Dear self,

First off, let me start by saying that it's okay to feel like you aren't doing as well as you are supposed to. So if you need to take a second
to breathe, to cry, to put your head down, stare out a window or go for a walk. Do that, without distractions. Thank God for everything that
you are fortuned with, take a look at all the beautiful things around you, and be stress free for just a moment.
Figure out what you can change, and what you cannot. Most importantly, accept what you cannot change. Become at peace with it, even
if just for a brief moment. Say a prayer for your restless heart to be comforted knowing that God is with you in all things. Don't forget to
thank Him again. Endless gratitude will take you far.
When you decide that you are ready to face the things that you can change, do it with 100% commitment. That doesn't mean 100%
perfection. It's important to know the difference. Start by making a plan. Write it down in a planner, memorize it, put it on a Post-It on the
mirror, do whatever makes it the easiest for you. Think through your plan logically, take into consideration your strengths and weaknesses.
Remember to do the hard things first once in a while, the relief is sweet in the end. Make a checklist, use an App, tell your best friend about
it so they can keep you accountable too. You are ready. You are young. You are smart. You are beautiful.
If you ever feel that you are at your lowest point, just remember the only place that you can go is up. Find reassurance in the weakness.
The best is yet to come.
Don't take pity on yourself. Instead, work harder to make your situation better.
Be happy. There are so many things to be thankful for.
Ask when you need help. No one can read your mind.
Time won't stop for you. Worrying and stressing is simply a waste of time.
Nothing will change your situation more than changing your attitude. Perspective is everything. Be thankful for your struggles, because
there is a lesson to be a learned in the end of it.
Be strong and know that you are in God's hands. Everything will work out. It may not be today or tomorrow, but eventually the pieces will
fall into place and you will understand why the battle was worth it.
You can conquer anything you put your mind to. So breathe, take a minute, reevaluate, and grow.
Love,
Me
Dear Ange,
Looking back over the years, I have realized how far you have grown. You have been through some really rocky times in your life, yet
somehow you managed to keep the faith. There were days when you hit rock bottom and didnt think that you could face the day, but you
kept on no matter how hard things were or how bad things were going.
You have always been good at being a positive person even when things were falling apart. Although I think you hid far too much and
kept your problems to yourself. You guarded yourself from others and pretended like everything was ok when it wasnt. You were afraid of
opening up and being vulnerable to others. You were scared of what they might think.
But now, I see a woman who has blossomed into what she was meant to be. You finally decided to open up and show your true self to the
world. For so long, you kept your true self hidden because you didnt like what you saw or you thought that who you were was not valuable
or unique.
Why did you think this?
Was it because you could never let go of mean things that were said to you?
Why did you ever let someone take away your self-love?
I guess you didnt know any better.
Over the years, you struggled so much and all you did was blame yourself, which made things worse.
I wish that you could have seen that your internal struggle was a SIGN that your true self was being suffocated because you wouldnt let
who you were really shine to the world.
You tried to be everything everyone wanted you to be and you didnt give much thought as to what YOU wanted to be. All you cared about
what how a certain career might make others proud of you, but you didnt truly think long and hard about what your passions were or what
you wanted out of life.
Today, I am so very proud of you.
In the past year you have grown more than you ever have and you have never been happier. You no longer have unbearable anxiety or
depressive thoughts like you used to.
Why?
Because you listened to your heart! Finally, after all these years!
Starting Oh She Glows was the best thing you have ever done, and you know it. What started as something that you thought wouldnt last
soon became a huge source of pleasure in your life. You felt alive again and it gave you a glimmer of hope that you could do something
that you enjoyed! You found your inner MOJO!!!!
The hardest decision you have ever made was walking away from your job. I remember all those nights that you cried with your head
buried in Erics strong shoulder asking him for answers.
But you knew that no one could give you the answers.
You finally realized that this is your life and the only one who is going to be able to make you happy is YOU.
Not Eric, not your boss, not your friends, or your family.
YOU.
You did some major soul-searching and were wrought with anxiety every night. You couldnt sleep and you knew why.
You knew the answer of what you should do but you were absolutely terrified to do it.
Your heart was telling you what you had to do to be happy, but your mind was trying to talk you out of it because it wasnt what society
saw as right. No one leaves a good paying job to follow their passions! What would people think? What would Eric think? What would I
think?
It just wasnt status quo.

