On Choosing to be Happy

CHOICES.  We make them constantly.  Coffee or tea?  Pants or shorts?  Oatmeal or cereal?  Expressway or local roads?  Soup or salad?  I think we are bombarded with so many choices every second that we don't even recognize that some other things ARE a choice at all.  

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As a teacher, I talk a lot about choices on a daily basis:

Was it a good choice to push your classmate?

What might a better choice have been?

Because you chose not to do your homework at home, you can choose to make it up with me at recess or after school.  It’s your choice.

Was it a good idea to choose to listen to your neighbor during the math lesson instead of me?

We constantly remind kids, “YOU are in charge of YOU.”  We attempt to train them to make positive choices and to take responsibility for their actions.  But we don’t always follow that advice.

When I’m frustrated about school, it’s tempting to play the Blame Game.  My job would be easier if…

…their parents cared.

…if the kids had better manners.

…if I had more help in my classroom.

…if I made more money.

…if my principal supported me more.

BLAH BLAH BLAH.

At a fantastic workshop I had the privilege to attend this summer, the presenter talked about the idea that, just as we need our kids to own their actions, thoughts, words, and feelings, we need to take responsibilities for ourselves too.  She told us to constantly remind ourselves, 

I am in charge of ME.

NO MORE EXCUSES.

No more making excuses for ourselves or blaming our problems on exterior factors.  It’s time to take control, accept the hand we’ve been dealt, and play it the best we can.  I forget sometimes that I while I can't choose to have more support in my classroom, I can choose how I react to the situation I have.  This speaker said we need to choose to STOP being frustrated in the classroom, choose to STOP getting angry when kids don't follow directions, and choose to love our kids and do our best every day.  Even our feelings and emotions are really choices.  Yes, things do happen TO us--but it's how we choose to respond to them that counts.

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Because my lives in and out of the classroom have VERY blurry boundaries, today I’m thinking about this idea in terms of my running.  And injury.  And the fact that running and injury are two words that always seem to be in the same breath for me.  Yes, I have a new injury.  

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And I’m not sure that my half-marathon goal in 1 month is going to happen.  Or, even if I end up being able to run it, I'm not sure that it is a good idea.  I will go into detail another time...but for now I’ve decided to take control and play the hand I’ve been dealt.  I took yesterday to complain and wallow and cry.  Today I’m turning over a new leaf.  I am CHOOSING to make peace with this situation and CHOOSING to make safe choices for my body.

I am choosing not to blame my body for injuries, and instead to listen to it and give it the rest and TLC it needs right now.  

I am choosing not to be angry, because that won’t heal my body.  

I am choosing not to be stupid and run through pain, because that will only leave me with worse problems.  

I am choosing to evaluate my running and training.  

I am choosing to be at peace with the idea that this is just ONE RACE, and accepting that if my body can’t handle it right now, there will be others in the future.  It’s not worth hurting my body.   

Most of all, I’m choosing to be happy.  

^In the end, it’s this choice that matters most.  I don’t have to like my situation, but I am choosing NOT to wallow in self-pity and regret and “it’s the end of the world”-style drama.  I’m choosing to stay positive.

*Deep breath*

What important *choices* have you made lately?

How do you choose to stay positive when things are rough?

10 Miles? No problem.

Side Note: I am almost to 100 followers!  I have a fun giveaway ready for when I hit 100, so pretty please help me get there soon!!!  Thanks!! ;)

My IT band pain returned with a vengeance this past week, and after Tuesday and Thursday's painful runs, I was more than a little nervous to tackle my first 10-mile run of this half-marathon training cycle.  In an attempt to calm my anxiety and mentally gear up for the run, I started laying out gear FRIDAY afternoon even though I wasn’t running until Sunday.  I know, I’m completely crazy.  Gear this week included a brand new fuel belt! 

This morning I dragged myself out of bed at 5:15am and headed out to a new (GORGEOUS) running trail.  In addition to my new fuel belt, I tried out another new gear item today: an IT band strap, per my physical therapist's suggestion.  This little strap doesn’t SOLVE the problem or HEAL the IT band, but it's supposed to help keep pain at a minimum so I can continue to run as we work on fixing the real problem.   After I velcroed on the strap, though, I looked down at my legs and realized I look like an injured mess between my beloved compression sleeves AND the IT band strap.  Oh well. :)  I will do whatever it takes to get through a run!!!

 I know, I look ridiculous.

