fun
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and I would have a lifelong friendship with someone
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who truly cares about me."
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So 16-year-old Anna,
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get your shit together!
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And love other girls, because they're awesome!
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Four, go after what you want.
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Don't be afraid.
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No one else is gonna..pursue your career for you.
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No one else is gonna maintain those relationships
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or those friendships, or ask that guy out for you.
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Who cares? Be bold!
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You don't wanna be on your deathbed, like "#regrets"
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You wanna be on your deathbed like,
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"Yeah! I did everything I wanted to do
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and if I couldn't do it, at least I tried."
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Finally, make decisions out of love.
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This is something that I'm trying to focus on now
in therapy,
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and if you're not in therapy, you should be in therapy,
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because we all gotta work our shit,
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but, I spent a lot of my life making decisions out of fear
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and it wasn't good for me,
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and it wasn't good for the people in my life,
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so now that's something that I really wanna do.
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I wanna make decisions that are best
for everyone that I care about,
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myself included.
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Be happy. Go travel.
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See the world. Say ''yes'' to people.
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Meet friends. Make sure you work out.
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Drink water. Take vitamins.
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Respect your body. Respect your mind.
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Adopt all the animals you can
reasonably love and take care of.
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Don't be so hard on yourself, and
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stay awesome, Gotham.