And you followed the status quo your entire life, always a good little girl, and doing what was expected of you. You got good grades, held
a job from the age of 14, didnt get into too much trouble, went to university, got the scholarships, etc.
But you finally realized that none of that would ever make you happy if it wasnt who you really were!
You finally realized that you were going to let the real you out and you didnt give a damn what anyone thought about it.

And the most bittersweet part of all was that you found out that you really liked yourself.

All these years you were afraid to show the world who you were
and all along you were a GOOD PERSON.
Why did you hide for so long?

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You have a good heart.
You are sweet and kind.
You are silly, goofy, funny.
You have a smile that can warm a strangers heart in the street.
You are shy.
You hated this about yourself for so long. But now you embrace your shyness. Dont fight who you are to be something youre not.
Youre athletic and while girlly, youve always been somewhat of a tom boy.
I leave you with some words of advice:
1) Dont live your life for what you think will please others. Remember what happened when you did that? You got no where. Follow your
heart. You can never go wrong.
2) Your weight will always go up in the winter and down in the summer. Get over it. Not even Sketchies weight stays the same from vet
appointment to vet appointment!
3) Dont be scared of a difference of opinion or challenging remarks. Dont see it as an attack, but as another way of looking at the world.
4) Keep in mind that you will never please everyone and while it is in your personality to damn well try to do so, it is a false illusion. Use
your energy elsewhere!
5) You used to call yourself a perfectionist with pride, but now you realize that it is healthier to be somewhere in the middle. Being a
perfectionist made you bat shit crazy and you know it.
6) Continue to set short and long term goals. Those rock. You truly come alive when you have goals in life so I suggest that you always
have some on your radar. They make life fun, adventurous, and satisfying.
7) Keep giving to charity. In fact, do it more. Donate your time. Help others in need. Remember how alive you feel when you are helping
people on OSG or raising money for charity. Nothing makes you feel better than helping others.
8.) Try not to hold others to the impossible standards that you held for yourself for so long. You have a tendency to expect only perfection
from loved ones in your life and this is a tragic, tragic mistake. Learn to appreciate people for how they are NOW, not what they should be.
9) Love, laugh, play, and cry without holding back. Dont feel like you have to hide tearsever. Tears are not shameful and the fact that
you are a sensitive and emotional person is not something to hide like you did for all those years.
10) Embrace moments of each and every day. The most simple moments are often the most remarkable.
11) Friends may come and go, but family will always be there for you. Never lose sight of this. Nurture your relationships with your family.
Most of all, be true to yourself and you will never go wrong
An Open Letter To My Future Self
by Shannon KaiserJanuary 20, 2014 5:01 AM
Writing a letter to your future self is an intimate act of self-love. It's a hopeful exercise that can help save you from deeper despair. It is a
declaration and a knowledge that every single second we have a new chance to start fresh.
If you're feeling frustrated, uneasy or stressed about life, the future self-exercise could help.
Here's one that I wrote that pulled me back into the moment and helped me choose love over fear.
Dear Future Me,
I see you smiling, sitting so peacefully; you are simply in awe. You're looking at me, the younger, and more naive, more determined, more
self-righteous self; you have nothing but love and gratitude for me. You watch me cry on my living room floor, completely bored and
unmotivated by life. You see that I am outraged at how stuck I feel. You watch me consumed by more depression tied to how large my
body has become; you see me struggle daily. You see the pain I carry around in my heart.
You see my struggle, you see me have momentary outbursts and cry in fits of rage; and you see that I make it through. You see that I'm
OK. My pain, my struggles, my issues are not what define me. You see that I make it through this rough patch, and you know that I come
out stronger, smarter and more self-aware than ever before.
I see you smile with gratitude for all of the lessons I am in the middle of. The gut wrenching, painful moments of extreme self-hate, followed
by harsh judgments and flurries of condescending words; you are proud to have them be a part of your past. You made it through and hold
nothing but positive loving thoughts for yourself.
Future Me, your energy and love is infectious. You have a knowing way about you that is wise, patient and graceful. You see that everything
is always in right order and that what I am going through right now is part of my bigger plan. It's as if you know that all of this turbulence
and stress was divinely put into my life to help me become the person I need to be; the person that you ARE.
Future self, I know that you're so proud of me for learning these lessons, for rolling up my sleeves and doing the work on myself that's
required; for getting into the trenches of my own life to prepare me for my next chapter. You're oozing with awareness and you see that I
am getting it. Day by day, I am trying, and I am learning.
I choose to work toward you, and by taking responsibility for my life. You smile because you see that I get it, that the choices I make today
affect you and your daily life in the future. You see that I am showing up and doing the best I can. You see that what may feel like not
enough, even a failure, for me is more than enough in your eyes. You are proud and honored to have been me.
Future self, I see that somewhere between you and me, we have figured it out. I am so thankful that you take care of yourself every single
day. I am so honored to become you. Future self, the most powerful thing you are showing me is what is possible with our life. I cant wait
to meet you.
You are not defined by your problems, or any situation that you find yourself in. You ride the waves of life with such ease; it makes me
want to catch up to you faster. I see that together we figure it out. I know that my life is a moment-by-moment web of intricate experiences
and reactions that help me shape you. I am working to make myself better for you, for us.
I am showing up for all of my assignments. I am choosing to be happy. And I am choosing to love openly and honestly. Future self, I am
going to take big risks because I know that you know that I, that WE, need me to. I am not going to settle EVER AGAIN.
I am going to leap into the unknown and completely follow my heart. I am going to become the person you know I can be. Future self, you
are my guide and you show me what is possible for our life. You show me that no matter what life throws at us, we are stronger, smarter,
healthier and more beautiful than ever, not because we rise above it, though we do, but because we have the courage to keep going.
Our experiences make us who we are. I choose to let my dreams and my successes define me; I release my problems and the attachments
that keep me identifying with them. I am no longer weighed down by self-loathing thoughts. I choose to be happy.
Future self, you rock, and I am so unbelievably proud I get to become you.
Love forever,
Your younger, not-so-together, sad and overweight, yet doing the best she can, and hopeful self
Shannon
A Letter to My Future Self
With the knowledge and sentiment of our present-day selves, we put forth advice for the years to come.
By Wanderlust

