When I was young, an exercise that I remember having to do from time to time was to write myself a letter to be opened at some time in the future. Ever since the first time I did this, I became inspired by the very idea of what we can learn from ourselves and I started leaving things behind for myself to find again in the future. My journals are without a doubt some of my most prized possessions because they contain inside of them a part of me that will be forever immortalized. Because I took the time to document all the things I was feeling at various times, I can revisit them and feel again exactly what it felt like to be me then. So now again, after some childhood inspiration, I take the time to practice an exercise that I find to be so cathartic and healing. I hope I can inspire you to do the same. I promise you will learn at least one thing you didn't realize you already knew the answer to all along if you take the time to revisit some of those things that may be holding you back.
Dear Self -
Welcome to the world!
I am happy you are here. You are already incredibly lucky because you are surrounded by so many people that love you. They are all here. For you. And I'll tell you something else - they never abandon you. This means that without doing anything at all, you have already accomplished possibly the biggest goal in life. That is, to find people, good people, to share your life with that truly love you. Love. That's all there is. Do not ever forget that what you were born in to today makes you more fortunate than most of the people in the rest of the world.
Appreciate this fact and use it for good.
But also don't let anyone make you feel guilty about it. None of us gets to choose the lives that we are born in to. Each person has their own unique struggles and trails in life to overcome regardless of the lottery that is their genetic makeup, family life, and socioeconomic status.
Always be kind to people.
Even though you will grow up to be perceptive, you still can't ever know for sure what someone else is going through. Remember that everyone has their own story to tell.
You do not know everything.
Even though you think you do. You will always have a lot to learn. But as much as you do learn - never lose your naivety, for it is that quality that will always keep you young.
Let other people lead sometimes too.
I know you mean well, but sometimes it's a good thing to sit back and relax. You will get better at this with age.
Slow down.
I'm gonna say that one twice: Slow down. I know you want so badly to grow up and make something of yourself. But don't worry, you will be just fine! I wish I could tell you now that I know where you're gonna end up, but I'm not sure we will ever know that. I don't even think that's the point.
Please try to enjoy where you are now, and stop worrying so much about the future.
It is ok to celebrate your accomplishments, even if you think they are small.
Be immature and young and silly and fun and oblivious for as long as possible.
Soon enough the world will try its hardest to break you and morph you in to a cynic. I want you to fight this. Because the temptation to become completely jaded is always just along the horizon for you. Continue to choose the other option.
No one is actually paying as much attention to you as you think.
Seriously, calm down. Laugh at yourself!
Remember the way it feels to play outside until the sun sets on a hot summer day with all those neighborhood boys.
Soon enough, the world will completely change and this time will be gone forever. Hold on to it in your mind so you can figure out a way to recreate this for your children. Because they will need help escaping from all the technology that will soon begin to consume everything around you.
Stop skinning your knees so much.
Seriously, you will have constant scabs for about five years of your life. But remember what it was like to be truly fearless. Unfortunately, this will go away. Soon enough you won't be that girl who climbs to the top of tall buildings and jumps off roofs and rolls down steep hills all the way in to the water. Or plays every sport you could fit in to a day. Or rollerblades for hours all over town. You'll eventually become quite cautious and careful. But this is ok too.
Find someone to share your life with that brings out that recklessness in you.
Because without that, I don't think you'll ever be satisfied.
Appreciate your school.
I know it will frustrate you that your world feels so little sometimes, but just enjoy it while it lasts. You can't possibly know this now, but that place will give you more space to grow than you will probably ever understand. Because your world is small - you will learn to be very big. And this will define the choices you make for the rest of your life.
Enjoy your childhood friends.
I can tell you that you are lucky and they will stick around for quite a long time. However, understand when it is time to let a friendship go. Knowing someone your entire life is not really reason enough to let them treat you badly. Think about what this means to you and remember it when the time comes. When you figure out how to move on - let me know.
Try not to make fun of people as much as possible.
I know you think most people are a waste of time - let them be. There's not use in trying to control how other people make you feel. Just enjoy the show.
