"you worry too much, live a little, everything works itself out in the end" to my last year self who was 21, suffering the crippling weight of finding his purpose
@Alvinmichael223 If I may, I'd like to share a bit of knowledge I gained after spending my early 20s in this same quest as yours: you find purpose by taking action and there's no such thing as a single purpose in life because guess what? People change. We change. So do our purposes. Relax, try to do more of what you enjoy and take action towards the things that move you, that inspire you and the purposes will come. Trust me, even though I'm a stranger who doesn't even live in the same country as you (I'm Brazilian). Currently, I'm 30 years old, and I think it is beautiful to finally breathe and release myself from this pressure that capitalism puts on us and make us think that our lives are only worth living if we have a major purpose. The hell with this, our lives are worth living just because we're humans and that's enough. I hope you find many beautiful purposes to move you through this life. ❤
I am 46. What I would tell my 30 year old self: “Take ownership of who you are and where you want to be. Stay the path and anticipate bumps in the road. Water your healthy relationships abundantly. Be the person you want to be in the future, NOW. Practice the things you want to do in the future, NOW. “ Thank you for this video. It was beautiful.
"Chained by cultures that crowned incompetent sons over any deserving daughters." The whewwwwwwwwwwww!!! I just whewed. As a first gen African whose also a first daughter... this spoke to my soulllll. Thank you for this. I love you for this. Gonna revisit every time I need a reminder.
This is so prevalent in society, im reading a female author book "Im still here - black dignity in a world made for whiteness". Im a black male in 30s still struggling how to live amongst other people. Im volunteering in these spaces and thinking well of myself not realizing how much im unwanted here. It boggles the mind, weakens the heart, and hurts everyone i try to confide in. Where do we go from here.
I started thinking about how to begin this letter and immediately wondered, "How do I earn her trust?". Wow. Now I know the version of myself I'm writing to.
So powerful. I’ve been battling with trusting myself! I distrust so I quit easily or start things and don’t finish. I finally asked myself why do you trust you enough to see it through 😢
I would write to my 26 year old self. I'd tell her, it's not going to turn out the way you hoped and dreamed. It will break your heart, but it won't break you. You are powerful beyond what you can comprehend. Share that boldly.
I am the eldest daughter (50), taking care of a mother with dementia and neices and nephews. This is the time for me to be there for my family. I would write to my eighteen-year-old self and tell her to release fear and live her dreams while she's unencumbered by responsibilities. It would've made giving so much to others easier if I'd filled my cup and sustained my family with the overflow. At this point, I'm torn between the people who need me and what I need for myself, and the balance, if there is one, is not so easy to figure out.
I know you didn't ask, so I'm not trying to impose advice, however I wanted to say this: I'm only 19, but my grandmother lived with us with dementia. Try not to forget who she was. It is really easy when you are faced every day with someone who is losing everything you loved about them little by little (or a lot by a lot), but it does get better. I'm praying for you and wishing you the best. I'm very sorry you are going through this. I see you and it is really hard. I hope that you have help and support through this and if you don't, that you can find some soon. With lots of love and peace on you and your family, Charlotte. :)
@@YesCharlotteHodges Thank you. It is good to be seen. Her care is mostly on me. I live for the good days and yet I wish for a break. I'm glad I can be here for her but it is not easy. The contradiction of loving every minute she's herself and wanting to escape my life is always there. Thank you for your prayers. Anyone who has dealt with this disease knows how vicious it is. I can't imagine how you handled it at such a young age. Blessings.
Calm yourself. Don’t take opinions of others to heart. But most importantly learn to calm down. Don’t overextend yourself and compromise your peace. Thats what I needed the most.
I would write a letter to my 32 year old self (10 years ago). "Don't chase perfection because perfect doesn't exist and not everything that glitters is gold. Instead invest that extra time and energy into yourself. Things are the happiest in your life than they will be for years and looking for the next best thing while still working for someone else is pointless and will get you nowhere different or happier."
@@ntaolenglebitsa5829 Everyone is different, the older I get, the more l wonder what retirement will look like when that time comes and I'm finding in my life that trying to chase money and climb the corporate ladder has only made me more stressed with less time to build my own business. I left great jobs for more money only to find toxic work environments. Everyone has rough periods at any job but if you find happiness and can survive on your income; in my experience, it's better to build yourself and find ways to make more money on the side through or invest in building your skills to grow where you are. It's true that you can make more money somewhere else but there is no guarantee that happiness is on the other side. If I could rewind time, I would have stayed put and found ways to supplement my income instead of taking risky chances because now I have no retirement, cost of living has increased so the extra money gains is now irrelevant and I feel less fulfilled and uncertain about my future. If I could go back, I'd stay in happiness and invest my time in more education or building income streams on the side.
How do I apologise for rejecting myself first? I would say everything you seek is already within, waiting for you to realise that the noise outside of yourself is a distraction. It’s always and will always be you vs you, enjoy the journey, celebrate the small wins and reframe the way you perceive things to be or how others say they should go. You are the foundation of your own standard.
Dear 22 y/o Astor, You are always making progress towards a better future. It is going to feel like you are not moving forward with your goals and you are gonna find yourself in situations that you promised yourself you would never be in again, but that does not mean nothing has changed. You are not the same scared little kid anymore, waiting for somebody else to give you purpose. Trust in yourself and continue the charge towards your goals because even when you are making small amounts of progress, in the end it is still progress.
Thanks for writing this. Although I was not mean for me it's still resonate with me. Im currently 22 y/o and in the same situation you are describing in this letter so Im glad I could read this now. Good luck on your current journey and may God guide your steps. 🙏
mainstream stuff about selfimprovement are so overrated.The best investment you can make is in yourself. Books are the ultimate learning tool. Unveiling Your Hidden Potential by Bruce Thornwood helped me build discipline and separate my mindset from 90% of other people
Jesus the actual Christ! Where is the offering box Nneka? What realm were you in when you wrote this? Didn’t realise we munching on thought-provoking truth & deep revelations so early on🙌🏾And this is just chapter 1 of 100? 😳👏🏽💐❤️
Writing to 21 year old me. They matter, but not really. People pleasing will only create a world where everything else matters, but you. Your creativity, your thoughts, your feelings, & perception, none of it belongs to you until you outgrow the need to please. Spend time with yourself. Get to know yourself. Take care of yourself… then everything else will start to take care of you.
I love how my alogrithm found this page and I'm truly grateful it did! I would write this to my 29 year old self before I turned 30. "What happens if you don't give up?" I will be using Uncomfortable Enlargement daily, thank you!
This hits "Comfortable, Diminishment or Uncomfortable, Enlargement". When you find the words to explain your current state the fog clears. Thank you Sis!
I would love to write a letter to 19 year old me. The one without all the knowledge about health conditions, the one who believes they just need to try even harder, the one who cannot imagine why life seems to go easier for others. I would tell them that they are doing absolutely fine, but they really need to take it easy because burnout is a bitch and we are sprinting towards it. I would tell them to trust their heart and gut; that they won't regret doing anything they truly believe in; that sometimes things are hard and that is how it goes. I would show them a polaroid picture from four years in the future and tell them to document their present moment.
I'm 19 and I loved reading this. :) I dream to live and yet I find that I live to not regret my life. "they won't regret doing anything they truly believe in;" was really comforting. Thanks.
Stop being scared, you got this, just believe in yourself and all your abilities, endeavours and know that you can do it if you put your mind to it, you are way more powerful than you think, you are super resourceful and not as limited as you think you are! Just DO IT!
"Just do the damn thing you wanted to do. You don't have to survive everyday anymore, you can actually start to live now. So what is the first thing you want to do while being alive?" To my 23 year old self who dropped out of university and finally got the help that she needed
I would write a letter to my 15 year old self (15 years ago) who as lost: "Don't hide your greatness in your fears, don't forget to breathe, to inhale the good things and exhale the bad. Don't let any pain take away your joy to bring something beautiful to the world, to the people who really care about you and, specially, to YOURSELF. Don't let the word DON'T be the majority of your decisions and dreams. Run to your goals, run faster than you ever ran and always believe in yourself! That means everything.
Love from Nigeria. I'm a pharmacist who only dreams of tech and programming. Changing careers now seems like it'll throw my family into chaos because they'd never understand why anyone would want to switch careers. Thing is, pharmacy's not my cup of tea at all and I feel like I die a bit everyday I go to work (unlike the fulfilment I feel working on coding projects). I want to take this step of faith but I'm scared of the domino I'll be tipping. Thing is, I don't want to look back 3 years from today and realize I was too chicken to take a step. As for the version of myself that'll listen, I'll think, either the me just getting into school or the me who lies shivering on his bed this morning wondering why the only thing I'm happy for after 6 years in school is the 'people i met along the way' (and also the relationship i got with God).
I LOVE this series!! Don't stop! I think I would have asked myself - throughout this whole year honestly - why I don't think I deserve success, why I don't think I can have it, and then how to bridge that gap. I would have told her to sleep. I would have told me (currently) to sleep, too. That I am capable of filling my days with the joy I seek. That it's already there. That I have full control over all of my reactions and that I need to take ownership of them in all situations and aspects of my life. What kind of friends do you want to have? And what kind of a friend do you want to be? And most importantly/finally: Why ARE you already capable of success and why DO you deserve it? How are you ALREADY a SUCCESS?
as a middle child and oldest daughter... i needed this. its like you put what i've been experiencing these past couple years into the perfect words. un-conditioning and giving myself permission. beautifully done 🤍
thank you for watching, Tiana 🤎 I'm convinced us eldest daughters / middle children need a support group, a yearly all expense paid retreat, somethin. if we don't give ourselves permission no one will. one day at a time, my dear.