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We often think of advice as passing on wisdom from elder to youth, teacher to student, parent to child. The veteran guides the novice, the
process didactic in nature.
But what if the coin flips, and we, as our present-day selves, offer advice to an older, more worn version of ourselves? Think of it as an
exercise in self-love, a means of preserving and protecting whats important today well into the future.
We asked members of the Wanderlust Media family to pen letters to their future selves. Heres what they had to say.

Dear Future Self,

Whatever youre doing right now, stop. Go outside. Call your parents (if youre lucky enough that theyre both still here). Take a moment
and go have yourself a proper personal day. And dontdont you darefeel guilty for taking the time for yourself.
This year has been a crazy one. You learned what love really means, the lengths to which friendship can be tested (and lost), and became
a yoga teacher. Youve lived in New York for 14 years, and youre ready to go to the mountains. Did you? Do you have a garden and goats
and a fireplace? Youve started thinking about having children, though youre not sure whether or not children or heading out on another
epic backpacking trip is the way to go. Know that whatever decision you made, it was the right one. Youre here now, and youre exactly
where you need to be.
A couple things to remember: You learned how to honor and treat your body well this year, and how to honor and treat those around you.
Dont ever settle for the easy wayjust dont settle, period. Life is too short. And remember that this current version of yourself loves you
And thats not going to change.

Dear Future Self,

Remember your wedding day (of course you do!)? It is exactly ten days from today. Ten days before you marry the love of your life, a man
who not only puts up with your quirks (like your neurotic, gluten-free, obsessively healthy diet), but has taught you how to laugh at them
and love them, removing insecurity. You had a lot on your plate this year, and despite a few major meltdowns and wedding dress
nightmares, you survived. Youre going home to see your family, and 150 of your closest friends; this is pretty much the most fun ever and
I hope you look back on this time with love.
Tell your children you love them, a lot, Im sure they are incredible humans and deserve to hear it. Also, let them eat a cookie once in a
while. Hang out with your mom as much as possible, words cannot describe what she has done for you over the years.
You probably work really hard, so this is an order: take a vacation with your husband, this month. Book it today, but dont think too much
about it, wherever you go will be perfect, as everything is right now, and always.
I love you.

