Wow. All of this. I see girls now and cringe at myself when I was teen which is crazy because it’s not like they even know me (or want to know me) as I was then or even now. I feel this entry in my bones - I still feel like I’m pretending to be something I am not (jewelry, wearing name brands I didn’t know existed and makeup that cost a lot and bags that did too). Maybe it felt simpler then. I was only worried the other teenagers were judging me but apparently now I’ve just added teens AND adults into the mix. 🤪 I really liked reading this. It made me feel seen which is all any of us really want. ❤️
Oh tysm for your thoughtful reply Amanda!! I know the feeling you described about being someone you’re not—my thoughts go to, “you’re trying too hard!” Or like, “you think you’re cool but you’re not!” And it can be so hard to combat them! I try my best to remind myself that feeling good is what matters most 🥰 And I’m so so glad you felt seen and shared that with me—I’ll remember that the next time I feel scared to share about my own insecurities in a Substack 😂 xo!
I feel so seen!! I have this same set of thoughts every time I go into a Sephora, like WHY AM I SO OLD?! WHY IS EVERYONE SO YOUNG?!
And I turned 36 this month and literally had the same thought—I’m closer to 40 than 30 now! 😱I still haven’t reconciled that to be honest
But you’re so right of course, why is feeling old my immediate thought and not all the good that comes with it? It’s a fragility I guess, and not wanting to go back in time to but mourning that naivety and youthful optimism all the same.
Angela!!! 1. Thank you so much for reading and sharing your thoughts, it truly means so much 🥹
2. YOU GET IT!! Everything shifted for me once I turned 35, and it’s been wild feeling like I’ve moved past the point of being “young”. (Even though your late 30s isn’t old! At least I don’t think it is) I think mourning our past selves, especially our young selves, is completely valid, and even necessary. I’ve felt that as well, though to be honest it’s paired with relief that I don’t have to relive middle school 😂 Sending you so much love! 🫶🏼
YES!! That's how I feel! Where did my youth go?! 😭 Also I'm pretty sure just asking that automatically makes me old!
But of course we're not old, it's just, how different did life look when at twenty-something we thought of ourselves in mid-30s? You know who was in their mid 30s? The women on SATC and their lives seemed a lot more adult and together than mine does, so it's just weird to think about!
I'm with you though, middle and high school, you couldn't pay me to go back. Those kids terrify me 😆
“I had Cetaphil and Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse from CVS in high school and that was literally it.” Feeling so seen right now 🤣 I loved this Kristen, you’ve described so perfectly exactly how I also feel whenever I set foot in a Sephora 😂 Looking forward to reading more!
Wow. All of this. I see girls now and cringe at myself when I was teen which is crazy because it’s not like they even know me (or want to know me) as I was then or even now. I feel this entry in my bones - I still feel like I’m pretending to be something I am not (jewelry, wearing name brands I didn’t know existed and makeup that cost a lot and bags that did too). Maybe it felt simpler then. I was only worried the other teenagers were judging me but apparently now I’ve just added teens AND adults into the mix. 🤪 I really liked reading this. It made me feel seen which is all any of us really want. ❤️
Oh tysm for your thoughtful reply Amanda!! I know the feeling you described about being someone you’re not—my thoughts go to, “you’re trying too hard!” Or like, “you think you’re cool but you’re not!” And it can be so hard to combat them! I try my best to remind myself that feeling good is what matters most 🥰 And I’m so so glad you felt seen and shared that with me—I’ll remember that the next time I feel scared to share about my own insecurities in a Substack 😂 xo!
I feel so seen!! I have this same set of thoughts every time I go into a Sephora, like WHY AM I SO OLD?! WHY IS EVERYONE SO YOUNG?!
And I turned 36 this month and literally had the same thought—I’m closer to 40 than 30 now! 😱I still haven’t reconciled that to be honest
But you’re so right of course, why is feeling old my immediate thought and not all the good that comes with it? It’s a fragility I guess, and not wanting to go back in time to but mourning that naivety and youthful optimism all the same.
Really enjoyed this piece’
Angela!!! 1. Thank you so much for reading and sharing your thoughts, it truly means so much 🥹
2. YOU GET IT!! Everything shifted for me once I turned 35, and it’s been wild feeling like I’ve moved past the point of being “young”. (Even though your late 30s isn’t old! At least I don’t think it is) I think mourning our past selves, especially our young selves, is completely valid, and even necessary. I’ve felt that as well, though to be honest it’s paired with relief that I don’t have to relive middle school 😂 Sending you so much love! 🫶🏼
YES!! That's how I feel! Where did my youth go?! 😭 Also I'm pretty sure just asking that automatically makes me old!
But of course we're not old, it's just, how different did life look when at twenty-something we thought of ourselves in mid-30s? You know who was in their mid 30s? The women on SATC and their lives seemed a lot more adult and together than mine does, so it's just weird to think about!
I'm with you though, middle and high school, you couldn't pay me to go back. Those kids terrify me 😆
“I had Cetaphil and Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse from CVS in high school and that was literally it.” Feeling so seen right now 🤣 I loved this Kristen, you’ve described so perfectly exactly how I also feel whenever I set foot in a Sephora 😂 Looking forward to reading more!
Gahhh thank you so much Gemma!! Glad I’m not the only one who thinks Sephora is the Wild West these days 😂 I’m so glad you’re here! 🫶🏼
😮💨 reading this called me out on a few feelings I didn’t realize I held. I’m definitely gonna have to have a journal session about it.
Omg! Sending hugs to you, I know that journal sesh is gonna be a good one! 🫶🏼
<3
🤍🤍🤍!