@@nnekajas a middle child only daughter i feel this and 100% agree. And as a creative and facilitator myself i also say let’s make these retreats happen !!
I would tell 18 year old me, just returning back from a 2 month trip to Nigeria, taking care of her toddler sibling as the eldest daughter for most of the trip, that the call she’ll receive from her mum telling her her A-level results weren’t what she needed to go to her first choice university - was just a sign to lean in and let go. I would tell her not to place all her worth into what she could prove to others. I would tell her that she is beautiful and over-compensating for what she felt she didn’t have would lead to her body sending strong warnings to stop and tap in. I’d tell her it would all work out, and I’m proud of her for accepting and surrendering to what was and going with the flow almost 6 years ago, me now cannot thank her enough.
33-34 year old self (Newly 37). Life is going to hurt over the next three years. From the loss of your bonus dad and the old you that no longer resonates. You will have to walk away from friends and come to terms with those who were never your friends. You will cry a lot and it will get lonely. You will also do the work on yourself to understand how and why you got to those places--therapy and self-help books. Applying the practice will be scary but liberating because you will discover the person who has been afraid to show up all this time. You will become more intentional with your time, make new friends, and become more focused and determined towards your goals. One day you'll wake up and realize you are living in your dreams and know you're on the right path because it will disappear. Just remember to keep going. Keep being consistent. Keep showing up. Start over if you must. Just keep going my love.
I was not prepared for this video, as I look out of the window of my job that I have been at for 4 years. I took a new job and they dont even know it yet. At times it feels like betrayal, but they have no loyalty to us. I am often living life to please my spouse and my children. I have not even thought about myself as I love them more than I love myself. Yet, daily tears drop because of me putting myself last. I took a 50K pay cut to this new job as the pay does not matter to me but the experience and the travel that I will gain. My life dream is so close within hands reach and I can no longer put it on the back burner. I want my tears to be tears of happiness no longer the tears of my sacrifice. I needed to see and hear and truly take in this video. Your words are so powerful I have watched and listened to this video over 30x. God brought me hear and I needed it so. Chills. I will start writing today. Thank you so much for this.
Lost 28 year old me would hear "Keep standing up every time your knocked down. Because in the midst of that journey are some true blessings on the way. be kind. be resilient. and be loving, always." this was very refreshing....Happy i came across this!
I would write to 19 y/o Gy, You’re not going to die this year. You’ll survive and you’ll live. I know it has been overwhelming and dark but these times will be your greatest lessons. You will always value the little things, never taking them for granted like being able to enjoy a meal or standing from your bed . I want you to remember that staying silent about your fears won’t make them go away. You’ll learn to speak up and share your mind, you’ll allow yourself to love and be loved. You’ll grow , oh so beautifully! You’ll become your own light and dance in the rains of your life. I promise I’ll never give up on us. And yes your art matters. Your stories matters. You matter. I love you. 29 y/o Gy❤
Oh woman... You gave me goosebumps and made me want to cry with that. Those words are nearly identical to what I tell myself nowadays and it's beautiful to see them reflected like this, into such a beautiful piece of art, made by a beautiful, intelligent, talented woman, inspiring me to do the very same. The letter I would write to my younger self, to me when I was 25, five years ago is this: "Hello darling, First things first, time travel is possible ; your consciousness can travel back and forth and you can probably feel this, hear this and therefore act on it at some point, when the time is right. You are trying so hard to fit into a box, a label, a life that was never meant to encapsulate all that you are. That is alright you are doing this - no one showed you there was another way - but it will only bring you more pain and your light, your shine will never glow brighter and stronger if you don't start listening to your own self. To your heart, to your dreams. Remember who you wanted to be when you were a child, remember the feeling of blissful solitude in nature, of the power in your voice when you sing, of the vibrant self you can feel yourself becoming when you let yourself exist and when you scream your anger to the ocean. No one can tell you who you need to be, who you ought to be, you already are and you have so much more light and power than you know. You don't ever need to beg for friendship, for love, for care, for family, for worth because it is already within you and once you open your broken heart to magic again, you will start to see that I am right. The next few years are going to be very hard, but they will show you who you truly are and they will free you of shackles you weren't consciously aware you were still wearing... So tight, you bled. I love you, even in your darkest moments you are still a bright, beautiful, passionate woman that I am proud to call "me". Be brave, be bold, be courageous, it will be painful but you will come to know what unconditional love means and how existence is so much more than what your mind has been conditioned to think it is. Good luck, it is coming.... Your time is coming." Thank you for this project you are doing, I look forward to the next video and feeling these goosebumps again ❤
Your video popped up on my feed at work and home (2 different accounts). I knew I wanted/needed to be distraction-free when I watched... My letter to myself (abridged): Listen to your instincts more. Do what you want and do not wait on those that say, "Don't worry about that. We can do that later." This is key to your freedom. Your moment is yours. Timing is relevant to your needs and desires. You will resent all the opportunities that slipped by because you were trying to be nice. More chances will present themselves. But you'll never get back the ones you missed. Live your life for you; the most important person in your universe. Love, the one who loves you most.
Nneka, Please Never Stop Creating. I'm also afraid but watching your creations gives me little bursts of energy. I'm so freaking scared I would be trapped in mediocrity and undervaluation. Yet, I feel trapped in my incompetence and excusing everything for perfection 😢
You got this Betty! one day, one step at a time. i think the only real way to stay trapped in mediocrity and undervaluation is to never try. it's in the trying, the DOING, that we break the loop 🤎make it so small you can't fail. and do it again, and again!
Thank you for this, Julia. I'm a writer. I decided to write the letter to post on my IG. But by the end, it was just too personal and I found myself in a pool of tears. I wrote to all the versions of myself. I realized I was a child and I didn't deserve the abuse, the betrayal. I felt love and compassion for these children versions of myself. I began the letter with: I would write to my two year old self, that child with dreadlocked hair. I ended the letter with: I would write to them, preparing them for this year. I would tell them "Lord help me."
Dear Nicole( @17) We're turning 21 real soon. And this isn't the life you hoped to live with the freedom you prayed for.(Yes, We're free at last) The family's okay, there's lots of peace. Mostly externally though. Internally, there's a mess I've made. We were doing so well and then all of a sudden we weren't. And I'm struggling to give myself permission to get back up again, get moving. So this year, I need you to focus. When you get to the start of this year, this point in time, I need you to look strictly ahead. Ahead of the race. Not beside you to whomever's running as well, not behind you. Don't even wait for the whistle- just go! And keep going. I need you to hold on to the memories of why We're running in the first place, who We're doing it for. I need you to keep writing. Write. Write. And write some more. I need you to keep the Faith going, don't loose it no matter what. And I need you to keep the Dream alive. Please. It's essential. While you live in this year, love. Love as much as you can. And laugh even more. Do more things that make you laugh. I'll be here if you need any help but I'll let you forge most of this path. You are beautiful, you are brave. You are strong and you will accomplish everything you put your mind to. I love you. God loves you. _Nicole @20
'Every day you'll have to go to war with your conditioning' This video and this one alone gave me the push i didn't know I needed to shoot the remaining portion of a video idea I have been sitting on for months! First video of yours I've watched and instantly hit the subscribe button!
27 now and have been pondering what the road to 30 looks like. What things will I want to have accomplished? What is the letter I’d want to write to myself today? What a year it’s already been. Took a mental health leave and then a leap of faith by leaving the job of other people’s dreams to live a real dream. One that feels more like me. And God did sooo much this year that I don’t have words…just feelings of awe and anticipation for what’s ahead and what’s next. This was a refreshing video and the first one of yours I’ve seen. Love it! Keep it up!
Somehow, these often feel like therapy Nneka, of course there is no replacement but this brings me comfort. I would write to my 20 year old self(9 years ago), preparing to leave college and go to the real world. I would tell her that, you will not have it figured out this year. This year will test you, try you and challenge you, the anxiety will feel crippling for awhile and you will wonder if there is a point to any of it. In the end you will be the one to carry yourself forward, the lessons that you have learnt till this year will keep you stable, your community will ground you, and growth will humble you so what you will have to learn to practice is leaning into the uncertainty and finding it both daunting and exciting.
This would be for many stages of myself: Don't settle for anything. Focus on myself more than putting that energy into others. I am worthy of all those dreams I have in my head if I just stay focused on them.
Your art is incredible, so inspiring. I would write to the version of me that always ends up building something great… for someone else. Because it’s easier for me to see someone else’s vision. I’d tell her that clarity doesn’t come with thinking, it comes with action.
I would write a letter to myself last year and tell her, “you can breathe, you will be free again. He isn’t what you think he is and you are suffocating. But I am bringing in the oxygen. God is with you always.” And I will tell myself today that again, God is with me always. To be patient, to be strong. I am learning not to ask for the things or events any longer, my desire nature will take care of all that in co-creation. But to ask for the strength to find trust and love and commitment. Because those are the things I need to move forward. Thank you for this question. I needed it
My 12 year old self, first encountering depression, loss of my family. The one who was desperate and angry at EVERYTHING. she deserves this letter that I’m going to write.