Dear Future Self,

Take a breath. Look down at your two feet. Where are they right now? Look around you. Do you see nature? Go touch the leaves. Pick a
flower and deeply inhale its beautiful fragrance. Do you hear birds? Stop and take a moment to go listen to their music, because not
everyone is so fortunate enough to be able to hear and enjoy that experience. Do you feel the sunshine on your skin? If not, go step outside
and be grateful for the fact that it is constantly shining down on you, and that you are alive. Go take a bite of something delicious and savor
every moment with absolutely no concern around any kind of weight gain. Not everyone is so privileged to have access to food, so
superficial aesthetics should be the least of your worries regardless of the deep societal impositions. How have you been of service to
others today?
You spent your whole childhood yearning to be an adult, impatiently waiting for the rite of passage that would grant you the maturity,
respect, and validation you so desperately sought. Now that youre an adult, all you crave is the sweetly uninhibited moments of play and
lack of responsibility that childhood granted you. Life isnt a sprint, its a long race and youre not in it just to win. Be gentle with yourself.
Be messy sometimes. Let it all go. Embrace all of your learnings and cherish your experiences because they truly are divinely fated.
ENJOY IT. ALL OF IT. You will have enough time to do everything that you love, so stop stressing so much. You miss the beauty when
you are stressed. Be here now. Hug those around you. Ask them how they are doing, and truly listen (without plotting your response at the
same time). The inexplicable sensation of true connection and understanding is the best feeling in the entire world. Money is just a number.
It comes and it goes. Love is the true currency.
No one lives forever so be sure to cherish every moment, and when they pass and when you pass, find comfort in knowing that we are
simply souls within these bodies, and we will all be connected at some point again. Life is a gift, not something that is a given, so enjoy
every second while youre here.

Hey, Future Self,

Whats up! Life has been interesting, crazy, fun, boring, unexpected, expecteda lesson in opposition.
Despite all the constant frustration, youve managed to wear glitter every damn day, and hey, thats kinda a victory, right? Your clothes are
on pointa ton of of shiny stuff, colors, and general epic yoga outfits fit in your closet.
Youve got the most epic dog, sweet friends, and an above average family (well, lets not include your extended family).
You get to spend time outside in one of the most beautiful places on earth and youre in the best shape of your life thus far, so thats great.
As you continue to age, youll continue to get more awesome. Remember, the goal is to peak at 90 (or later). Youve got a lot of time.
Despite the frustration, youre on your way to making all your dreams come true (probably).
Now go on an epic vacation and buy a new outfit with your sweet bank account that you hopefully acquired by now. Youve earned it.
Keep killing it.

Dear Future Self,

Everything that has happened has lead you to this moment. Dont change a thing. Everything worked out exactly as it should be. All the
puzzle pieces fit, all the paths make sense. All the people were meant to be. All the successes and failures and heartwarming and
heartbreaking moments were all worth it. No regrets. You were and are and have been and always will be yourself, and thats what matters
above all.

Dear Future Self,

Im assuming youre reading this on some sort of graphene screen strapped around your wrist or glued to your face. Cool! Fancy! High-
tech!
Right now your life is one giant crossroads. Its exciting. Its frustrating. Its temporary. I hope you have a few more things figured out by
now. But I also hope you still have some questions. Keep asking them.
Im sure youve got a lot going on right now, and thats good. Just dont lose track of whats important, whats worth making time for. Spend
time with people you love. Thats first and foremost, always. Pick up the phone. Make some plans. Get outside, even when the couch is
calling. Camp in the woods. Build a fire. Have some wine. Stay up late. Climb a mountain. Go for a sail. Trust that things will work out, or
change them if you dont like the charted course. Eat good food cooked from scratch. See live music. Travel abroad with someone you

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care about. Immerse yourself in a good book. Do you have kids? Raise them right. Spend time with them. Teach them how to shake
someones hand properly. Write down your thoughts. Tell your stories. Tell others stories. Listen. Set goals, both lofty and reasonable.
Move your body. Give back.
And never forget to be grateful. You should be oh, so very grateful.
Keep going.