Don't let Lucas Tucker try to touch your boobs behind the bushes under the Headmistresses office in third grade.
And when you suspect he likes Chelsea Dodd more than you, break up with him. But don't obsess over him after. No one knows what it means to really like someone in elementary school. And enjoy the fact that when he reads this one day he will probably be super embarrassed but secretly proud of himself for being so bold at such a young age.
Remember to side with the underdog sometimes too.
As long as this does not compromise your morals. It might make your life more challenging at times, but it's always a good thing to believe in someone when no one else does.
Be silly and dance exactly how you want to every chance you get.
I promise it is way more fun to make a fool of yourself in a group than it is to stand awkwardly on the outside wishing you were included. No matter what age you are - people will only think you are awkward if you are uncomfortable within yourself. So just relax and enjoy the ride. Try not to take everything so seriously.
When you meet that boy, that one that makes you feel like the most special girl in the world for all the wrong reasons, do not let him fool you.
This is not what love is and it is not healthy. Anyone that tries to create a negative view of your family in your mind is only trying to control you. I know you won't listen to me. So just remember to learn from what you experience. That way, you can help another young girl who wants so badly to believe she is special too once day. And you will.
Enjoy every single second of camp while you are still a camper.
But then let yourself become completely consumed by it as a counselor. Do not let your idle mind wander to the outside world quite as much as you do. I can't possibly explain to you how much you will miss this place when it is gone.
Cherish your summers.
Do not be reckless with other people's hearts.
I know you think everyone just wants to be your friend - but you are wrong. Usually when boys hang around you, they want to be more than that. Be careful when you let yourself get too close. People get hurt that way. Even though you won't mean to, you will learn this the hard way. More than once.
When you meet the first boy that really makes you go weak in the knees, you won't recognize it in the beginning.
You will fight it for so long that he will trick you in to falling for him. This will make you forever crave a relationship that stems from friendship. You can thank him for that, but otherwise - tread carefully. He will take you on such an emotional roller coaster that you will think you won't ever recover. You will.
Recognize that while you will probably always be attracted to this person, he is dangerous and unpredictable.
Whether or not you think this is good for you is a choice you will eventually have to make.
But when he asks you to leave your favorite place in the world to come spend time with him, do not go.
You can't know this now, but it will live up to be your only true regret. You will be leaving something behind that you will never be able to get back and you will miss it for the rest of your life.
Enjoy the whirlwind of your first true love.
When you finally find this one, he will need no introduction. He will be one of those boys that was constantly there in your life that you never really saw. He will awaken in you an intense desire to please, and inspire you to become a better person. You two will grow more together than you will ever think possible.
Remember that it's ok to let someone see your imperfections.
These are what make you unique - and strangely, they are probably the very things that the right person will fall in love with about you.
Remember to be patient.
Not everyone changes as quickly as you do. And not everyone sees the world in the same way either.
Appreciate another's perspective.
And help them learn to communicate their thoughts to you and to the world.
Try not to control everything.
You can't possibly take on the stresses of all the people you love in the world. But you will probably die trying.
Don't put so much pressure on yourself.
It is healthy to explore and you should always take advantage of an opportunity for growth...within reason.
Remember every lesson you learn from children.
They see the world in such a pure and inspiring way. Try to be like them as much as you can.
When you get to Disney World, let it be your light.
You will be given an opportunity to make so many people's lives brighter and touch them in more ways than I can tell you. Do this with your whole heart. And then bring it with you in to the real world.
Everyone deserves to believe in magic.
Hold on to every single minute of that first summer there.
You will make lifelong friends from all over the world. And because of them, you will finally start to see yourself become more of the person you always thought you wanted to be.
Let yourself fall in love with everything.
And everyone. Don't be afraid of what this might mean.
Enjoy your family.
Be happy that you have a sister that will always be your best friend. She will provide you the perspective that an older sibling does and will always tell you the truth about yourself. This is invaluable. But it is also not easy for her to be hard on you, even when you need it. Remember that.
Cherish your education.