I clicked on this so fast☺WOW! Just WOW! This is is so timely! Writing to my 15 year old self, the beautiful dreamer, I would say...... Thank you for not giving up. I love you! God loves you! It's finally time for you to quit quitting and go for it! Finish what you started! Stop hiding and put yourself out there. It doesn't matter how many others are doing what you like to do, nobody does it like you. Nobody is you. The world needs you! Also, it matters not how many likes you get, how many following you have or whether or not you go viral, do this for you! Even if you only positively touch one life, you have made an impact. Don't focus on who doesn't like you, the only thing that matters is that YOU LOVE YOUR SELF. Don't let the opinions of anyone else, not even your family and loved ones, stop you from making your dreams reality. You are so creative. It's time to use your gifts. Do it for you!! Do it by yourself! You've had it in you all along. Forget fear! Fear isn't real! Be bold! Dream big, it's free! Your imagination is just a preview to your life's coming attractions. Life loves you, love it back! Live out loud! Don't get distracted by what anyone else is doing, you keep doing what you love and focus on your own path. Tap into your inner power and shake the world! PS. Just be yourself. The world will adjust.💞 Love always, Nat🌻
15 year old suicidal me would love to hear from 29 year old me and let her know that everything was gonna be okay, everything was going to work out, and that she could beat depression or at least learn how to cope with it and manage it and also let her know that her life wasn't always gonna to be this way (miserable) that she would eventually escape her abuser and be free from oppression and finally truly enjoy life, be truly happy, unapologetically herself, and find her passion in life, and follow her dreams she used to be scared to even have.
I would say Dear me, You worry too much, think too much, doubt yourself too much, expect the most from people too much, put people above yourself too much but at the same time see the best and believe in people even when you know they should leave so from now on out you’ll live the kind of life I call “letting go”. If you put in the effort and whatever and whoever it it doesn’t want to stay then you’re allowed to let the person or whatever it is go without seeing yourself in a bad light because at the end of the day your future self will be proud of work you put in even though it hurt and your past self that has been screaming its never too late to start over will be even more proud that you took the tough route yours sincerely, your past self to your present self and your future self ✨
I’m 39 years old and would write a letter to my 21 year old self. Life is not what you thought it would be, but believe in yourself and stay dedicated. Focus on the things you can control and everything else will work itself out. I randomly stumbled on this video after having a rough morning and it just made me feel like crying! This season of life that I am experiencing right now is difficult. Trying to find my place in this world, while making sure I’m present for my wife and daughter, and learning to count my blessings in the process.
"Just be you and do you. Those who appreciate you will be there, those that don't, don't matter. It's ok to let go. Letting go is not giving up." To myself in every moment. A constant reminder to keep being authentic.
I would probably write to 8 year old me. I was afraid to express myself. FFWD to 31.. people love when I express myself. I’ve made mistakes throughout the years my heart has been broken and I’ve been disappointed but I’m grateful for those upsets. I’ll tell 8 year old me to hold fast on to his dreams. Write everything down. When you say your prayers at night, Trust God is Real and he hears you. You have nothing to Fear and you can always bounce back and recover. This has kinda been my Life testimony so far. Now I wouldn’t trade my mistakes for nothing in the world. I’m glad God preserved me thru it all. May God bless everyone here and let no man stop you from honoring your dreams -w/out permission.
I immediately picture a 16 year old version of me and I know what she needs to hear is "Have your chin up, believe in the evidence of your greatness because the universe will reflect greatness back. Hold tight to your true north, this is your guide to how you should act. Don't apologize for your existence."
Your father has passed and the pain is almost unbearable . You are thinking all the thoughts of how no one will ever understand you or love you the way he did . Months will be spent in bed , lost and broken trying to pick up the pieces and find your true identity . No longer will you be called his "little one" . Your whole existence died with him . Who are you ? is a question you will ask yourself through the years to come . You cant see it now but life goes on , & you will find passion and purpose . Have an open mind and be inspired daily . Your father is with you and remember " YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO"
You are a natural at this and it's awesome to see it. I think a LOT of people, myself included, need to hear and listen to this... yeah, I'm gonna start writing again. I have the idea down, I just need to put it to paper. Considering this year I've found that I've hit on a barrier of having a lot of trouble overcoming this... inertia of life, for lack of a better term, that I've found myself in? I think the letter I would be writing to myself of a decade ago would be to tell him 'Do your best to learn to act on your own, because if you don't now, it's going to be extremely difficult later on.'
I would tell my 14 y/o self (8 years ago) to stop dwelling on the past. Focus on the present and control what you’re able to control. I would also tell her that she’s beautiful & worthy. All of the trials and tribulations are going preparing you for your future self. Whether or not you understands why something happened or not. Keep striving for greatness babygirl because you are almost there !
Age 42, been a shadow artist for most of that time..content writer wishing she was an author, a novelist, a screenwriter, anything but writing to pay the bills and for the needs of others. Afraid 100 percent of the time of everything, everyone but a high functioning caretaker all the same.. Currently at the end of decades long coping mechanisms, self combusting at the seams..since we're only free to do anything after we've lost everything, I'm going to make this my year of change, transition, to a truer version of myself. Thank you for making this video.. as I was watching you talking to yourself I felt an affinity with the part of you who gave herself up to please others. I felt compassion for us both❤ and I felt seen.
I would definitely tell the old Danielle that yes, her dreams are possible, even though she thinks everything goes wrong, and what she gets is only disappointment and frustration. That even after so much time, she will still feel lost in life, and deep down, everyone feels that way. That what she creates is indeed art. That she is not a background character, but the main character of her life. Thank you, Nnekaj, for taking me back to my past and helping me realize how much I've grown over all these years. Keep creating girl!!
this is so beautiful, Danielle 🤎"she is not a background character, but the main character of her life." whew! I feel this so deep. thank you for being here.
I listened for the 2nd time and wrote to my 39 year old self who 2 years ago boldly chose uncomfortable enlargment over comfortable diminishment. And she's still choosing enlargement. I wrote her a letter and told her: I TRUST YOU. YOU ARE WORTHY. YOU ARE ENOUGH. Thanks Nneka. Have you read Maya Angelou's Continue? Your video letter reminded me of that and her. I look forward to letter #2. Thank you for your art and allowing us to read your heart❤😊
I have a feeling that my current self is the one I’ll be writing to in the future. I’m 18, going into college, and I’m scared I’ll be too much of a mess (organizationally) to make something of myself. I fear I won’t be driven enough, that I’ll ruin opportunities that I get. I’m scared I’ll ruin my life and be too lazy to fix it. Now that I’ve laid my heart out, a message to my 16 year old self: your family will come around. Don’t be afraid to be out at school. You’re doing great, I’m proud of you.
I’m only 20 so I haven’t even lived much yet. There’s not much knowledge I can provide for a younger version of myself, she did all she could with the cards she was dealt and I’m still incredibly grateful for god’s grace during that time. I would just say “Follow God’s light and learn all you can. Not everything is meant to be understood, but you have an infinite source of intelligence through the library and internet. Dedicate yourself as a student, as someone who seeks to know and learn.” I’m sure future me will have a lot more wisdom than that but it’s what i’ve got 😅
I just assumed that this would go to me at the beginning of this year, before it started. And something I realized, long ago, was that if I ever could go back in time and talk to myself, it would never be worthwhile to give myself answers. Because answers to a question you don't have are worse than useless. So, to me at the beginning of this year, I'd just say "I love you, and I'm proud of you. I'm doing so well because of you. I know the hard bits are hard and scary, but I'm doing well. Because of you. You will become me. And I am proud of me. I am, against all odds, happy. You get to be happy."
This is without a doubt the most beautiful thing I have watched in a while. Actually, this is really inspiring and even though I most definitely should be sleeping right now I honestly feel enough motivation to move the sun and finally convince myself to take the starting leap of fate to do what I think I love. You have incredible talent in film and editing, I can't believe this is only the first video in this series. I know that the start of anything meaningful is difficult and scary, so I just hope you know how truly wonderful this looks from the outside. I will make sure to stick around, this is beautiful.
I would write a letter to my 16 year old self to just be her. Don’t let the words of others drain you, keep you at 2am thinking and wondering what she needs to change about herself. To live and enjoy every moment ❤
To my 20 year old self, Trust and vulnerability takes time, you should have faith in the actions you take and truly trust yourself with the oucome that happen, life isn't about the results and how fast you get there. I know your excited to do everything, to try anything and you should be, just temper yourself with paitience and push through the haze of decicion and trust openly what you have and the real freinds around you. Push yourself to be the person you want to be, and put yourself first, your will be all you have in the end.
I have followed your work since passing through..My God..you have a way with words. This letter mimics my story and I’m so glad i found you on CZcams. Thank you for sharing your art with us.
ahhh! wow. this means so much 💛 1. thank you for listening to passing through 2. never ceases to amaze me how our stories can run parallel. thank you for being here, my dear!