Dear Future Self,

Hey girl, slow down for a secondI have some things I want to share.
Some stuff is going to happen to you. You wont be able to plan for it, pencil it in your schedule for when is good for you, or always have
someone pick up the phone to guide you through it. Youre going to have to just roll with the flow, take it in, glean lessons from it, and then
carry on, head held high. Maybe journal on itsometimes insights dont come quick, but theres something positive to be found from most
experiences in life. Focus on that.
Youre going to have a lot of mantras throughout your life that are going to help you. No, just because one strikes you when youre practicing
a hip-opener doesnt mean you should get a tattoo of it on your forearm. Youd be covered by now. Not that theres anything wrong with
that, but mantraslike peoplewill come and go in your life. And as much as youd like to you cant hold on to them all. You best realize
this now and just try and enjoy what you have in the present moment. Just because it passes doesnt mean it wasnt powerful or important.
And youre not silly for believing in it. Please never stop holding on to hope. It will cause you pain, but it will also help you get through the
days, excite you, and make you feel like your heart is a big thing of cotton candy. Are you still eating cotton candy? Good. Go high-five
that inner child we sometimes think is so silly. She reminds you of your mother. Go buy yourself one of those Spongebob Squarepants
popsicles you get so excited about and give her a call. She misses you too. Your to-do list can wait.
You got this.
Dear me,
Im sorry for being so critical. I know how much potential I hold and I fear that if I do not push myself I will fall short. Im sorry for the
headaches I have caused because nothing I do is good enough for me. I could always do better. Im sorry for stressing out over things that
now have no meaning and for being cruel, so so cruel to myself over how I look. I am strong, independent, and beautiful. I have so much
to offer to anyone who enters my life. I have a kind heart and a genuine smile that someone, someday, will fall in love with. I will be
successful and accomplish anything that I put my mind to because failure is not something that I am familiar with. I will stop being so hard
on myself but rather pick myself up and brush myself off when it seems as though the world has turned against me. I will learn to love
myself, every scar and imperfection, because if I love myself then I do not need anyone else to love me. I will not lose sight of how important
I really am nor will I discourage myself when I make mistakes. I will learn to use those mistakes as stepping stones to something great. I
will put myself first, because there is no one more important to me than myself. I will make sure that above all things I am happy and if I
ever find that I am not I will do whatever I can to find happiness again. However, I will not rely on temporary or material things. I promise
to be the friend to others that I would want for myself and I will not get upset with others if they do not have the same heart as I do. Most
importantly I promise to treat myself as kindly as I would treat someone else. I will learn to accept compliments from others and think as
highly of myself as some say that they do. From this day forward I will love myself unconditionally. I will not allow myself to long for the
things that I do not have, but rather appreciate the things that I do. I will remind myself daily how blessed I am and thank God for the life
he has given me. I will thank my parents for getting me to where I am and tell me friends how much I appreciate them. I will not take
anything for granted or forget where I came from. I will accomplish great things. It wont happen over night or even in the n ext few years.
In fact, the journey will be ugly and it most certainly will not be easy. However, one day, I will look back and be proud of myself for what I
have done. I will be successful. I do not know, yet, where I will end up but I do know that it is going to be great. It will be worth it. Yes, it
will be so worth it. Above all things I will remember this:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will set your paths
straight Proverbs 3:5-6
I will not give up on myself, there is too much greatness ahead of me.
Love always,
Yourself.
Dear Robbin,
You are about to embark on a really amazing journey. It will take many, many twist and turns over the coming years
You will learn so much from everyone you meet. You will laugh, you will cry. But you will be surrounded by the most brilliant, supportive
people on the planet.
It will stun you at times.
Cherish these people. All of them. Try and understand their lives and passions and hopes and dreams.
You will be given the honor of leading an amazing group of smart people along with two partners who truly are the ying to your yang.
Appreciate that. Know that together you will build no ordinary company. You will become a part of something much bigger. A new way of
thinking that shakes and rattles the industry and draws amazing clients and talent toward you.
Embrace it. Never, ever be afraid. Smile and live in the moment.
People you love will come and go during that time. You will be frustrated with that. But know that everyone ends up right where theyre
supposed to be.
Mike, your business soul mate of sorts will embark on a new adventure with his amazing wife Karen. So never take the limited time you
have to learn from this crazy shiny talented man for granted.
You will help take the learnings from the work Brains on Fire does and turn it into a book; a book that touches the hearts and souls of
people all over the world. It will be hard, but it will be worth it.
Most of all, trust that theres alway more adventure and happiness around every single corner. Trust that your wildest dreams can and will
come true.
You will work hard but have a lot of fun, as you grow and learn with others. Brains on Fire will make meaningful change in the world.
Love, Robbin
Dear 21-year-old Tami,
Hope you are well.
This is me writing to you; I am now 44, and you are 21. There are so many things I would like to say to you. But I dont want to lecture you
because I know how much you hate that, but you know me, Ill say what I have to say. I am actually a lot more vocal than I used to be, and
believe me, its so much better. There is no use in keeping things in your heart and sulking over them. The best thing to do is to say it.
Yes, fear will stop you from doing many things the fear of confrontation, hurting the other persons feeling or even just the fear of not
knowing. Remember, Tami: Fear is your biggest enemy. Kick fears butt and let it leave your life. I know youre thinking (because I know
how you think) that its not that easy. What Im saying to you is just be free; if youre not doing anything wrong, be fearless. When fear
starts crawling into your heart, tell yourself that no matter what the struggle you will overcome it, the best way you can.

