Dear Future Me

Dear Future Me,

How are you feeling today? What has been on your mind? What have you been dreaming of? Are you happy? Are you sad? Are you proud of how far you've come? Do you wish you could change who you are now?

Best,

2019 Me

If we all had the courage to ask ourselves these questions now, instead of in the future, where do you think we would be as individuals? To ponder our lives today like we do when we look at who we were in the past and who we want to be in the future just may give us the opportunity to be happier.

For example, today, Future Me, you would be proud of what I have accomplished so far. I made a new dish featuring one of my favorite foods, heirloom tomatoes, and I didn't even follow a recipe. I also took the time to sit down and physically write what I was thankful for in the moment, as I have not done that in a while. Both of these tasks set me up for a day full of mindfulness, and you would be thanking me right now if you could.

When we forget to think about who we are in the moment, we lose sight of what could be. For example, when stress becomes the biggest factor in your life, it consumes you and your thoughts, and it takes a post like this to reel you back into reality.

I have been dreaming of talking to "Future Me" for ages. I want to ask her about who she has become, who her friends are, what her favorite food is, and why she is reading this article. Why is she seeking guidance?

While we don't always want to admit when we need help, it can take a simple conversation with a friend or mentor to open your heart and eyes again. We often forget to think about how we are feeling.

We can become so closed off when we think we are "not on the right path" or "are behind in milestones of life," but take it from someone who has gone off the beaten path to do something she loves, even if it meant "falling behind on the career cycle." I do not believe that one person should compare themselves to another, as we all have different backgrounds and clusters of knowledge that work together to create a special, one of a kind, human being. We may not know our calling right away, but when we find it, there is no denying how happy it can make you feel.

Seeking guidance is not a sign of weakness, but one of strength. Has anyone ever asked you to write a letter to your future self? I know in elementary school, we were asked to collectively put items into a time capsule for 25 years from then, and it was so fun to write to future me. If you need a writing prompt, this is one of the best ones to do, in my opinion.

What have you endured that made you the way you are today? What would you change? Why? What would you do differently? How?

We live and we learn. I hear this saying quite often, and it has never hit me quite as hard as it does today. I'm only 24, but I appreciate what my past has given me in terms of knowledge, life experience, and hardships. It has been hard to accept this thing called life at times, but it has shaped who I am. I also have been able to learn from these past situations, and although it can be difficult to recognize it in the moment, these are the moments in life that make me say, "ahhhh I get it now."

We want to be able to say, oh I would change this, and this, and this, but if there came a time where you could actually change what happened, would you follow through with it? Personally, I probably wouldn't. Why change what has happened to you when you have grown from the experience?

I often think about how people comment, "it hasn't happened to you, so you can't have an opinion." I may not be able to have an opinion, but I have the right to be empathetic. Our future selves would be happy we were empathetic today, I think. Now, Future Me, I do not know how society has come together or diverged since 2019, but I do want you to know that everything will be okay.

I can't wait to find out who you are, Future Me. You inspire me every day to be the most well-rounded person I can be. I hope that when you're reading this that you're in a good place. A place of happiness that is filled with time well spent with friends and family, a love of what you do, and an ambition to live life in the fullest.