I would write a letter to myself from 30 year old self as well, having just relocated (again) after losing nearly every physical possession. Most of all that I would tell that version of myself is to trust and count on yourself more. And the future is literally in your hands. Thanks for the video Peace
I desperately want to find some part of me that will listen and hold space for my pain instead of always pushing past it towards productivity and perfection. I have such high standards for myself and they scare me, and sometimes I crumble before the idea of going forward because I don’t have my own back. I won’t be gentle with myself when I feel like I can’t do it. I have so much judgement and hatred for my instability from mental illness and physical body pain from my ptsd. I’m desperate for a love I haven’t even given myself. I’m always asking people I know who love me if they really do. But I wonder if I do? Love myself without expectation and judgement and hatred. Can I? Heal myself and start again as many times as needed. To hold my hand and lead myself forward when all I think of is taking steps back and running away. A change is gone come. I don’t know when, but all of me is hoping I can will it out of myself now. But something is trapped on top of my chest that makes me unforgiving of only myself. I feel so big and so small all at the same time. I believe I can, but the past tells me I’m no bigger today than I was then. J a comment turned journal entry lol. Loved your video!!!! Gonna rewatch it in hopes it’ll heal me at least subconsciously somehow.
“You once wrote a quote that said ‘I live in that solitude that is painful in youth but delicious in the years of maturity’ welcome to maturity.” Also side bar when I watched this video, in the middle of it I thought “The revolution is here” My heart appreciates grately this work of art, thank you.
I can’t begin to explain what I have put myself through this past year, what I’ve chosen to endure and in the process broken my spirit and my trust. Your video has awakened something within me and reminded me of the of choosing myself. I am immensely grateful for the peace you have given me and the ripples you have created within my soul. Thank you.
you are a breathe of fresh air...I would write a letter to my 18 year old self (currently 27). "You are a sponge. So in this season you are in you are fragile -bodied. You can't let anyone handle you because everyone doesn't have the necessary capacity to. The more you pour into yourself, the more you can become more optimal for those around you. Also, the posture in how you pour is important. A moment doesn't have to determine your entire life."
My 26th birthday is coming up in two weeks and I can find all the great things that I’ve learned this year that I could pass on to my younger self, but then again I’m sitting here balling my eyes out still feeling empty on the inside. All I can tell my younger self and congratulate him for is through all the anxiety of trying to put your 100% in your musical journey, your day job and your family, you still showed up to your craft, your work and your relationships. To my future self, you’re getting shit done and fighting through the fear of judgement from others, staying strong and day by day you’re one step closer to fully embracing who you are and watering your self-love. Don’t give up on yourself and on the people who love you.
I would write a letter to the version of me who is about to turn 31. I had just had my first child. I would tell myself that it’s okay to be selfish and to work on my physical and mental health. That sometimes things happen and that you don’t need to internalize that hurt and let it destroy you.
If I had to write a letter to my younger self, I would tell her to be kinder to herself. Fear is measured only by what you don’t do. To not think that “strong” is the way to be all the time, that sometimes “safe” is ok, too! In the pursuit of it all, sometimes it’s ok to just “be.” Let it flow. ❤
I would write a letter to 17 year old me. Full of so much potential and crushed by the expectations of others. Your opinion matters and whatever decision you make trust it’s the best one for you. Because even if everything doesn’t go according to plan it’s better to live rather than be stagnant with regrets. Protect your peace, you’re a light. Don’t let the wrong ones in. Your discernment is better than you think. You know what you gotta do. God is with you.
Dear younger me, a 32-year old me from the end of 2023 who was hoping for a better year... this year will be hard. It will try you every step of the way and there won't be much breathing room. Don't live in Fear. Instead, embrace the joy you can find along the way in the people who matter, and all the small things, and it will make your life good. Not easy, but good all the same.
To 18yr old me, life looks bleak right now and there’s so much uncertainty but take the leap and go to uni anyway…it will be hard (a little useless job wise) but you’ll love your course, experience both amazing and terrible things about life and yourself but it will prove your resilience and stretch your creativity! Don’t worry so much, enjoy life you’ll still get a first! Stay away from mean people, they’re not your friends! Oh and you make it past the age of 21…we’re 24 now life is still uncertain but I believe in you and your choices xx
This year, invest fully in myself using my natural gifts- water my garden and watch it grow. Capture more video of the small moments with my children that make my heart smile. Finally, continue to work hard, but dont forget to squeeze in some fun ❤
22 year old Victor needs to learn that standing out is not the same thing as doing well and that he doesn’t have to actively pursue a uniqueness or a persona that sets him apart. He’s chasing that in lieu of nurturing what makes him himself and is losing his creativity to vanity in the process. I’d tell him it’s ok to embrace and act upon his desire for creative expression without immediately becoming some savant. That small steps matter as much as the large ones. He’s not nearly as sceptical as I am now. That’s good. But he’s also not willing to sculpt the man he wants to be from the man he currently is; that has not changed. I’d tell him to focus on what matters. The beauty of his gifts, the love of family and the sheer luck of where he is. 22 was a step into the forest and he won’t leave for a while. It’d be great if he stopped getting lost looking for an escape he knows will only be found by walking the path ahead and not meandering elsewhere. He’ll be fine, just surprised that things didn’t turn out how he thought. But he’ll be fine.
This is a very inspiring project. Thank you for encouraging us to join you. *Warning: Contains medical trauma...* ... Dear 14-year-old me, The doctors are wrong. There is no such thing as "too young to be sick". You know yourself and your body. And one day you will be proven right. You will have a rocky ride learning to trust yourself again after decades of medical gaslighting. And neglect. That you're going to internalise and believe for a long time. But you knew at 3. And at 7. And at 11. And in this moment that something was wrong. You are right. It's not "normal" to wake up screaming in pain every night. "Growing pains" don't last a lifetime. Even though, wildly, you will grow 2 inches very slowly up until your mid 30's. It doesn't make much difference to reaching high objects off of shelves. But it's a fun fact about your future. In the midst of being put down and told you're not trying hard enough to get better. To succeed in the easy way your peers always seem to. That always takes you so much more effort than them. You will learn that while you're not the only one wearing tubie grips and crepe bandages hidden under every inch of your school uniform. And later, over your clothes when the pain gets too much to bear. It's only the other people who experience similar health issues that have to do this. You are not alone. But you are living through things with an incredible level of strength and grace. Things that would and have felled supposedly greater people than you. You will go through a period of time when your nickname is rip van winkle. You will spend 48-72 hours unconscious for years. You will learn to live with being temporarily paralysed for up to 3 days. And you'll have to live through some terrible times in human history. And wait 4 years for surgery. And you will want to give up and not be here anymore. A lot. But you survive it. You learn to love yourself as you are. You test your limits. You find your boundaries. And you develop a voice. And through it all... You continue to create. Sure, you mess up and have a terrible time at uni doing the wrong degree. And you'll spend your 20's wishing you'd just become an archaeologist instead of an artist. It would have been easier. But you'll find your artform eventually. Through a lot of trial. And even more error. And through it all you create. Beauty. Art. A mess. And it's so hard. But it's a life worth living. There's still a way to go until we get to where we want to be. But we move forward a little further each day. Sometimes we stall and pause. Sometimes get lost. Sometimes double back. But it's all an adventure. And we'll find our home together. Soon. I love you, 35-year-old me Xoxo
você não tem noção de como seus vídeos tem me incentivado e me motivado a voltar a criar. há alguns anos atrás, fui machucado por trabalhar demais no que amo. Hoje, sou constantemente puxado pra trás por esse monstro chamado medo, que me impede de chegar onde realmente quero, de criar o que realmente quero. Minha carta para meu eu, mais novo e tão cheio de vida, falaria sobre aprender a descansar sempre que possível, mas nunca deixar de fazer o que ama. Obrigado pelo sopro de vida, Nneka. Que venham muito mais cartas
te entendo bem demais e apesar de me dizerem que é só ir lá e fazer, é muito mais profundo do que isso. Espero que tu consiga criar o que tu realmente quer
I would write a letter to my 23 year old self (3 years ago). Be patient and stay calm. If it is meant to be it will be. Just keep moving forward and trust in your decisions. If you make the wrong choice it is ok. DO NOT FREAK OUT! Do your best next time and learn from your mistakes. Anima Vestra (Free Your Soul)
My letter would have been...."Never stop" always be you, and nobody's opinion matters. I let me happen and stop doing what I loved only to work for someone else, and I silenced my abilities to have and be what I wanted. 11 years on one job only to leave and work 5 years at another, then 4 years unhappy but complacent, and now 8 years unhappy complacent and attached. I asked the Universe..."What am I doing?" Why am I unhappy? Started Journaling and it happened....I got wrote up at work.....I remembered who I am why I was there and I now I must leave.....I'm returning to my love what makes me happy and how I use to put smiles on others face when I turned them to face the mirror...who am I......A COSMETOLOGIST!!! ❤ THANK YOU, YOUNGER SELF, BUT THE NEW SELF IS WANTING MORE!!! DESERVING.....
I dont think I'm ready to write to my younger self, because before a certain point, I was more confident, making things with reckless abandon, having a great time being an artist and putting myself out there. But if there was one thing I could say, it would be "you're going to get out". And I would send it to myself at a few different points in my life.
I would tell my past self who shaved her head bald and felt rejected that she should treat this year as her year of self-acceptance and forgiveness. That the rejection of others was key to her journey to self-acceptance.