You will have the opportunity to be a part of a community that will be made up of some of the most fortunate and talented people in the world. Absorb everything you can. And let yourself be humbled. It'll be great for your character.
Celebrate new friendships and travel as much as you can.
Nothing will provide you the perspective and space you so desire than adventure and exploration. Find someone you love and take them with you.
Break your own rules.
Let the world inspire you.
Cry.
Be thankful.
Never apologize for being so ambitious.
Always take the time to help others.
Smile.
It never returns bad results.
Be a good listener.
And always, always be there for a friend.
When the time comes to spend some time on your own, do it.
You will never learn to truly appreciate what you have unless you can learn to live without it.
Don't be selfish.
Don't be afraid to try everything at least once.
Do not worry if people like you or not.
Chances are, they don't. But why should this matter to you?
Understand that people will often try to use you.
Help them anyways.
It is always a good idea to let people think they are right.
Once you master this, you will be able to have everything you ever wanted.
If you have the opportunity to fall in love again, take it.
Even if you think you know how it will end. Passionate emotions are the best thing you have and you will ultimately be happy that you felt anything at all. Because emotions can be few and far between.
Do not be afraid.
Love is the only thing in the world that matters at all.
Nothing else.
Let people love you.
I know this is a terrifying. But do it. You won't be sorry. And even when it hurts, know that it was still a connection. Be happy about that. Don't let your fear prevent you from making that same mistake over and over.
Know that you may never know what you want to be 'when you grow up.'
Be ok with this fact.
Your life will be just a brief moment strung together by a series of choices.
Do exactly what you want. Move to that big city and chase your dreams. Failure is not only just an opinion - it is an illusion. The only true failure is to have robbed yourself of any experience that has the potential to propel you further along your journey in to becoming exactly who you are meant to be.
You are beautiful, intelligent, and most of all passionately curious. You have all the skills you need to succeed at anything you choose to do. We all are. And we all do. We just need someone to believe in us enough to remind us from time to time. Believe in yourself and believe in others. You are strong.
There is so much I'd like to share with you here, and so much more left yet to discover, but I will leave you with this. Now get some rest, because you have a long life ahead of you. I look forward to seeing you in the future! Be good to us, but more importantly, be good to the world. Because people won't remember what you said or did, they will only remember how you made them feel.
Remember to hug your dad every chance you get,
-Remy
Dear Self -
Welcome to the world!
I am happy you are here. You are already incredibly lucky because you are surrounded by so many people that love you. They are all here. For you. And I'll tell you something else - they never abandon you. This means that without doing anything at all, you have already accomplished possibly the biggest goal in life. That is, to find people, good people, to share your life with that truly love you. Love. That's all there is. Do not ever forget that what you were born in to today makes you more fortunate than most of the people in the rest of the world.
Appreciate this fact and use it for good.
But also don't let anyone make you feel guilty about it. None of us gets to choose the lives that we are born in to. Each person has their own unique struggles and trails in life to overcome regardless of the lottery that is their genetic makeup, family life, and socioeconomic status.
Always be kind to people.
Even though you will grow up to be perceptive, you still can't ever know for sure what someone else is going through. Remember that everyone has their own story to tell.
You do not know everything.
Even though you think you do. You will always have a lot to learn. But as much as you do learn - never lose your naivety, for it is that quality that will always keep you young.
Let other people lead sometimes too.
I know you mean well, but sometimes it's a good thing to sit back and relax. You will get better at this with age.
Slow down.
I'm gonna say that one twice: Slow down. I know you want so badly to grow up and make something of yourself. But don't worry, you will be just fine! I wish I could tell you now that I know where you're gonna end up, but I'm not sure we will ever know that. I don't even think that's the point.
Please try to enjoy where you are now, and stop worrying so much about the future.
It is ok to celebrate your accomplishments, even if you think they are small.
Be immature and young and silly and fun and oblivious for as long as possible.
Soon enough the world will try its hardest to break you and morph you in to a cynic. I want you to fight this. Because the temptation to become completely jaded is always just along the horizon for you. Continue to choose the other option.
