This week I decided to write an open letter to my future self. I decided to do this not only so I could look back on this article, but for other people to read as well. The advice I give to my future self can be heard by anyone. If you think that younger people's opinion doesn't matter as much because they don't have as much life experience or knowledge I encourage you to read the rest of this article. Who knows, maybe you can even learn something from a teenage girl?
Dear, Older Hailey,
I'm not sure where you are or what you're doing. I don't know if you'll be reading this while still in school, or maybe even afterwards. Maybe you don't even remember writing this in the years past. I know I should say I hope you're happy, but I'm more inclined to say I hope you're successful. I'm pretty sure that says something about where my heart is set. I'm not sure if this mindset is good or bad, I'm just hoping is that it gets me places.
Wherever the place you are in now, I do hope your happy, but, I hope it's the type of happy that's based on success. If you need some advice from younger you, just remember that not all times are good. You're not always happy, and if you were you wouldn't be human. Respect the grind and respect failure.
The road of life is not a straight line leading to a fork in the road where one path leads to success and one leads to failure. Instead, it's more like a rumbled mess, with dead ends and failures, but eventually, I hope it leads you to success.
I'm not sure if you're still involved with sports, but if you are, I hope you're having fun and not treating it like a job. I'm only saying this because this is what I fear may happen if I do end up in collegiate athletics. So, if you are in a sport, appreciate the grind and how good you feel being healthy.
Appreciate the team around you and do your best to see the fun in sports, don't lose that light. If you're not participating in sports I really hope you're still active. If you ever end up away from fitness, I encourage you to come back. High school you knows that when you're active you're in a better place mentally (and physically). So remember those fun times and if you get bored with a fitness routine, try something new!
I hope you're still continuously learning, and I never hope that you get to the point in your life when you think you know everything. Because the truth is, you never do. I hope you continue to be interested by endless topics in life, whether this be for school or just for fun. Never lose the love of learning, knowledge is power (even if that sounds extremely cheesy).
Lastly, as I'm writing this, I'm starting to become worried that you will see me as ignorant or stupid for even trying to write this article at all. So I hope you get away from self criticism whether that be criticism of your past self for something that can't be changed, or criticism in the present time.
Along with worrying about judgement, I hope you start to worry less about what others think of you. As I'm writing this, I believe I'm pretty good at not caring, but in reality I know that my teenage nature makes me worry about what others think.
Really, I just hope you start worrying less in general, you can't change the past and the future is never as bad as it seems. So ride the wave of life, roll with the punches and continue on this journey.
Love,
Younger Hailey