Of course I had a mantra for this long run…Sorry it’s blurry, but today’s was, “You’ve got this.  Keep Moving.”

In hopes of achieving negative splits, I concentrated on starting out SLOWLY and listening to my body.  Did anything hurt?  Thankfully, the right IT (my trouble one) felt fine!  I took a Gu Roctane after mile 5—usually I’m a chocolate Gu girl, but it was HOT and I thought the Roctane would be a good thing to try.  I liked it!  The consistency is a little thinner than regular Gu and it’s a little saltier, but I felt great after taking it.

Miles 6-8 were a little tougher.  The trail was REALLY sunny at that point and I was running low on water.   But, glancing at the mantra on my arm every now and then, I reminded myself that I just needed to keep moving.  As I continued running, around mile 9 I realized that not only was I going to finish these 10 miles, but I was going to finish them STRONG with negative splits, and in my fastest time ever for this distance!  Even more exciting was that my IT band was STILL pain-free!  MIRACLE!   I literally started tearing up because I was just so unbelievably happy and hadn’t thought this was possible.  I can’t even describe how I felt when I watched my garmin change from 9.99 to 10.00—relief, joy, exhaustion, elation, pride, CONFIDENCE.  

One hot & sweaty MESS!

 When I got home I subjected myself to my first ever ice bath…and it actually wasn’t TOO bad!  I climbed right in in my running clothes and pulled a fleece hoodie over the top to keep my upper body warm—I think that really helped.  While it wasn’t as bad as I anticipated, I can’t say I wasn’t ready to leap out after 10 minutes!

Per the PT's recommendation, I also used an ice cup to massage my IT bands later on which felt AMAZING.  (Though it was a little messy…)   (Instructions: fill Dixie cup with water & freeze.  After run, peel the top of the cup off and massage sore muscles with ice.  Watch out for drips!)

Verdict on my new running gear: I LOVE the IT strap!!!!!!  I wish I’d bought one months ago!!!!!  While I think it’s important for me to still feel once in awhile whether or not I’m having pain, I will definitely wear the strap on my long runs and might even buy a second for my left IT.  While it’s not as tight/painful as my right, it definitely gets nasty tight too.

I also loved the fuel belt.  While I ran out of water, I know that combined with water stations at the race it will be plenty.  The bottles were easy to get in and out, the pouch in back was perfect for gu, keys, whatever, and it didn’t move around.  Also it was super easy to tighten and loosen the velcro closure even while running.

All in all, a fabulously successful run. :) 

How do you carry your fuel on long runs?

Did you run/race this weekend?  How did it go??

All About Foam Rolling & Grid Foam Roller Product Review

Whoever invented foam rolling is a genius.  GENIUS.  Seriously, I cannot say enough good things about it.  It’s funny that I had never even heard of foam rolling before last summer, and had never tried it until several months ago!  I am hooked.  Since I’m continuing my love affair with foam rolling and with my new Trigger Point Grid Foam Roller, I thought I’d share a little more detail about foam rolling and review this amazing new toy.  (Note:  I am NOT a health and fitness expert!  These tips are from my own experimentation and are a description of what I’ve found works well for me.)

My well-loved traditional foam roller

Foam rolling involves rolling muscles over a dense foam cylinder (foam roller) to massage muscles.  To me it feels like an at-home deep tissue massage and works wonders on breaking up knots and loosening up tight muscles.  For all areas, roll gently back and forth over the roller.  When you hit a particularly tight or knotty area, hold that spot over the roller.  I try to hold these spots for 30 seconds, but depending on how tight the spot is, I don’t always make it that long!  You can sometimes even feel some release in the tight muscle after holding it for a few seconds.  When I first started foam rolling, I used this informative post from No Meat Athlete to help me get started.  Check it out for more foam rolling tips/ideas.

Okay, how do I foam roll?

I normally only foam roll when NO ONE is around because it looks so silly, but I figured that if it can help another runner with knotty legs like mine, then I might as well show the world my incredibly awkward graceful foam rolling SKILLZ.  These are the exercises I primarily focus on:

Calves

Stretch your legs out in front of you, prop yourself up on your hands, and cross one leg over the other at the ankle.  Position your lower leg on the foam roller and roll back and forth.  To roll the inner calves, I lay on my side with my bottom leg back and top leg on the roller.  This area tends to be particularly tight for me!

