Letter to My Younger Self

Dear Younger Me,

If I could sit with you right now, I’d probably smile first before saying anything. Because I know how much you’ve tried to hold it all together, even when you were unsure of who you were becoming. You’ve always wanted to do things right, to make people proud, to be the calm, perfect one. But I want you to know that you don’t have to be perfect to be loved. You don’t have to be quiet to be accepted. You don’t have to shrink yourself to fit anywhere.

You can be loud and soft. You can be goofy and serious. You can be everything that makes you, you. I want you to stop hiding behind what people might say. Be outgoing. Step out and live a little louder. Smile more, talk more, share your thoughts even if your voice shakes. Walk into spaces with your full self. You belong there.

Take all the pictures you want. Don’t wait until your hair is perfect or the lighting is right. Capture the moments, the small joys, the messy days, the big laughs. Post them if you feel like it. You’ll thank yourself later for not waiting for a perfect version of your life to be proud of.

Be unapologetically you. Explore what calls to your heart. Try things that scare you. Go after everything you want, even when it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. Don’t let fear stop you. You don’t need permission to live the life you dream of.

Be silly. Be playful. Laugh as loud as you want. Don’t hold back your joy. There’s beauty in being free, in letting yourself laugh and cry and just feel. It’s okay to be emotional. It’s okay to not have it all figured out. Cry when you need to, then wipe your tears and move again. That’s what growth looks like.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. They don’t make you weak or foolish. They make you human. You will mess up, and that’s fine. You’ll start over so many times, and that’s fine too. Every time you begin again, you’ll find a stronger, wiser version of yourself waiting.

Dream as big as you can. Be delusional if you must. Believe in things that haven’t happened yet. You’re allowed to chase crazy dreams. You’re allowed to start over when something no longer serves you. You’re allowed to change your mind and take a new path. That’s living.

And love. Love fully, love honestly, love without fear. Even if it ends, even if it hurts, it’s still worth it. The love you give will always come back to you in one way or another. Don’t be afraid to open your heart again and again.

One day you’ll look back and realize that everything that scared you, stretched you, or broke you was shaping you into who you are now. You’ll see that all the laughter, the tears, the adventures, and the restarts were pieces of a beautiful story.

So live, really live. Be brave enough to be yourself. Be gentle enough to feel everything. Be curious enough to keep exploring. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Just keep growing, keep dreaming, and keep being you.

With love,
Your Older Self