The letter I'd write to myself. "However bad you thought your family situation was, it gets so much worse. Don't wallow in it, don't cave in to doing what's best for the family while destroying yourself. You'll find out who your true friends are this year, and you'll be surprised by who they are. Its still going to be OK. Learn to fall back in love with your husband sooner, as he is one of the very few who truly and wholeheartedly loves you as you are regardless of the depression and drama that your family brings. Learn that being an artist is more than drawing, and that you can do things just for you."
"you worry too much, live a little, everything works itself out in the end" to my last year self who was 21, suffering the crippling weight of finding his purpose
"everything works itself out in the end" so many of us needed to hear this!
@Alvinmichael223 If I may, I'd like to share a bit of knowledge I gained after spending my early 20s in this same quest as yours: you find purpose by taking action and there's no such thing as a single purpose in life because guess what? People change. We change. So do our purposes. Relax, try to do more of what you enjoy and take action towards the things that move you, that inspire you and the purposes will come. Trust me, even though I'm a stranger who doesn't even live in the same country as you (I'm Brazilian). Currently, I'm 30 years old, and I think it is beautiful to finally breathe and release myself from this pressure that capitalism puts on us and make us think that our lives are only worth living if we have a major purpose. The hell with this, our lives are worth living just because we're humans and that's enough. I hope you find many beautiful purposes to move you through this life. ❤
@@samantacarvalho8669I found this useful.
She’s absolutely beautiful ❤
I am 46. What I would tell my 30 year old self:
“Take ownership of who you are and where you want to be.
Stay the path and anticipate bumps in the road. Water your healthy relationships abundantly. Be the person you want to be in the future, NOW. Practice the things you want to do in the future, NOW. “
Thank you for this video. It was beautiful.
"Chained by cultures that crowned incompetent sons over any deserving daughters." The whewwwwwwwwwwww!!! I just whewed. As a first gen African whose also a first daughter... this spoke to my soulllll. Thank you for this. I love you for this. Gonna revisit every time I need a reminder.
this is your reminder frannn
This is so prevalent in society, im reading a female author book "Im still here - black dignity in a world made for whiteness".
Im a black male in 30s still struggling how to live amongst other people. Im volunteering in these spaces and thinking well of myself not realizing how much im unwanted here. It boggles the mind, weakens the heart, and hurts everyone i try to confide in. Where do we go from here.
19 year old me would love to hear from 39 year old me that the experiences make the idea come alive, not the other way around.
whew! couldn’t agree more. thank you for sharing, William 🙏🏽🤎
Oh, how i loved thisss😭😭❤
AMEN!!!
I started thinking about how to begin this letter and immediately wondered, "How do I earn her trust?". Wow. Now I know the version of myself I'm writing to.
Wooo. I got chills reading this. Just WOW.
Real stuff.
I wonder the same thing.
Powerful. This question is so valid and brought so many emotions to the surface for me. I might have to start here too.
I was going to write something but this statement hit it right on the head.
So powerful. I’ve been battling with trusting myself! I distrust so I quit easily or start things and don’t finish. I finally asked myself why do you trust you enough to see it through 😢
I would write to my 26 year old self. I'd tell her, it's not going to turn out the way you hoped and dreamed. It will break your heart, but it won't break you. You are powerful beyond what you can comprehend. Share that boldly.
"You are powerful beyond what you can comprehend." keeping this close! thank you so much for sharing ❤
I am the eldest daughter (50), taking care of a mother with dementia and neices and nephews. This is the time for me to be there for my family. I would write to my eighteen-year-old self and tell her to release fear and live her dreams while she's unencumbered by responsibilities. It would've made giving so much to others easier if I'd filled my cup and sustained my family with the overflow. At this point, I'm torn between the people who need me and what I need for myself, and the balance, if there is one, is not so easy to figure out.
I know you didn't ask, so I'm not trying to impose advice, however I wanted to say this: I'm only 19, but my grandmother lived with us with dementia. Try not to forget who she was. It is really easy when you are faced every day with someone who is losing everything you loved about them little by little (or a lot by a lot), but it does get better. I'm praying for you and wishing you the best. I'm very sorry you are going through this. I see you and it is really hard. I hope that you have help and support through this and if you don't, that you can find some soon. With lots of love and peace on you and your family, Charlotte. :)
@@YesCharlotteHodges Thank you. It is good to be seen. Her care is mostly on me. I live for the good days and yet I wish for a break. I'm glad I can be here for her but it is not easy. The contradiction of loving every minute she's herself and wanting to escape my life is always there. Thank you for your prayers. Anyone who has dealt with this disease knows how vicious it is. I can't imagine how you handled it at such a young age. Blessings.
This is me but 25yrs
I see me in you. We can only take it one day at a time🫂
Calm yourself. Don’t take opinions of others to heart. But most importantly learn to calm down. Don’t overextend yourself and compromise your peace. Thats what I needed the most.
so beautiful 🤎 thank you so much sharing
I would write a letter to my 32 year old self (10 years ago). "Don't chase perfection because perfect doesn't exist and not everything that glitters is gold. Instead invest that extra time and energy into yourself. Things are the happiest in your life than they will be for years and looking for the next best thing while still working for someone else is pointless and will get you nowhere different or happier."
this is incredibly poignant. thank you so much for sharing, my dear 🤎
The last part is it true??
@@ntaolenglebitsa5829 Everyone is different, the older I get, the more l wonder what retirement will look like when that time comes and I'm finding in my life that trying to chase money and climb the corporate ladder has only made me more stressed with less time to build my own business. I left great jobs for more money only to find toxic work environments. Everyone has rough periods at any job but if you find happiness and can survive on your income; in my experience, it's better to build yourself and find ways to make more money on the side through or invest in building your skills to grow where you are. It's true that you can make more money somewhere else but there is no guarantee that happiness is on the other side. If I could rewind time, I would have stayed put and found ways to supplement my income instead of taking risky chances because now I have no retirement, cost of living has increased so the extra money gains is now irrelevant and I feel less fulfilled and uncertain about my future. If I could go back, I'd stay in happiness and invest my time in more education or building income streams on the side.
This is beautiful, but happens if someone chases perfectionism?
WOW😮YOU SAID IT!!❤ THE FIRST THING I READ TODAY IS WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING IN SILENCE. #VIBRATEHIGHER
“It means taking your gifts seriously” 😮💨
You deserve every good thing coming to you. Thank you 🙏🏼
thank you so much, beauty! 💚
I would write, "Focus on you and the focus becomes you."
love this! 🤎
"all that power with no real freedom" ugh.. my body felt that
thank you so so much for watching, Angie! 💛
How do I apologise for rejecting myself first? I would say everything you seek is already within, waiting for you to realise that the noise outside of yourself is a distraction. It’s always and will always be you vs you, enjoy the journey, celebrate the small wins and reframe the way you perceive things to be or how others say they should go. You are the foundation of your own standard.
every. single. word. ❤
Dear 22 y/o Astor,
You are always making progress towards a better future. It is going to feel like you are not moving forward with your goals and you are gonna find yourself in situations that you promised yourself you would never be in again, but that does not mean nothing has changed. You are not the same scared little kid anymore, waiting for somebody else to give you purpose. Trust in yourself and continue the charge towards your goals because even when you are making small amounts of progress, in the end it is still progress.
Thanks for writing this. Although I was not mean for me it's still resonate with me. Im currently 22 y/o and in the same situation you are describing in this letter so Im glad I could read this now.
Good luck on your current journey and may God guide your steps. 🙏
mainstream stuff about selfimprovement are so overrated.The best investment you can make is in yourself. Books are the ultimate learning tool. Unveiling Your Hidden Potential by Bruce Thornwood helped me build discipline and separate my mindset from 90% of other people
Jesus the actual Christ! Where is the offering box Nneka? What realm were you in when you wrote this? Didn’t realise we munching on thought-provoking truth & deep revelations so early on🙌🏾And this is just chapter 1 of 100? 😳👏🏽💐❤️
lmaoooo the way I laughed out LOUD Samerah 😭 we got 99 mo' friend!
Writing to 21 year old me. They matter, but not really. People pleasing will only create a world where everything else matters, but you. Your creativity, your thoughts, your feelings, & perception, none of it belongs to you until you outgrow the need to please. Spend time with yourself. Get to know yourself. Take care of yourself… then everything else will start to take care of you.
I love how my alogrithm found this page and I'm truly grateful it did! I would write this to my 29 year old self before I turned 30. "What happens if you don't give up?" I will be using Uncomfortable Enlargement daily, thank you!
every time you share it's a breath of fresh air.
thank you gorgeousss! this means the world. 💗
This hits "Comfortable, Diminishment or Uncomfortable, Enlargement". When you find the words to explain your current state the fog clears. Thank you Sis!
I would love to write a letter to 19 year old me. The one without all the knowledge about health conditions, the one who believes they just need to try even harder, the one who cannot imagine why life seems to go easier for others. I would tell them that they are doing absolutely fine, but they really need to take it easy because burnout is a bitch and we are sprinting towards it. I would tell them to trust their heart and gut; that they won't regret doing anything they truly believe in; that sometimes things are hard and that is how it goes. I would show them a polaroid picture from four years in the future and tell them to document their present moment.
thank you so much for sharing 🤎 "trust their heart AND gut" I need that printed out.
