A letter to my 15-year-old self.
Dear Me,
The whole idea of writing a letter to you is kind of confusing. I am a little worried about disrupting the space-time continuum, but Monkey has assured me that this letter will find you safe and sound. Anyway let’s get down to business.
Well done, you’ve made it to 15. I won’t lie to you, in the future you’re gonna face some really tough times. However I want you to know that you’re really capable to step up the plate when times get tough. I don’t want to divulge all the secrets of your upcoming life as I feel as though it would take away from those moments, but let me give you some advice.
Be happy with who you are, and I don’t mean in the superficial way that you pretend to do now. You need to align yourself with the true self that I know – (that is, the true self that you know in your head but haven’t yet had the courage or self-belief to reveal). I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I know that this will happen, as it will be forced upon you by a heart-shattering event that you never would have thought you would have to contend with and which at the time seems so unrealistic and illogical. And I hate that you had to deal with such despair at this point in your life, but it is this moment that truly allowed the inward reflection to incite the making of you.
Now I will quote a cliché here, but in your case it’s strikingly true.
“What doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger.”
One day you’ll be strong enough to get through anything, but for now, don’t worry about that, you’re 15, enjoy yourself.
Take every opportunity to tell your family and friends that you love them. Be open to new experiences, some of them will end up being your fondest memories. Be kind and giving to others, one of the best gifts is that of generosity. Learn to make friends with people you normally wouldn’t, those friendships are going to be the ones that last.
Smile more, and mean it.
Don’t hide behind your academic achievements, be proud of them, let people know that you’re intelligent, don’t dumb yourself down, and engage in conversations where you know you’d have a meaningful input. And seriously, work a bit harder in school; you won’t always be able to get by on your natural ability. If you put in a bit more effort, you won’t regret it.
Don’t hold grudges. In life you’re gonna get screwed over. Get angry in the moment, but learn the art of forgiveness. If you can do that, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress and anger.
Remember that when you hit rock-bottom, the only way is up. Things DO get better. Even when you think that they won’t, trust me, they do.
Give up the crap instrument you’re learning now, you don’t like it, and you won’t ever like it, instead pick up that old guitar in the spare room and get some lessons. With a bit of effort you’re gonna end up good.
Your career (and probably not the one you think you’re going to have right now) will challenge and inspire you. You will be rewarded with fantastic opportunities and responsibilities.
You’re going to travel the world, visit amazing places, meet amazing people and immerse yourself in cultures you haven’t even dreamed of.
Say yes. Even when you feel like saying no, say yes. An opportunity missed is an opportunity lost. You’re going to get some strange offers in the future, but if you learn to say yes, you are going to end up surprising yourself with all the things you’ll do and places you’ll go.
Remember this. – Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll end up in the stars.
Oh yeah, one more thing. Just because you’re good at winning arguments – doesn’t mean that you always should.
To finish this up, I want you to know that right now, in my present, you’re starting another journey. You’re beginning a whole new chapter of your life, and I don’t know where it’s going or how it’s going to go. But I will tell you this, I’m excited and you should be too.
Your friend,
You