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Believe in yourself. You can achieve anything that you set your mind to. That Masters degree that you didnt get because of getting married
at a young age well you will get it at 43. You will make everyone around you proud. And in the process you will teach your children to
become life-long learners.
When you become a mother, love will mix with fear and your life will become so much more fulfilling and complicated. Every minute of
every day you will fear for you childrens safety, you will want them to be happy, above all.
Dont fear motherhood or any relationship for that matter. People will come and go in your life, and they will make your life beautiful as they
pass by in this journey called life. Your children will always love you and appreciate you even with your flaws. Your siblings will be your
best friends, and you will meet so many more meaningful people.
Be who you are. Be proud of the crazy, clumsy, fun, sarcastic writer that you are. Love yourself; appreciate who you were mad e to be.
There is no one quite as crazy as you. Enjoy your flaws instead of blaming them, become one with every cell in your body. It is this body
that will thank you 20 years from now, because you ate healthy and took care of it. (I would cut down on the French fries too,)
Dont try to be superwoman because that is just plain, simple dumb. You dont need to try to be her; you were born superwoman. You
will eventually have superpowers, where you have eyes at the back of your head, where you can cook while talking on the phone and
help your child with his homework and you can take three kids to Disneyland when two are still in diapers.
Never allow guilt pull you down. You can only do your own best! As long as you have put 100 percent in everything you do (or even 70
percent), you will be fine.
Be proud of who you are today, and you will only get better as the years go by! There are many things I would still like to change about
myself, but Im getting there and so will you.
Hugs & Prayers, 44-year-old Tami
Dear Me,
You and I go way back, to the beginning. Were one hundred percent connected in a way no one willor could everunderstand. Weve
been there, standing together. Sometimes crying in the shower, sometimes snorting through our nose, but its always been you and me.
Always and forever
Or so it was supposed to be, but some time ago I left you
I left you floundering on your own, to rely on love and encouragement and strength from othersfrom strangerswhen it was I who should
have held you up. When it was I who should have hugged you and praised you and appreciated you for the wondrous person you arefor
all the beauty and life you bring to this world.
I seldom tell you how much I love you. How much I admire you. How beautiful and caring and intelligent and strong you are. That
you are my hero.
I should have told you to ignore the jeers and snickers. To not care what others think. To not be afraid to be different. To not be ashamed
of who you are. Worst of all, I should have ignored the jeers and snickers. I shouldnt have cared what people thought. Because in doing
so, I said horrible things to shame you. I took you for granted and dishonored you. I said youre not enough. That if youd only be a better
teacher, a better wife, a better friend, a better writer, a better loverthen Id love you. If you were more confident, more social, more
assertive, then Id respect you. If you had less sun spots, if you ate less carbs, if you were more adventurous and thick-skinned, if you
were a mother, if you achieved your goals, then Id want you. Ive said things to you I wouldnt say to my worst enemy and youve taken it,
and internalized every calloused word.
And for that Ive lost you.
I should have been there for you.
I should have taken care of you.
I should have fought harder to be the person you deserve.
I should have protected, defended, and cherished you.
Im so incredibly sorry I failed you. Im sorry for hurting you, for leaving you, for not reminding you every second of every day how wonderful
you are. How worthy you are. How brave and kind and powerful you are. Please forgive me.
YOU are significant.
YOU are worthy.
YOU are beautiful.
YOU are smart.
YOU are strong.
YOU are enough.
I know you are going through hard times right now. That life hasnt given you what you hoped and hasnt turned out the way you thought it
would. I know you are disappointed and sometimes feel like a failure or that it is all your fault. But the truth is: YOU are not a failure nor
could you ever be. YOU are strong and brave and honest and YOU will overcome. YOU will persevere and come out on the other side
more YOU than youve ever been before.
You do not need anyone elses approval, love, or friendship to be whole.