I'm 19 and I loved reading this. :) I dream to live and yet I find that I live to not regret my life. "they won't regret doing anything they truly believe in;" was really comforting. Thanks.
Stop being scared, you got this, just believe in yourself and all your abilities, endeavours and know that you can do it if you put your mind to it, you are way more powerful than you think, you are super resourceful and not as limited as you think you are! Just DO IT!
Don’t care if this projects takes 1 year or 10 years, I’m going to be here for every letter.
"Just do the damn thing you wanted to do. You don't have to survive everyday anymore, you can actually start to live now. So what is the first thing you want to do while being alive?" To my 23 year old self who dropped out of university and finally got the help that she needed
I would write a letter to my 15 year old self (15 years ago) who as lost: "Don't hide your greatness in your fears, don't forget to breathe, to inhale the good things and exhale the bad. Don't let any pain take away your joy to bring something beautiful to the world, to the people who really care about you and, specially, to YOURSELF. Don't let the word DON'T be the majority of your decisions and dreams. Run to your goals, run faster than you ever ran and always believe in yourself! That means everything.
A cinematic & writing masterpiece.
appreciate you 🙏
Love from Nigeria. I'm a pharmacist who only dreams of tech and programming. Changing careers now seems like it'll throw my family into chaos because they'd never understand why anyone would want to switch careers.
Thing is, pharmacy's not my cup of tea at all and I feel like I die a bit everyday I go to work (unlike the fulfilment I feel working on coding projects).
I want to take this step of faith but I'm scared of the domino I'll be tipping. Thing is, I don't want to look back 3 years from today and realize I was too chicken to take a step.
As for the version of myself that'll listen, I'll think, either the me just getting into school or the me who lies shivering on his bed this morning wondering why the only thing I'm happy for after 6 years in school is the 'people i met along the way' (and also the relationship i got with God).
I LOVE this series!! Don't stop! I think I would have asked myself - throughout this whole year honestly - why I don't think I deserve success, why I don't think I can have it, and then how to bridge that gap. I would have told her to sleep. I would have told me (currently) to sleep, too. That I am capable of filling my days with the joy I seek. That it's already there. That I have full control over all of my reactions and that I need to take ownership of them in all situations and aspects of my life. What kind of friends do you want to have? And what kind of a friend do you want to be? And most importantly/finally: Why ARE you already capable of success and why DO you deserve it? How are you ALREADY a SUCCESS?
as a middle child and oldest daughter... i needed this. its like you put what i've been experiencing these past couple years into the perfect words. un-conditioning and giving myself permission. beautifully done 🤍
thank you for watching, Tiana 🤎 I'm convinced us eldest daughters / middle children need a support group, a yearly all expense paid retreat, somethin. if we don't give ourselves permission no one will. one day at a time, my dear.
@@nnekajas a middle child only daughter i feel this and 100% agree. And as a creative and facilitator myself i also say let’s make these retreats happen !!
@@itsrubymejia ahhh yes please!!
All the love to all the other middle children / oldest daughters ❤️❤️❤️
I would tell 18 year old me, just returning back from a 2 month trip to Nigeria, taking care of her toddler sibling as the eldest daughter for most of the trip, that the call she’ll receive from her mum telling her her A-level results weren’t what she needed to go to her first choice university - was just a sign to lean in and let go. I would tell her not to place all her worth into what she could prove to others. I would tell her that she is beautiful and over-compensating for what she felt she didn’t have would lead to her body sending strong warnings to stop and tap in. I’d tell her it would all work out, and I’m proud of her for accepting and surrendering to what was and going with the flow almost 6 years ago, me now cannot thank her enough.
I feel this so, so deeply. thank you for sharing, my dear 🤎 “just a sign to lean in and let go” 🥹
33-34 year old self (Newly 37). Life is going to hurt over the next three years. From the loss of your bonus dad and the old you that no longer resonates. You will have to walk away from friends and come to terms with those who were never your friends. You will cry a lot and it will get lonely. You will also do the work on yourself to understand how and why you got to those places--therapy and self-help books. Applying the practice will be scary but liberating because you will discover the person who has been afraid to show up all this time. You will become more intentional with your time, make new friends, and become more focused and determined towards your goals. One day you'll wake up and realize you are living in your dreams and know you're on the right path because it will disappear. Just remember to keep going. Keep being consistent. Keep showing up. Start over if you must. Just keep going my love.
I was not prepared for this video, as I look out of the window of my job that I have been at for 4 years. I took a new job and they dont even know it yet. At times it feels like betrayal, but they have no loyalty to us. I am often living life to please my spouse and my children. I have not even thought about myself as I love them more than I love myself. Yet, daily tears drop because of me putting myself last. I took a 50K pay cut to this new job as the pay does not matter to me but the experience and the travel that I will gain. My life dream is so close within hands reach and I can no longer put it on the back burner. I want my tears to be tears of happiness no longer the tears of my sacrifice. I needed to see and hear and truly take in this video. Your words are so powerful I have watched and listened to this video over 30x. God brought me hear and I needed it so. Chills. I will start writing today. Thank you so much for this.
Lost 28 year old me would hear "Keep standing up every time your knocked down. Because in the midst of that journey are some true blessings on the way. be kind. be resilient. and be loving, always." this was very refreshing....Happy i came across this!
I would write to her and say I'm sorry that I tried to hide your greatness! This was so beautiful Nnekaj, thank you thank you for your art
beautiful, Nai! thank you for sharing 💗
Glad I subscribed yesterday before the start of 100 short films . 100 questions . 100 letters
so glad you're here!
I would write to 19 y/o Gy,
You’re not going to die this year. You’ll survive and you’ll live. I know it has been overwhelming and dark but these times will be your greatest lessons. You will always value the little things, never taking them for granted like being able to enjoy a meal or standing from your bed . I want you to remember that staying silent about your fears won’t make them go away. You’ll learn to speak up and share your mind, you’ll allow yourself to love and be loved. You’ll grow , oh so beautifully! You’ll become your own light and dance in the rains of your life. I promise I’ll never give up on us. And yes your art matters. Your stories matters. You matter. I love you.
29 y/o Gy❤
Oh woman... You gave me goosebumps and made me want to cry with that. Those words are nearly identical to what I tell myself nowadays and it's beautiful to see them reflected like this, into such a beautiful piece of art, made by a beautiful, intelligent, talented woman, inspiring me to do the very same.
The letter I would write to my younger self, to me when I was 25, five years ago is this:
"Hello darling,
First things first, time travel is possible ; your consciousness can travel back and forth and you can probably feel this, hear this and therefore act on it at some point, when the time is right.
You are trying so hard to fit into a box, a label, a life that was never meant to encapsulate all that you are. That is alright you are doing this - no one showed you there was another way - but it will only bring you more pain and your light, your shine will never glow brighter and stronger if you don't start listening to your own self. To your heart, to your dreams. Remember who you wanted to be when you were a child, remember the feeling of blissful solitude in nature, of the power in your voice when you sing, of the vibrant self you can feel yourself becoming when you let yourself exist and when you scream your anger to the ocean. No one can tell you who you need to be, who you ought to be, you already are and you have so much more light and power than you know. You don't ever need to beg for friendship, for love, for care, for family, for worth because it is already within you and once you open your broken heart to magic again, you will start to see that I am right. The next few years are going to be very hard, but they will show you who you truly are and they will free you of shackles you weren't consciously aware you were still wearing... So tight, you bled. I love you, even in your darkest moments you are still a bright, beautiful, passionate woman that I am proud to call "me". Be brave, be bold, be courageous, it will be painful but you will come to know what unconditional love means and how existence is so much more than what your mind has been conditioned to think it is. Good luck, it is coming.... Your time is coming."
Thank you for this project you are doing, I look forward to the next video and feeling these goosebumps again ❤
I haven't finished the video yet but I'm on the verge of tears. Thank you for making me feel
Perfecf comment, Rachel.
Thank you for voicing it.
Your video popped up on my feed at work and home (2 different accounts). I knew I wanted/needed to be distraction-free when I watched...
My letter to myself (abridged):
Listen to your instincts more. Do what you want and do not wait on those that say, "Don't worry about that. We can do that later." This is key to your freedom. Your moment is yours. Timing is relevant to your needs and desires. You will resent all the opportunities that slipped by because you were trying to be nice. More chances will present themselves. But you'll never get back the ones you missed. Live your life for you; the most important person in your universe. Love, the one who loves you most.
Nneka, Please Never Stop Creating. I'm also afraid but watching your creations gives me little bursts of energy. I'm so freaking scared I would be trapped in mediocrity and undervaluation. Yet, I feel trapped in my incompetence and excusing everything for perfection 😢
You got this Betty! one day, one step at a time. i think the only real way to stay trapped in mediocrity and undervaluation is to never try. it's in the trying, the DOING, that we break the loop 🤎make it so small you can't fail. and do it again, and again!
@@nnekaj 😭 thanks so much for this response! how's this making me cry? I'm supposed to be a tough girl. 😭 Probably just hormones 🥲
Thank you for this, Julia.
I'm a writer. I decided to write the letter to post on my IG. But by the end, it was just too personal and I found myself in a pool of tears. I wrote to all the versions of myself. I realized I was a child and I didn't deserve the abuse, the betrayal. I felt love and compassion for these children versions of myself.
I began the letter with: I would write to my two year old self, that child with dreadlocked hair.
