Letter To My Younger Self: Wendyl Nissen

This month we asked nzgirl and media legend, Wendyl Nissen, to take a leap back in time, and write a letter to her younger self, outlining everything she wishes she had of known when she was 25.

 

This letter is hilarious, as well as truly insightful – there’s a slice of advice for every nzgirl! Although we don’t come programmed to automatically know all our life lessons, at least we can learn from other nzgirls…

We're also giving away five copies of her new book, Bitch & Famous. Read on to find out how you could score your very own copy!

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Do not, under any circumstances, get pregnant. You are too young, your career is too important to you and just because that guy you are seeing is incredibly cute does not mean you will have a baby that looks just like him.

Oh…too late? Actually you had the baby last year? And he was incredibly cute, in fact cuter than his father? And your career is still intact?

Well actually it’s not such a bad thing after all. Just think by the time you are 45 your son will be 21 and it is entirely possible that having children will empower you to keep your career going and make you better at your job. You will understand very early on the benefits of time management because you will always have something you have to get home to by 5pm. And yes, it is true that not all mothers are made to stay at home and some, like you, can’t wait to get back to work. That’s what childcare was invented for. You’ll be a great working mother. 

Okay, so do not, under any circumstances wear fishnets. They are slutty and say one thing…desperate. Oh so you do wear them? And you even wore them with rips in them when you were a punk? And you see nothing wrong with a woman expressing herself in anyway she likes whether it’s wearing slutty tights or pink stripes in her hair. Okay, don’t have a cow about it, by the time you’re 45 I’m sure you won’t wear them anymore. You doubt it?

Okay, so do not, under any circumstances forget to buy a house. Oh you didn’t? You bought one just this year? But how did you afford it on your income at such a young age? Oh you bought in the undesirable area of Beach Haven on Auckland’s North Shore and it’s just a basic group home with bad aluminium joinery and clay for a garden. Well actually it’s not such a bad thing after all. Just think by the time you are 45 you will have sold that house for twice what you paid for it and gradually increased your equity into a lovely old villa in Grey Lynn.  

Okay, so do not, under any circumstances get a credit card. You will miss a payment and pay huge interest on money you didn’t really need. Spend only when you have cash in the bank and don’t be fooled into using someone else’s money for that pair of shoes you could have got on lay-by without paying any interest if you were patient enough.

Oh, you already did? And you can’t meet the payments and you don’t even like those shoes anymore? Well actually it’s not such a bad thing after all. It’s a good lesson and just think by the time you’re 45 you’ll know how to handle your money…I hope.

Okay, so do not, under any circumstances forget to have fun. Sometimes life isn’t all about work, it’s also about having too much to drink on the odd occasion and giggling with your girlfriends or making your husband laugh. Oh, you do? Good girl.