Hammys

In a seated position with your legs stretched out in front of you, cross one leg over the other at the ankle.  Sit with the foam roller under one hamstring and, using your hands on the floor, roll your hamstring back and forth over the roller.

Quads

Lay on your stomach, cross one leg over the other at the ankle, and position the foam roller under the bottom leg.  Roll from the knee up to the hip.  If 1 leg is too tender, you can roll both legs at once to take a little of the pressure off.

IT Bands

This one can get a bit acrobatic!  For the IT bands, I lay on my side, prop myself up either on my elbow or hand, and position the roller on my thigh just above the knee.  I roll from the knee all the way up to my hip, concentrating on particilary painful/tight spots.

Does it hurt?

I’m not going to lie to you…foam rolling might HURT, especially at first or if you have lots of knots in your muscles.  When I first started foam rolling my IT band after I strained it during the Disney Princess Half Marathon, I would literally have tears running down my face the whole time.  If you’ve never tried foam rolling, you might be wondering what kind of SADISTIC PERSON would inflict this type of pain on herself!  Well, I’m usually a wimp about pain, but the results I saw from foam rolling (from both a traditional roller and the Grid) made the pain DEFINITELY worth it.  Also, it gets less painful over time.  I could tell my IT band was really healing when not only could I run more miles pain-free, but my foam rolling sessions stopped bringing me to tears!

The Grid Foam Roller Review

My wonderful friend Mrs. Mentor Teacher showed me the Trigger Point Grid foam roller when I was buying new shoes at the running store she works at a few months ago.  My first thought was, “That thing looks INTENSE!!”  After reading some reviews online and continuing to battle my knotty muscles and tight IT bands, I decided that this baby needed to be mine.  I have NOT been disappointed!

I was happy with my regular styrofoam roller that I purchased from Target during my first round of half-marathon training, but after a few months of using it religiously, it has started to look a little…worse for wear. 

With a styrofoam roller like this one, after repeated use the foam starts to get squished down in the middle.  Not cool.  Also, I found that this roller wasn’t dense enough to get into my tight hammys and calves.   It works great on my IT bands still, but I found I needed to use a tennis ball or even (ouch) my stainless steel water bottle to get the job done.  Enter the Grid.

One key difference between the Grid and a traditional foam roller is that the Grid has an aluminum core.  Not only does this make the roller super dense, but it won’t get SQUISHED over time like my old roller!  Also, the Grid is smaller than a traditional roller.  This is a nice feature in my opinion because it makes the Grid much easier to store.  It easily fits in my miscellaneous running gear bin:

Between its small size and the fact that the aluminum core is hollow, it’s super lightweight and would definitely be easy to pack in a suitcase.  Some of you might not think that’s the most important feature in a foam roller, but I can definitely see myself bringing this baby on vacations where I’ll be running or to destination races. 

The BEST part about the Grid though is (duh) the GRID!  Instead of being smooth like a traditional roller, the Grid has 3 different “Distrodensity Zones” aka sections : Low & Flat (smooth), Medium & Tubular (rigdged), and High & Firm (criss cross pattern).  Depending on how tender your muscles are, you can position yourself on the roller so you’re using a certain section.  I like to use the High & Firm (criss cross) part on my IT Band (aka my nemesis) and hold it there for about 20 seconds at a time.  If I’m working out a really sore knot, I use the smoother section.   This roller gets right to the point and feels GREAT working on my tight, sore legs.

The Grid is a little expensive and is not necessary--a traditional foam roller will get the job done.  But as you can see, I am now a Grid convert. :)

Good luck on your foam rolling adventures!!

Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way for this review.  I just really freaking love this product!!

Early Bird Run

I had hoped that I had mostly worked through my IT band issues when I had such a successful 15K a few weeks ago, but unfortunately I don't think our face-off is quite over yet.  Darn you IT band.  After skipping my long run Sunday due to some aches and pains that started after lifting weights at physical therapy, I was nervous about getting back into my training this week.  Tuesday night I had a decent 4 mile run with only some nagging IT band tightness (and some random hip flexor soreness in both legs...COME. ON. what now...).  I couldn't get myself outta bed early enough to fit in that run before the unbearable heat set in, so I ended up setting out for my run at 9pm.  In the dark.  Since the forest preserve trails are scary closed after dark (not to mention maybe not the best place for a twenty-something female to be running alone) and since I didn't want to run on the treadmill, I compromised by running around the perimeter of the community college campus.  Aka running through parking lots.  It was...thrilling.