I ended the letter with: I would write to them, preparing them for this year. I would tell them "Lord help me."
Dear Nicole( @17)
We're turning 21 real soon. And this isn't the life you hoped to live with the freedom you prayed for.(Yes, We're free at last) The family's okay, there's lots of peace. Mostly externally though. Internally, there's a mess I've made. We were doing so well and then all of a sudden we weren't. And I'm struggling to give myself permission to get back up again, get moving. So this year, I need you to focus. When you get to the start of this year, this point in time, I need you to look strictly ahead. Ahead of the race. Not beside you to whomever's running as well, not behind you. Don't even wait for the whistle- just go! And keep going. I need you to hold on to the memories of why We're running in the first place, who We're doing it for. I need you to keep writing. Write. Write. And write some more. I need you to keep the Faith going, don't loose it no matter what. And I need you to keep the Dream alive. Please. It's essential. While you live in this year, love. Love as much as you can. And laugh even more. Do more things that make you laugh. I'll be here if you need any help but I'll let you forge most of this path. You are beautiful, you are brave. You are strong and you will accomplish everything you put your mind to. I love you. God loves you.
_Nicole @20
beautiful, Nicole. just wow. thank you so much for sharing. such a sobering reminder for me now 💛
'Every day you'll have to go to war with your conditioning'
This video and this one alone gave me the push i didn't know I needed to shoot the remaining portion of a video idea I have been sitting on for months! First video of yours I've watched and instantly hit the subscribe button!
27 now and have been pondering what the road to 30 looks like. What things will I want to have accomplished? What is the letter I’d want to write to myself today? What a year it’s already been. Took a mental health leave and then a leap of faith by leaving the job of other people’s dreams to live a real dream. One that feels more like me. And God did sooo much this year that I don’t have words…just feelings of awe and anticipation for what’s ahead and what’s next. This was a refreshing video and the first one of yours I’ve seen. Love it! Keep it up!
Somehow, these often feel like therapy Nneka, of course there is no replacement but this brings me comfort. I would write to my 20 year old self(9 years ago), preparing to leave college and go to the real world. I would tell her that, you will not have it figured out this year. This year will test you, try you and challenge you, the anxiety will feel crippling for awhile and you will wonder if there is a point to any of it. In the end you will be the one to carry yourself forward, the lessons that you have learnt till this year will keep you stable, your community will ground you, and growth will humble you so what you will have to learn to practice is leaning into the uncertainty and finding it both daunting and exciting.
This would be for many stages of myself: Don't settle for anything. Focus on myself more than putting that energy into others. I am worthy of all those dreams I have in my head if I just stay focused on them.
Your art is incredible, so inspiring. I would write to the version of me that always ends up building something great… for someone else. Because it’s easier for me to see someone else’s vision. I’d tell her that clarity doesn’t come with thinking, it comes with action.
"clarity doesn’t come with thinking, it comes with action." whew! I looooove this. and thank you so much for watching ❤
I would write a letter to myself last year and tell her, “you can breathe, you will be free again. He isn’t what you think he is and you are suffocating. But I am bringing in the oxygen. God is with you always.” And I will tell myself today that again, God is with me always. To be patient, to be strong.
I am learning not to ask for the things or events any longer, my desire nature will take care of all that in co-creation. But to ask for the strength to find trust and love and commitment. Because those are the things I need to move forward.
Thank you for this question. I needed it
My 12 year old self, first encountering depression, loss of my family. The one who was desperate and angry at EVERYTHING. she deserves this letter that I’m going to write.
She's lucky to have you 🧡
I clicked on this so fast☺WOW! Just WOW! This is is so timely!
Writing to my 15 year old self, the beautiful dreamer, I would say......
Thank you for not giving up. I love you! God loves you!
It's finally time for you to quit quitting and go for it! Finish what you started! Stop hiding and put yourself out there. It doesn't matter how many others are doing what you like to do, nobody does it like you. Nobody is you. The world needs you! Also, it matters not how many likes you get, how many following you have or whether or not you go viral, do this for you! Even if you only positively touch one life, you have made an impact. Don't focus on who doesn't like you, the only thing that matters is that YOU LOVE YOUR SELF. Don't let the opinions of anyone else, not even your family and loved ones, stop you from making your dreams reality. You are so creative. It's time to use your gifts. Do it for you!! Do it by yourself! You've had it in you all along. Forget fear! Fear isn't real! Be bold! Dream big, it's free! Your imagination is just a preview to your life's coming attractions. Life loves you, love it back! Live out loud!
Don't get distracted by what anyone else is doing, you keep doing what you love and focus on your own path. Tap into your inner power and shake the world!
PS. Just be yourself. The world will adjust.💞
Love always,
Nat🌻
this brought me to tears. thank you so much for sharing, Nat! ❤
🥺🫶🏾
I would write to my 23 year old self 10 years ago and tell her that everything works out. Not in the way we expected but in a way that we needed.
"Not in the way we expected but in a way that we needed." ❤ thank you so much for sharing!
15 year old suicidal me would love to hear from 29 year old me and let her know that everything was gonna be okay, everything was going to work out, and that she could beat depression or at least learn how to cope with it and manage it and also let her know that her life wasn't always gonna to be this way (miserable) that she would eventually escape her abuser and be free from oppression and finally truly enjoy life, be truly happy, unapologetically herself, and find her passion in life, and follow her dreams she used to be scared to even have.
I would say
Dear me,
You worry too much, think too much, doubt yourself too much, expect the most from people too much, put people above yourself too much but at the same time see the best and believe in people even when you know they should leave so from now on out you’ll live the kind of life I call “letting go”. If you put in the effort and whatever and whoever it it doesn’t want to stay then you’re allowed to let the person or whatever it is go without seeing yourself in a bad light because at the end of the day your future self will be proud of work you put in even though it hurt and your past self that has been screaming its never too late to start over will be even more proud that you took the tough route
yours sincerely,
your past self to your present self and your future self ✨
I’m 39 years old and would write a letter to my 21 year old self. Life is not what you thought it would be, but believe in yourself and stay dedicated. Focus on the things you can control and everything else will work itself out. I randomly stumbled on this video after having a rough morning and it just made me feel like crying! This season of life that I am experiencing right now is difficult. Trying to find my place in this world, while making sure I’m present for my wife and daughter, and learning to count my blessings in the process.
"Everyday, you'll have to go to war with your conditioninig"
Thank you for putting into words a duty I've been struggling with for quite a while now.
"Just be you and do you. Those who appreciate you will be there, those that don't, don't matter. It's ok to let go. Letting go is not giving up." To myself in every moment. A constant reminder to keep being authentic.
I would probably write to 8 year old me. I was afraid to express myself. FFWD to 31.. people love when I express myself. I’ve made mistakes throughout the years my heart has been broken and I’ve been disappointed but I’m grateful for those upsets. I’ll tell 8 year old me to hold fast on to his dreams. Write everything down. When you say your prayers at night, Trust God is Real and he hears you. You have nothing to Fear and you can always bounce back and recover. This has kinda been my Life testimony so far. Now I wouldn’t trade my mistakes for nothing in the world. I’m glad God preserved me thru it all. May God bless everyone here and let no man stop you from honoring your dreams -w/out permission.
comfortable diminishment or uncomfortable enlargement? this is really the question at the core of it all.
I immediately picture a 16 year old version of me and I know what she needs to hear is "Have your chin up, believe in the evidence of your greatness because the universe will reflect greatness back. Hold tight to your true north, this is your guide to how you should act. Don't apologize for your existence."
Your father has passed and the pain is almost unbearable . You are thinking all the thoughts of how no one will ever understand you or love you the way he did . Months will be spent in bed , lost and broken trying to pick up the pieces and find your true identity . No longer will you be called his "little one" . Your whole existence died with him . Who are you ? is a question you will ask yourself through the years to come . You cant see it now but life goes on , & you will find passion and purpose . Have an open mind and be inspired daily . Your father is with you and remember " YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO"
You are a natural at this and it's awesome to see it. I think a LOT of people, myself included, need to hear and listen to this... yeah, I'm gonna start writing again. I have the idea down, I just need to put it to paper.
Considering this year I've found that I've hit on a barrier of having a lot of trouble overcoming this... inertia of life, for lack of a better term, that I've found myself in? I think the letter I would be writing to myself of a decade ago would be to tell him 'Do your best to learn to act on your own, because if you don't now, it's going to be extremely difficult later on.'
I would tell my 14 y/o self (8 years ago) to stop dwelling on the past. Focus on the present and control what you’re able to control. I would also tell her that she’s beautiful & worthy. All of the trials and tribulations are going preparing you for your future self. Whether or not you understands why something happened or not. Keep striving for greatness babygirl because you are almost there !
Age 42, been a shadow artist for most of that time..content writer wishing she was an author, a novelist, a screenwriter, anything but writing to pay the bills and for the needs of others. Afraid 100 percent of the time of everything, everyone but a high functioning caretaker all the same.. Currently at the end of decades long coping mechanisms, self combusting at the seams..since we're only free to do anything after we've lost everything, I'm going to make this my year of change, transition, to a truer version of myself.
Thank you for making this video.. as I was watching you talking to yourself I felt an affinity with the part of you who gave herself up to please others. I felt compassion for us both❤ and I felt seen.
