Younger me, stop listening to your parents and figures shit out on your own. Make your own god damn mistakes and learn from them, don't be scared to do so. Respect their decisions as your parent, but acknowledge the fact that they're not as infallible as they made themselves seem. Shed the guilt they made you feel for wanting to be your own person. You don't have to be like dad. And just because you aren't doesn't make you worthless as a human being. Just Live. Your. Life.

Younger me, I'm only 24 and I've actually got shit figured out. I'm confident, have a solid crew of friends, in good shape, look good/dress well, get attention from girls, and just achieved a six figure salary.

If I could tell 16 year old me this I think a lot of my anxiety and depression would've subsided. I had none of this in my teen years. But those experiences shaped who I am. My emotional scars are still apart of me, as dark and deep as they are. Getting rid of them fundamentally changes who I am today which I would never want to do.

Today I love me and everything that I'm made of.