Once you reach my age and your teenage years become more and more of a distant memory (yes I am old!), you do find yourself thinking about the person you are now against who you used to be, and how much you've changed and why... Your best memories, your regrets, the awkward moments and the times you wish you could go back to or never experience ever again!

If I could talk to my former teenage self I would tell her some truths which I've shared with you all below.

You can be whoever you want to be
You don't need to be as clever as the boffin in your class, and you don't need to be as hardcore as the bad girl in your year that's allowed to stay out late. You are fine just as you are. Stop trying to be who your parents, teachers and friends want you to be. Just do you.

Don't be so hard on yourself
You are young, you are allowed to make mistakes. So make them now and try to learn from them.

Always go with your first instinct
Trust yourself a bit more. You are a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for. Oh, and that guy who initially comes across as an arsehole is an arsehole. He won't change, so don't waste your time babygirl.

Follow your passion
These are the most free and creative years of your life. The things you love now are not a phase,  they are for real. Follow your passion and invest your time, energy and soul into whatever it is. You'll thank yourself in 5 years time.

Your parents aren't always right - but most of the time they are
They don't always get everything right, but they do have your best interests at heart and they do know a lot more than you do. Trust them but also use your own instinct when you need to. Your Mum will become your best friend by the time you're 20 and you'll be thanking her for all the times she stopped you from going to Under 18 raves and hanging around parks at night time.

The "popular" girls will not be so "cool" in a few years time
Being popular isn't as important as having a few good close friends you trust. Those girls in your year group that everyone wants to know and hang out with, smoking in the toilets and hanging around with older guys... most of them are washed out now and look old before their time. They're struggling financially and most of them had children early on and regret it. You don't want to be like them. Trust me.

Have fun 
Lighten up and stop taking everything so seriously. You will never be as free as you are now. Soon you'll have real responsibilities, commitments and dramas. Say yes to that holiday in Malia. Go along to Brighton with the girls for the weekend. Don't be such a granny, you have all the time in the world to be boring.

You can't make everyone happy
You can't always do things just to make your family happy because inevitably you are the only one that has to live with the decisions you (or they) make. They will be proud of you regardless of if you get that A grade or get into one of the top universities, so just relax.

Your hair is beautiful
Even though you find it difficult to manage one day you're going to realise that curly afro hair is beautiful, and that actually it's perfect just the way it is. There are women out there who would die to have hair just like yours. Put those GHDs down and stop with all the heat damage.

Open up
You aren't the only one with problems, everyone has their own issues and struggles. Let people in. Share your secrets and stop being so scared of being judged. There is absolutely nothing you can do to prevent yourself from being hurt. All you are doing is preventing amazing times and an abundance of love and laughter.

What things do you wish you'd known as a teenager?