Dancing Queen

...... But continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds

Most things are a predicament when you are teenager, self-inflicted pressure to be popular. Stop and think about the people you once tried hard to impress, makes you want to laugh doesn't it? Keep that in mind!

Mama to the rescue

Like many of my friends growing up I wasn't allowed to go to parties. It didn't matter what party it was, day party, night party, any gathering really that included the opposite sex was out of bounds.

When I was 17 I remember getting tired of hearing stories about how much fun some of my friends were having when they went out to parties. Looking back I am unsure these stories were true as there weren't very many friends going out to parties at that age to be honest, my parents weren't there only vicious parents in town!

Curiosity got the better of my friend and I, we were convinced life was happening at these parties and if we wanted to become accepted in the 'it' crowd, well this was the place we had to be. We decided we would sneak out of our homes whilst our parents were asleep and experience the “night lights”. I snuck out that night dressed in borrowed clothes from my mother’s closet (she would later call this stealing). 

The disco was in full swing, it was everything we had imagined, or so we thought, loud music bright lights and unfortunately for my parents loads of the opposite sex around! I was on the dance floor dancing to every song that came on.  Mid body lock (yes we had body popping moves in my days too) I heard the Disc Jockey over a very funky beat call out my name to go to the Disc Jockeys booth.

I looked across and froze, something instantly knotted in the pit of my stomach - sheer terror! Don’t ask me how she knew but my mother had driven to the night club, in her night attire complete with head wrap, she passed the door bouncers, walked into the nightclub with one mission in mind, to retrieve her daughter. I will cut a long story short, it was a long ride home dressed in “borrowed” clothes.

Mission accomplished

If I were given an opportunity to speak to my teenage self I would say:

All you need to be beautiful, respected, honoured, and accepted is already in you. It may not seem like it, you will see clearer when you adjust your focus. 

Pay close attention to the things that really matter and you will attract things of substance.  Fight against the addiction to self- not everything is a reflection of you!

You better trust that if you don’t have it, it’s because you aren't ready for it. Don’t chase what feels right, chase what makes you better.

I'd say to her be patient; your destination is not all that, enjoy the journey, you will wish that time would have slowed down. 

I'd warn her; it’s inevitable you will lose yourself along the way. You can’t always do things right, but no one else does either. Find your true identity and watch, when you do “they” will still be looking for the old you. Remind yourself constantly you are not who they say you are.

Choose the voices that speak to your soul, if it speaks death it will eventually kill you.

And finally I’d say girl, just because its glittery doesn't mean you have to pick up the shovel and start looking for gold.

It’s near impossible to learn a lesson you believe holds no value, there are lessons in everything and everyone.