No one is actually paying as much attention to you as you think.
Seriously, calm down. Laugh at yourself!
Remember the way it feels to play outside until the sun sets on a hot summer day with all those neighborhood boys.
Soon enough, the world will completely change and this time will be gone forever. Hold on to it in your mind so you can figure out a way to recreate this for your children. Because they will need help escaping from all the technology that will soon begin to consume everything around you.
Stop skinning your knees so much.
Seriously, you will have constant scabs for about five years of your life. But remember what it was like to be truly fearless. Unfortunately, this will go away. Soon enough you won't be that girl who climbs to the top of tall buildings and jumps off roofs and rolls down steep hills all the way in to the water. Or plays every sport you could fit in to a day. Or rollerblades for hours all over town. You'll eventually become quite cautious and careful. But this is ok too.
Find someone to share your life with that brings out that recklessness in you.
Because without that, I don't think you'll ever be satisfied.
Appreciate your school.
I know it will frustrate you that your world feels so little sometimes, but just enjoy it while it lasts. You can't possibly know this now, but that place will give you more space to grow than you will probably ever understand. Because your world is small - you will learn to be very big. And this will define the choices you make for the rest of your life.
Enjoy your childhood friends.
I can tell you that you are lucky and they will stick around for quite a long time. However, understand when it is time to let a friendship go. Knowing someone your entire life is not really reason enough to let them treat you badly. Think about what this means to you and remember it when the time comes. When you figure out how to move on - let me know.
Try not to make fun of people as much as possible.
I know you think most people are a waste of time - let them be. There's not use in trying to control how other people make you feel. Just enjoy the show.
Don't let Lucas Tucker try to touch your boobs behind the bushes under the Headmistresses office in third grade.
And when you suspect he likes Chelsea Dodd more than you, break up with him. But don't obsess over him after. No one knows what it means to really like someone in elementary school. And enjoy the fact that when he reads this one day he will probably be super embarrassed but secretly proud of himself for being so bold at such a young age.
Remember to side with the underdog sometimes too.
As long as this does not compromise your morals. It might make your life more challenging at times, but it's always a good thing to believe in someone when no one else does.
Be silly and dance exactly how you want to every chance you get.
I promise it is way more fun to make a fool of yourself in a group than it is to stand awkwardly on the outside wishing you were included. No matter what age you are - people will only think you are awkward if you are uncomfortable within yourself. So just relax and enjoy the ride. Try not to take everything so seriously.
When you meet that boy, that one that makes you feel like the most special girl in the world for all the wrong reasons, do not let him fool you.
This is not what love is and it is not healthy. Anyone that tries to create a negative view of your family in your mind is only trying to control you. I know you won't listen to me. So just remember to learn from what you experience. That way, you can help another young girl who wants so badly to believe she is special too once day. And you will.
Enjoy every single second of camp while you are still a camper.
But then let yourself become completely consumed by it as a counselor. Do not let your idle mind wander to the outside world quite as much as you do. I can't possibly explain to you how much you will miss this place when it is gone.
Cherish your summers.
Do not be reckless with other people's hearts.
I know you think everyone just wants to be your friend - but you are wrong. Usually when boys hang around you, they want to be more than that. Be careful when you let yourself get too close. People get hurt that way. Even though you won't mean to, you will learn this the hard way. More than once.
When you meet the first boy that really makes you go weak in the knees, you won't recognize it in the beginning.
You will fight it for so long that he will trick you in to falling for him. This will make you forever crave a relationship that stems from friendship. You can thank him for that, but otherwise - tread carefully. He will take you on such an emotional roller coaster that you will think you won't ever recover. You will.
Recognize that while you will probably always be attracted to this person, he is dangerous and unpredictable.
Whether or not you think this is good for you is a choice you will eventually have to make.
But when he asks you to leave your favorite place in the world to come spend time with him, do not go.
You can't know this now, but it will live up to be your only true regret. You will be leaving something behind that you will never be able to get back and you will miss it for the rest of your life.
Enjoy the whirlwind of your first true love.