Together WE are enough. WE will conquer this new future. Ive got you and this time Im not letting go. Ever. This time, I will put you first.
I will respect you and honor you and cherish you.
Love for eternity,
Me
A Letter to Myself by Elena Sonnino | Jan 4, 2016 | Everyday Wellness, Inspiration | 21 comments
When was the last time you wrote a letter to yourself?
As a teenager and young adult, I think did this relatively often. It was a way to process and reflect, even if these letters were more journal
entries than true letters. It had been a long time since Id take the opportunity to think of what I might say to a future version of my self. Ive
written journal entries before trips about my hopes and dreams for the journey but never a message specifically meant to be re-read, by
me at some point in the future. But last spring, I was invited to do just that. To write a letter to myself.
The letter has sat on my desk, tucked into my journal for all these months. It has moved from one pile to the other when Ive tidied up, but
has always been there for just the right time. Today felt like that time. To open it. To read it.
As I read the message that I wrote carefully trying to keep my handwriting legible (something that I struggle with) I realized it was the
perfect way to recognize the passing of one year and beginning of another. And that this simple act of writing a letter to myself and
reading it when the moment seemed right was like gifting myself with a bonus dose of everyday wellness. It almost felt like a love letter
to myselfwhich sounds strange and fabulous all at the same time.
I am heading out on a new adventure at the end of this week to try to learn to do something that Ive dreamt of doing but suspect will be
challenging in more ways than one. I look forward to not just remembering the message of this note to myself but also to writing myself
a new letter at the end of the adventure. To commemorate the experience. To raise my awareness and acknowledge all that was and is.
The more I think about it, I realize that this is a lovely way to start or end any new travel adventure (or life moment). More than a journal
entry the act of thinking of a message to convey to yourself is like creating a time capsule of exactly how you are feeling in that singular
moment.
5
 But for now, I offer you my letter to myself. In the hope that maybe it inspires you to write yourself a message.
Dear Elena,
This is your time. To believe. To trust. To laugh. To be proud. To love. To be well. To feel.
Remember that your path is one of strength flowing through your veins, from your head to your toes. Your strength shows in your movement,
your breath, your actions and your words. Use this strength everyday. Nurture it. Be kind to it. Love it. Trust that you can lean on it when
you need to and believe in it as the foundation for what makes you you.
The path will not always be easy. Or linear. There will be tears. Fear. Disappointment and maybe even heartache. You will need others
along the way even if you think you can go it alone. Say Yes. Say Thank you. Do not rush through these feelings. Acknowlegdge
them. Learn from them. Appreciate that your journey is meant to be curvy.
You are a mom. A wife. A daughter. A sister. An aunt. A niece. A survivor. A writer. A teacher. A coach. A strategist. A runner. A hiker. A
yogini. None of these individually have the power to define you, but each are a part of you. Treat each role with the respect it deserves but
without preference or bias.
Listen to your heart beat. Remember the feeling and be kind to yourself. For every sharp turn in the path, there is a reason. Listen. Do no
judge. Breathe. Feel. Allow yourself to just be. Honor your inner strength even when you feel weak.
Follow your dreams because will guide you. Follow your heart because it will protect you. Follow your breath because it knows the way.
Love, Me
what To Write About
Give advice. Use the second person to make it more personal and direct.
What are your professional goals? Your romantic ones? Intellectual? Financial? Spiritual? Personal? The more specific you are, the more
likely you are to see improvements.
What causes you the most anxiety about your future? What keeps you up at night?
What have you done wrong? What is your biggest regret?
What are you excited for? What does your ideal life look like?
What was your favorite book this year? How did it affect you?
Who are the 5 most important people in your life, and why?
This is just a starting point. The important part is to just be sincere and thoughtful. Write your letter, send it off, and then forget all about it
so that it can surprise you later. Your future self will thank you.
Until then, go live your life! It is only what you make it.