Anyways, after that boring run, I was DETERMINED to get up early today and get my run out of the way while it was still cool enough out.  Let me tell you, I was NOT pleased to hear the alarm go off at the crack of dawn, but I somehow managed to DRAG myself out of bed.

It was so worth it though.  When I started out on the run, I was actually a little CHILLY in my tank top and shorts.  Can you imagine?  I don't REMEMBER the last time I was cold on a run!!!  The air felt great, and it was wonderful to be out on the trails again.  (Trails > Parking Lot any day.)  I also saw another deer SUPER close up and something that was either a crayfish or a scorpion crawling across the path...although I didn't think either of those things lived in Illinois, so really who knows.  Wish I had had my camera on the run!

I kept the run slow because I knew that SOMETHING is still up with my right leg, and sure enough after 2.25 my right hip flexor was nagging...then after 3 miles the IT band/knee pain started to set in.  :-/  The good news is that after I stopped to stretch a couple of times it would calm down enough for me to keep running.  The bad news is that my scheduled 10 mile long run Saturday looks like it might be a bit of a challenge...

I did make it through all 5 miles without feeling like I was going to die the pain increasing to a level that I know means STOP, STOP NOW.  I headed home after that to promptly ice my knee/IT band and hip flexor.

Oh, and drink this DELICIOUS protein-packed smoothie...

In the mix: frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries, banana, vanilla soy milk, splash of fruit juice, 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder.  Let the muscle repair begin...

Injuries suck, but one positive thing about them is that they teach you to really listen closely to your body and LEARN about what is normal for you, what means you've been working hard, and what means STOP.  Injury also helps me appreciate every step, and to focus on the journey itself without getting caught up in things like speed and PRs and stuff.  Today's mantra was simply this:

Short, sweet, to the point.  Just keep moving.  I'm heading to PT again in an hour to keep working on this IT band...I have been LOVING going there the past couple weeks.  The PT and assistant are SO NICE, and it has been great to finally learn some things about strength training.  Obviously it is not a magical cure and will take some time, but I think we're moving in the right direction.  Unfortunately my insurance has only covered 3 more sessions, but my fingers are crossed that they'll approve at least a couple more...

What is the weirdest thing you've ever seen on a run?
Deer aren't weird, but since I live deep in SUBURBIA it is always exciting to see them!!

*another giveaway!*

Are you in a bit of a teaching rut these days?  I know that I was the last few months of the school year...the morale at our school was POOR to say the LEAST!  One of my favorite teacher bloggers, Sarah over at Confessions of an Untenured Teacher is giving away a book that sounds like it is PERFECT for teachers who are feeling a little burnt out--Awakened by Angela Watson.  Go check out the giveaway and Sarah's great blog!

I hope I win!

An award for ME??!?

The FABULOUS Nikki at The Worth of My Sole tagged me for an Amazing Blogger Award!  How sweet is she??  If you haven't visited Nikki's blog yet, what are you waiting for?  She is an inspirational runner and has an infectiously positive attitude!  Not only that, but she somehow manages to find time to run AND raise her kiddos!  I am always unbelieveably impressed by runner moms.  I cannot even imagine the great balancing act that is involved in that!  ANYWAYS, thanks Nikki!  I think YOU are awesome TOO!

My Favorite Cartoon Character

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Belle!  (Don't you just love this runner Belle cartoon??)

My Favorite Thing to Photograph

I'm not a HUGE picture taker, but I love taking pictures of and with my friends. :)  

This one is circa 2006 and taken in the mirror at IKEA...can you say CLASSY?

My Favorite Thing to Cook

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Cook?  Who me???  The truth is, I really hate cooking.  When I do cook, though, my favorite thing to make is a really simple omelet with salsa.  YUM!  

(No, I did not cook THIS omelet...mine definitely don't look this pretty!)

My Favorite Exercise

 RUNNING!

My Favorite Movie

Hands down The Shawshank Redemption.

I find I am so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it is the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain... I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.

My Favorite Article of Clothing

It may be boring, but I love a good cotton v-neck tshirt.  Hey, I never said I was a stylish teacher-runner!  (At least I'm not wearing the denim jumper and ABC vest...yet...) ;)

My Favorite Flower

Love. Daisies. :)

My Favorite Breakfast

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Blueberry Pancakes

My Favorite Book I've Read Recently

Just finished reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer last week and loved it.  Powerful, horrifying, and beautiful all at once.  If you are interested in learning more about the meat industry and factory farming in the United States, or feel like educating yourself about the meat and egg industries, this is the book for you.