When you finally find this one, he will need no introduction. He will be one of those boys that was constantly there in your life that you never really saw. He will awaken in you an intense desire to please, and inspire you to become a better person. You two will grow more together than you will ever think possible.
Remember that it's ok to let someone see your imperfections.
These are what make you unique - and strangely, they are probably the very things that the right person will fall in love with about you.
Remember to be patient.
Not everyone changes as quickly as you do. And not everyone sees the world in the same way either.
Appreciate another's perspective.
And help them learn to communicate their thoughts to you and to the world.
Try not to control everything.
You can't possibly take on the stresses of all the people you love in the world. But you will probably die trying.
Don't put so much pressure on yourself.
It is healthy to explore and you should always take advantage of an opportunity for growth...within reason.
Remember every lesson you learn from children.
They see the world in such a pure and inspiring way. Try to be like them as much as you can.
When you get to Disney World, let it be your light.
You will be given an opportunity to make so many people's lives brighter and touch them in more ways than I can tell you. Do this with your whole heart. And then bring it with you in to the real world.
Everyone deserves to believe in magic.
Hold on to every single minute of that first summer there.
You will make lifelong friends from all over the world. And because of them, you will finally start to see yourself become more of the person you always thought you wanted to be.
Let yourself fall in love with everything.
And everyone. Don't be afraid of what this might mean.
Enjoy your family.
Be happy that you have a sister that will always be your best friend. She will provide you the perspective that an older sibling does and will always tell you the truth about yourself. This is invaluable. But it is also not easy for her to be hard on you, even when you need it. Remember that.
Cherish your education.
You will have the opportunity to be a part of a community that will be made up of some of the most fortunate and talented people in the world. Absorb everything you can. And let yourself be humbled. It'll be great for your character.
Celebrate new friendships and travel as much as you can.
Nothing will provide you the perspective and space you so desire than adventure and exploration. Find someone you love and take them with you.
Break your own rules.
Let the world inspire you.
Cry.
Be thankful.
Never apologize for being so ambitious.
Always take the time to help others.
Smile.
It never returns bad results.
Be a good listener.
And always, always be there for a friend.
When the time comes to spend some time on your own, do it.
You will never learn to truly appreciate what you have unless you can learn to live without it.
Don't be selfish.
Don't be afraid to try everything at least once.
Do not worry if people like you or not.
Chances are, they don't. But why should this matter to you?
Understand that people will often try to use you.
Help them anyways.
It is always a good idea to let people think they are right.
Once you master this, you will be able to have everything you ever wanted.
If you have the opportunity to fall in love again, take it.
Even if you think you know how it will end. Passionate emotions are the best thing you have and you will ultimately be happy that you felt anything at all. Because emotions can be few and far between.
Do not be afraid.
Love is the only thing in the world that matters at all.
Nothing else.
Let people love you.
I know this is a terrifying. But do it. You won't be sorry. And even when it hurts, know that it was still a connection. Be happy about that. Don't let your fear prevent you from making that same mistake over and over.
Know that you may never know what you want to be 'when you grow up.'
Be ok with this fact.
Your life will be just a brief moment strung together by a series of choices.
Do exactly what you want. Move to that big city and chase your dreams. Failure is not only just an opinion - it is an illusion. The only true failure is to have robbed yourself of any experience that has the potential to propel you further along your journey in to becoming exactly who you are meant to be.
You are beautiful, intelligent, and most of all passionately curious. You have all the skills you need to succeed at anything you choose to do. We all are. And we all do. We just need someone to believe in us enough to remind us from time to time. Believe in yourself and believe in others. You are strong.
There is so much I'd like to share with you here, and so much more left yet to discover, but I will leave you with this. Now get some rest, because you have a long life ahead of you. I look forward to seeing you in the future! Be good to us, but more importantly, be good to the world. Because people won't remember what you said or did, they will only remember how you made them feel.
Remember to hug your dad every chance you get,
-Remy
Now I dare you to take some time and write your own letter to yourself. I think you will be surprised what you discover.