Dear Past Me,
Thank you so much for your many years of hard work and commitment. Looking back, I can't believe you were able to endure nearly a decade at a job you hated. I am proud of you for doing well at your job, even though you didn't feel the work mattered. Your dedication and self-sacrifice allowed me to enjoy the life I am living today. Your focus on maximizing income, waiting for your pension funds to vest, paying off the condo, and saving for an early retirement -- these practical decisions set me up for future financial success.
The years of excess must have been incredibly exhilarating, and I'm in awe that you were able to take a step back to question whether you were truly living your best life. I'm so very grateful that, even in those years of excess, you still prioritized building wealth and only spent what you knew for certain was disposable income. It must have been hard to give up your career and the nice things associated with it, especially since so many in society look at how much money you make and how many extravagant things you own as markers of success. I am happy you purchased all those things and had all those experiences, as this allowed me to know definitively that I don't need any of that to be whole.
I deeply empathize with the pain you suffered throughout the years, as you lived a life that wasn't authentically you. I understand why you felt like you were living a double life, and it makes me terribly sad to know that you felt trapped in a place with no sense of belonging. I don't judge you for acting out, as you searched for ways to keep yourself happy. So you could maintain a steady income. So I could live more comfortably. So I could have everything I thought I wanted. I understand why you did this, and I am so grateful to you. You don't have to feel shame and regret for this any more.
Thank you for setting aside your interest in psychology and philosophy to pursue a business degree. Business school provided the structure you needed to hone your life skills -- learning how to prioritize to meet deadlines, becoming proficient in Microsoft Excel, and learning how to navigate your finances. It also enabled you to land a good job in the financial services industry, where you had a successful career for 18 years. I would not be who I am today if you had not attended business school. You were able to integrate these practical skills with your creative skills to become a more well-rounded person, and I now have so many different interests that provide me with a real zest for life.
As a shy and introverted individual, I was amazed when you started a blog and YouTube channel. Creative self-expression has always been important to you and you've always wanted to share yourself with others. Thank you for being vulnerable and putting yourself out there. This allowed for so much valuable self-reflection and encourages me to continually search for my authentic voice. I love that you didn't sweep your past self under the rug, even though you felt embarrassed of yourself at times. It's truly inspiring to see how much you've changed over the years. Your past goals and adventures made me who I am today.
Thank you for marrying someone who loves and supports me just as I am. I am so happy with who you chose as a life partner, and so thankful that he chose you too. I want you to know that all the heartache was worth it. We laugh so much that my belly aches just thinking about it. Your decisions to be content with a tiny condo and to have pets instead of children contributed so much to the freedom, flexibility, and happiness I feel today. I know it was difficult at times to stray from what other people expected of you, and I'm sure that there were people who didn't understand your life decisions. I'm thankful you had the strength and fortitude to follow your inner compass.
Over the years, I know there have been times when you have questioned your decisions. I want to assure you that you made the right decisions for us. I am now exactly where I was meant to be.
With love from,
Present Me.
***
Inspiration: I've wrote a few letters to my future self. What would it look like to write a letter to my past self? This was inspired by Michelle Phan's latest upload entitled, Watching My Old Videos. She reacted with a healthy and positive attitude towards her younger self, and this inspired me to look at my past self with a fresh lens -- one that is compassionate and grateful.
Thank you so much for your many years of hard work and commitment. Looking back, I can't believe you were able to endure nearly a decade at a job you hated. I am proud of you for doing well at your job, even though you didn't feel the work mattered. Your dedication and self-sacrifice allowed me to enjoy the life I am living today. Your focus on maximizing income, waiting for your pension funds to vest, paying off the condo, and saving for an early retirement -- these practical decisions set me up for future financial success.
The years of excess must have been incredibly exhilarating, and I'm in awe that you were able to take a step back to question whether you were truly living your best life. I'm so very grateful that, even in those years of excess, you still prioritized building wealth and only spent what you knew for certain was disposable income. It must have been hard to give up your career and the nice things associated with it, especially since so many in society look at how much money you make and how many extravagant things you own as markers of success. I am happy you purchased all those things and had all those experiences, as this allowed me to know definitively that I don't need any of that to be whole.
I deeply empathize with the pain you suffered throughout the years, as you lived a life that wasn't authentically you. I understand why you felt like you were living a double life, and it makes me terribly sad to know that you felt trapped in a place with no sense of belonging. I don't judge you for acting out, as you searched for ways to keep yourself happy. So you could maintain a steady income. So I could live more comfortably. So I could have everything I thought I wanted. I understand why you did this, and I am so grateful to you. You don't have to feel shame and regret for this any more.
Thank you for setting aside your interest in psychology and philosophy to pursue a business degree. Business school provided the structure you needed to hone your life skills -- learning how to prioritize to meet deadlines, becoming proficient in Microsoft Excel, and learning how to navigate your finances. It also enabled you to land a good job in the financial services industry, where you had a successful career for 18 years. I would not be who I am today if you had not attended business school. You were able to integrate these practical skills with your creative skills to become a more well-rounded person, and I now have so many different interests that provide me with a real zest for life.
As a shy and introverted individual, I was amazed when you started a blog and YouTube channel. Creative self-expression has always been important to you and you've always wanted to share yourself with others. Thank you for being vulnerable and putting yourself out there. This allowed for so much valuable self-reflection and encourages me to continually search for my authentic voice. I love that you didn't sweep your past self under the rug, even though you felt embarrassed of yourself at times. It's truly inspiring to see how much you've changed over the years. Your past goals and adventures made me who I am today.
Thank you for marrying someone who loves and supports me just as I am. I am so happy with who you chose as a life partner, and so thankful that he chose you too. I want you to know that all the heartache was worth it. We laugh so much that my belly aches just thinking about it. Your decisions to be content with a tiny condo and to have pets instead of children contributed so much to the freedom, flexibility, and happiness I feel today. I know it was difficult at times to stray from what other people expected of you, and I'm sure that there were people who didn't understand your life decisions. I'm thankful you had the strength and fortitude to follow your inner compass.
Over the years, I know there have been times when you have questioned your decisions. I want to assure you that you made the right decisions for us. I am now exactly where I was meant to be.
With love from,
Present Me.
***
Inspiration: I've wrote a few letters to my future self. What would it look like to write a letter to my past self? This was inspired by Michelle Phan's latest upload entitled, Watching My Old Videos. She reacted with a healthy and positive attitude towards her younger self, and this inspired me to look at my past self with a fresh lens -- one that is compassionate and grateful.