My Favorite Place to Be

A tie between running at my favorite forest preserve and laying on the beach with a book.

And one of my choice: My Favorite Candy

M&Ms!  Peanut, Plain, Pretzel, Peanut Butter, YOU NAME IT!

Now, I'm tagging 5 other Amazing Bloggers!  Check out their fabulous sites!

Kristin @ Skinny Jeans & a Chai Latte

Lauren @ Forward is a Pace

Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner (Just started reading her blog, and LOVE it already!)

XLMIC @ Taking It On

Amanda @ Runninghood

*giveaway alert*

Megan at Fit Crafty English Teacher is hosting a giveaway for a couple of super cute BIC band headbands!  I've seen these headbands on other peoples' blogs a lot lately, and they are adorable.

Definitely check out Megan's fabulous blog and awesome giveaway!

The Language of Runners Explained

After dabbling in running on and off since the end of high school, it wasn’t until I decided to start training for a half-marathon last summer that I started reading about running online, in books, and in magazines.  I soon realized that I was entering an entirely new world, complete with its own language.  Since not all of my readers are runners and I’ve had a few questions about foam rolling and the silly-looking “leg warmers” I wear for running, I thought I’d do an introduction to “The Running Language.”  While I am no expert and this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are some examples of the new lingo I’ve picked up in the last year…

Foam Rolling

Pounding out miles and miles on the road can take a toll on its muscles.  Enter the magical (at times painful) foam roller aka my best friend.  The foam roller is basically a dense foam cylinder that you lean on with different parts of your body to simulate a deep-tissue massage.  I roll tight muscles over my foam roller until I find a trigger point (“knot”) and hold it there for as long as I can tolerate.  This can be pretty painful if your muscles are as jacked up as my legs get, but it really works wonders both preventatively and to help with already knotty muscles.

Compression Socks/Sleeves

No, these are not leg warmers and this is not my attempt at a fashion statement (although in an effort to feel less foolish about wearing these babies I have convinced myself that they are both cool and stylish…I know, I’m delusional…).  Compression wear is basically super tight gear that helps get the blood flowing to certain parts of the body.  I wear compression socks or calf sleeves on almost every run.  They do WONDERS to help keep my calves cramp and knot-free.  (Note: socks/sleeves don't HAVE to be pink, but where's the fun in that??)

Spi Belt

This little guy is a great accessory for a race.  It’s basically a little stretchy belt with a super stretchy pouch (NOT a fanny pack…).  It looks tiny, but my spi belt (pronounced "spy belt") stretches large enough to hold my blackberry and one or two gu.  It’s pretty little too, so you can hide it under your shirt if you don’t feel like making a fashion statement. :)

Clif Shots/Gu/Power Gel

Since I have a super sensitive stomach, energy gels are my best friend.  These are three popular brands for an electrolyte-filled gel that makes a perfect on-the-run fuel.  Once my runs start to get over an hour, I take a gel every 5 miles.  Also, since I hate running with anything in my stomach (actually, since my STOMACH hates when I run with anything in it), I take a gu about 15-20 minutes before a morning run.  The consistency varies a bit between the different brands, but they are all a gooey gel.  My current favorite is chocolate outrage gu which tastes something like chocolate frosting.

The Stick

Similar to the foam roller, The Stick is awesome at erasing those deep muscle knots and trigger points.  I like that the little wheels on this baby are great at getting to those deep muscles, but I don’t love that you have to apply the pressure and thus inflict the pain on yourself.  I find that I wimp out more with the Stick than I tend to with the foam roller because with the roller you can kind of just lay in one spot and deal with the pain instead of forcing yourself to roll over and over the same painful area.  That being said, it works great if you are up to it!

Race Distances

I didn’t really know what any of the big race distances were before I started running, so here’s a little key…

5K = 3.1 miles

10K = 6.2 miles

15K = 9.3 miles

½ Marathon = 13.1 miles

Marathon = 26.2 miles

After that, there are plenty of other distances that those crazy “ultra marathoners” run, but these are the mainstream ones. :)

What am I missing?  What running “lingo” have you learned since you picked up the sport?

(Note: I think the teaching language is even more extensive than the running language—I am always amazed by the number of acronyms we use in a given conversation!!)

