Dear Younger Me, Embrace Your Mistakes
Dear Younger Me,
Your mom and dad tell you all the time that hindsight is 20/20. You won’t figure out what that means until you’re practically an adult and have made a lot more mistakes than are currently under your belt.
And that’s okay.
You’re in the midst of making mistakes that I see with 20/20 hindsight.
Don’t be afraid of those mistakes.
You’re smart, but that’s not an excuse to stop leaning into your education.
Educate yourself.
The wave of “smarts” doesn’t last very long.
You’ve got to work for it.
At it.
With it.
And you’ve got to embrace them. You’re not failing, younger me! You’re learning! You’re growing. You’re figuring out how life works and, more importantly, what works for you.
What doesn’t work for you.
I’ll admit, it’s easy to beat yourself up for stupid mistakes.
They’re stupid in hindsight.
They’re stupid in the moment.
But you made — and make — those mistakes without knowing any better.
I’ll apologize if that sounds like a cop out.
(It kinda is.)
But it’s also true, regardless of how dumb it sounds.
It’s okay to not know everything.
You never will.
(I don’t, and I’m Future You.)
Wherever you are right now in my past, whatever mistakes you’re making, whatever people are in your life right now…just remember, younger me, that I didn’t get to where I am without you existing exactly how you are.
Please don’t wish for things to be different.
I’ve been there, done that.
I can’t change the past, just like you can’t change where I end up.
Me, on the other hand…I have the power to direct Future Me.
Younger Me, what would you tell your future self if you could? To not make excuses? To make friends, be happy, have fun, and relax?
To not worry too much about the future, because it’ll all work itself out?
’Cause that all sounds like stuff I’d tell Future Me.
Take care and keep writing,
Future You
