A Letter to My Younger Self

Dear younger me,

You know that you feel overwhelmed at present. The world seems big, confusing and is full of expectations and doubts coupled with numerous questions. I desire you to take a deep breath however. You do not have to get everything figured out in one day The hardest thing to learn is to not know.

You are going to do wrong things. That’s okay. Some of those errors are going to hurt, some will make you doubt whether you are on the right track. However, believe me, each and every single moment will bring you some important lesson. Life is not about perfectness; it is about learning, progressing, and getting up even in the difficult times.

You can be concerned about whether you can fit in or whether you are good enough. You will be under pressure to do what some people want you to do as well, your family, your friends, your teachers. But I want you to go ahead and remember this: you cannot define your worth on what other people want you to do. When you are appreciated by the right individuals, they will show you love because of what you are. There is nothing wrong in being different and having your own dreams and own pace. Do not lose faith even though people around you do.

You will feel like giving up, sometimes in school, some times on friendship, sometimes on dreams that you feel are too grand. Please don’t. It is in the toughest times that get you stronger. The next moment, you will reflect back and see that those difficulties were what made you tough.

And in talking of dreams, there is nothing wrong in changing your mind. The direction you envision right now is not definite. You will fall in love with things that you would never ever imagine thank god. Life is a journey and sometimes the biggest detours bring you to great places.

Be a little kinder with yourself. I understand that you are self-critical. You will waste too much time thinking what you are supposed to be doing; how you are supposed to look like; how you are supposed to behave. Instead, make an effort to tote small victories and be easy-going when things do not turn out well. You are not the success just because you did something great in your life, you are the good person you are because of your kindness, because of your curiosity and your courage to continue.

Finally, remember you do not have to be on your own. There is nothing wrong in seeking help. You will have supporters to rely on friendly people, family members, mentors so when don t feel like doing it all alone, go where you can. There is nothing wrong in opening up about your struggles; it does not make you weak; it makes you human.

I am so proud of you and you cannot even tell it yourself. You are turning into one who is courageous, considerate and promising. Have faith in the procedure. Continue on with your curiosity, continue on with your kindness, and above all keep on being you.

Loving, patiently,

Your Old Self