I Believe in Picture Books: Differences and Being Yourself

I. love. picture books.  Read my declaration of love to the wonderful world of picture books *here*.  As you have probably noticed from the header of my blog, I also teach big kids.  (Well, big for elementary school!)  If you are not the picture book enthusist that I am, you might be wondering what value there could be in reading books meant for young children to intermediate grade students.  Well, there is a LOT of value.   I love sharing picture books with powerful themes with my students, and here are a few of my favorites that focus on the important thing of embracing differences and being yourself.

 A Bad Case of Stripes (David Shannon)

 This book is silly in all of the right ways.  Its main character is more concerned with fitting in than staying true to herself and consequently comes down with a “disease” that not only makes her skin appear striped, but also causes her to change her appearance based on what other people say about her.  The only cure?  Eating her favorite food, lima beans, even though she knows others may mock her for it.  While this book just scratches the surface of the importance of being yourself no matter what others think, it makes a great “beginning of the year” read and never fails to stimulate a good discussion.

Tacky the Penguin (Helen Lester)

Tacky is different than the other penguins…he wears bright clothing, greets his friends with a loud “What’s happening?,” and prefers cannon balls to graceful dives.  To say he doesn’t fit in is an understatement, until one day hunters come to the penguins’ home.  When the other penguins hide in fear, Tacky bravely faces them head-on, using his unique mannerisms to confuse the hunters and eventually scare them away.  This book does a beautiful job of using humor to teach that differences are what make us special.  It also lends itself well to opening a conversation with kids about the strengths that our uniquenesses bring us, and why all different people are important members of the community.

Thank You Mr. Falker (Patricia Polacco)

I fell in love with this book when an ed professor read it aloud to our class in college.  It is a powerful (not to mention true!!) story that beautifully illustrates the different ways in which kids learn and the difference one teacher can make in your life.  ‘Tricia slips through the cracks in school year after year until one teacher, finally realizing that she can’t read, goes above and beyond to truly help her.  I get choked up every time I read this book!  When I share this with my students, we talk about the different talents and gifts we all bring to the classroom, and how we all learn in different ways.  Like most of Polacco's books, this story is one that can be enjoyed by young children, but also packs a powerful message for older kids just starting to figure out who they are.

 Weslandia (Paul Fleischman)

 For any kid or adult who has ever felt “different,” this book is for you.  Weslandia’s protagonist, Wesley, would prefer reading and inventing over sports and is bullied by the other neighborhood kids.  Undeterred, he decides to use his summer to start his own civilization.  Wesley is an example of the importance of staying true to oneself, showing how sometimes the unpopular, “out there” kids are the ones who can have the most influence on society.  This book not only lends itself well to a study of theme and a discussion about the qualities that make us all unique, but would be a great intro to a conversation about real-life examples of “square pegs in round holes” who have had great influence in the world like Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, or even a personal favorite, Temple Grandin.

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Dear 16 year old Me...

I saw this video a few months ago after it was posted on blogs and by friends on facebook...

Because I tend to have a bit of a hypochondriac streak, of course I immediately began worrying about that awful sunburn I got when I was 17 and all of those times I forget to reapply sunburn, and of course I started wondering if my spf 30 is really enough and maybe I should go put some on right now even though I'm indoors blah blah blah *insert insane thought here.*  ANYWAYS, aside from the important message, I thought the concept behind this video was beautiful.  I have written letters to my FUTURE self many times, and enjoyed reading them in the "future."  But to give advice to my 16 year old self?  Oh where to even begin...

Dear 16 year old Me,

Listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you...

Be patient with your parents.  You may be right that they don't understand you, but they're trying.

Stay away from the scale.  No seriously.  It seems harmless, but it will do more damage to you than you can understand right now.

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Stop telling yourself that you're not athletic.  Go for a run.  Walking does not mean you're a running failure.

Come to think of it, quit being afraid to do things just because you might fail at them.  Not trying at all is the bigger failure.

Stop bleaching your hair.  You will spend the next 5 years trying to repair the damage.

You deserve to be happy.   

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It's okay to make mistakes.  Embrace it, learn from it, and move on.

No one cares what your high school GPA was.  No one really cares what your college GPA was either.  Put down the books once in awhile and have some fun!

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Repeat after me: "I am smart.  I am beautiful.  I am strong."  Say these words over and over again, every day.

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What advice would you give your 16 year old self?