I would definitely tell the old Danielle that yes, her dreams are possible, even though she thinks everything goes wrong, and what she gets is only disappointment and frustration. That even after so much time, she will still feel lost in life, and deep down, everyone feels that way. That what she creates is indeed art. That she is not a background character, but the main character of her life.
Thank you, Nnekaj, for taking me back to my past and helping me realize how much I've grown over all these years. Keep creating girl!!
this is so beautiful, Danielle 🤎"she is not a background character, but the main character of her life." whew! I feel this so deep. thank you for being here.
I listened for the 2nd time and wrote to my 39 year old self who 2 years ago boldly chose uncomfortable enlargment over comfortable diminishment. And she's still choosing enlargement. I wrote her a letter and told her: I TRUST YOU. YOU ARE WORTHY. YOU ARE ENOUGH. Thanks Nneka. Have you read Maya Angelou's Continue? Your video letter reminded me of that and her. I look forward to letter #2. Thank you for your art and allowing us to read your heart❤😊
I have a feeling that my current self is the one I’ll be writing to in the future. I’m 18, going into college, and I’m scared I’ll be too much of a mess (organizationally) to make something of myself. I fear I won’t be driven enough, that I’ll ruin opportunities that I get. I’m scared I’ll ruin my life and be too lazy to fix it. Now that I’ve laid my heart out, a message to my 16 year old self: your family will come around. Don’t be afraid to be out at school. You’re doing great, I’m proud of you.
I’m only 20 so I haven’t even lived much yet. There’s not much knowledge I can provide for a younger version of myself, she did all she could with the cards she was dealt and I’m still incredibly grateful for god’s grace during that time. I would just say “Follow God’s light and learn all you can. Not everything is meant to be understood, but you have an infinite source of intelligence through the library and internet. Dedicate yourself as a student, as someone who seeks to know and learn.” I’m sure future me will have a lot more wisdom than that but it’s what i’ve got 😅
I just assumed that this would go to me at the beginning of this year, before it started. And something I realized, long ago, was that if I ever could go back in time and talk to myself, it would never be worthwhile to give myself answers. Because answers to a question you don't have are worse than useless. So, to me at the beginning of this year, I'd just say "I love you, and I'm proud of you. I'm doing so well because of you. I know the hard bits are hard and scary, but I'm doing well. Because of you. You will become me. And I am proud of me. I am, against all odds, happy. You get to be happy."
This is without a doubt the most beautiful thing I have watched in a while. Actually, this is really inspiring and even though I most definitely should be sleeping right now I honestly feel enough motivation to move the sun and finally convince myself to take the starting leap of fate to do what I think I love. You have incredible talent in film and editing, I can't believe this is only the first video in this series. I know that the start of anything meaningful is difficult and scary, so I just hope you know how truly wonderful this looks from the outside. I will make sure to stick around, this is beautiful.
“ You can still be who you are and you’ll be okay even if you experience rapid change “
I would write a letter to my 16 year old self to just be her. Don’t let the words of others drain you, keep you at 2am thinking and wondering what she needs to change about herself. To live and enjoy every moment ❤
To my 20 year old self,
Trust and vulnerability takes time, you should have faith in the actions you take and truly trust yourself with the oucome that happen, life isn't about the results and how fast you get there. I know your excited to do everything, to try anything and you should be, just temper yourself with paitience and push through the haze of decicion and trust openly what you have and the real freinds around you. Push yourself to be the person you want to be, and put yourself first, your will be all you have in the end.
I’d write to my 45 year old self. I’d tell him, “Don’t worry. You have everything that you need. You always have.”
I would tell my 18 year old self “you’re so smart & don’t ever dim your light for anyone”!
I have followed your work since passing through..My God..you have a way with words. This letter mimics my story and I’m so glad i found you on CZcams. Thank you for sharing your art with us.
ahhh! wow. this means so much 💛 1. thank you for listening to passing through 2. never ceases to amaze me how our stories can run parallel. thank you for being here, my dear!
I would write a letter to myself from 30 year old self as well, having just relocated (again) after losing nearly every physical possession.
Most of all that I would tell that version of myself is to trust and count on yourself more. And the future is literally in your hands.
Thanks for the video
Peace
I desperately want to find some part of me that will listen and hold space for my pain instead of always pushing past it towards productivity and perfection. I have such high standards for myself and they scare me, and sometimes I crumble before the idea of going forward because I don’t have my own back. I won’t be gentle with myself when I feel like I can’t do it. I have so much judgement and hatred for my instability from mental illness and physical body pain from my ptsd. I’m desperate for a love I haven’t even given myself. I’m always asking people I know who love me if they really do. But I wonder if I do? Love myself without expectation and judgement and hatred. Can I? Heal myself and start again as many times as needed. To hold my hand and lead myself forward when all I think of is taking steps back and running away. A change is gone come. I don’t know when, but all of me is hoping I can will it out of myself now. But something is trapped on top of my chest that makes me unforgiving of only myself. I feel so big and so small all at the same time. I believe I can, but the past tells me I’m no bigger today than I was then.
J a comment turned journal entry lol. Loved your video!!!! Gonna rewatch it in hopes it’ll heal me at least subconsciously somehow.
I would tell myself "Don't be afraid to fail beacause the regrets of not doing hurt worse than the fear in the moment."
“You once wrote a quote that said ‘I live in that solitude that is painful in youth but delicious in the years of maturity’ welcome to maturity.” Also side bar when I watched this video, in the middle of it I thought “The revolution is here” My heart appreciates grately this work of art, thank you.
I can’t begin to explain what I have put myself through this past year, what I’ve chosen to endure and in the process broken my spirit and my trust. Your video has awakened something within me and reminded me of the of choosing myself. I am immensely grateful for the peace you have given me and the ripples you have created within my soul. Thank you.
you are a breathe of fresh air...I would write a letter to my 18 year old self (currently 27). "You are a sponge. So in this season you are in you are fragile -bodied. You can't let anyone handle you because everyone doesn't have the necessary capacity to. The more you pour into yourself, the more you can become more optimal for those around you. Also, the posture in how you pour is important. A moment doesn't have to determine your entire life."
My 26th birthday is coming up in two weeks and I can find all the great things that I’ve learned this year that I could pass on to my younger self, but then again I’m sitting here balling my eyes out still feeling empty on the inside.
All I can tell my younger self and congratulate him for is through all the anxiety of trying to put your 100% in your musical journey, your day job and your family, you still showed up to your craft, your work and your relationships.
To my future self, you’re getting shit done and fighting through the fear of judgement from others, staying strong and day by day you’re one step closer to fully embracing who you are and watering your self-love. Don’t give up on yourself and on the people who love you.
So proud of you & I’m locked in on this series! I cannot wait to see the manifestation of your greatest dreams realized, you are so inspiring ✨🫶🏾
ahhh! thank you, Natasha 🤎 these words mean so so much.
I would write a letter to the version of me who is about to turn 31. I had just had my first child. I would tell myself that it’s okay to be selfish and to work on my physical and mental health. That sometimes things happen and that you don’t need to internalize that hurt and let it destroy you.
beautiful! thank you so much for sharing 🧡 I'm working on the "not internalizing hurt" right now.
If I had to write a letter to my younger self, I would tell her to be kinder to herself. Fear is measured only by what you don’t do. To not think that “strong” is the way to be all the time, that sometimes “safe” is ok, too! In the pursuit of it all, sometimes it’s ok to just “be.” Let it flow. ❤
I would write a letter to 17 year old me. Full of so much potential and crushed by the expectations of others. Your opinion matters and whatever decision you make trust it’s the best one for you. Because even if everything doesn’t go according to plan it’s better to live rather than be stagnant with regrets. Protect your peace, you’re a light. Don’t let the wrong ones in. Your discernment is better than you think. You know what you gotta do. God is with you.
Dear younger me, a 32-year old me from the end of 2023 who was hoping for a better year... this year will be hard. It will try you every step of the way and there won't be much breathing room. Don't live in Fear. Instead, embrace the joy you can find along the way in the people who matter, and all the small things, and it will make your life good. Not easy, but good all the same.
To 18yr old me, life looks bleak right now and there’s so much uncertainty but take the leap and go to uni anyway…it will be hard (a little useless job wise) but you’ll love your course, experience both amazing and terrible things about life and yourself but it will prove your resilience and stretch your creativity!
Don’t worry so much, enjoy life you’ll still get a first! Stay away from mean people, they’re not your friends!
Oh and you make it past the age of 21…we’re 24 now life is still uncertain but I believe in you and your choices xx
This year, invest fully in myself using my natural gifts- water my garden and watch it grow. Capture more video of the small moments with my children that make my heart smile. Finally, continue to work hard, but dont forget to squeeze in some fun ❤
22 year old Victor needs to learn that standing out is not the same thing as doing well and that he doesn’t have to actively pursue a uniqueness or a persona that sets him apart. He’s chasing that in lieu of nurturing what makes him himself and is losing his creativity to vanity in the process. I’d tell him it’s ok to embrace and act upon his desire for creative expression without immediately becoming some savant. That small steps matter as much as the large ones.
He’s not nearly as sceptical as I am now. That’s good. But he’s also not willing to sculpt the man he wants to be from the man he currently is; that has not changed.
I’d tell him to focus on what matters. The beauty of his gifts, the love of family and the sheer luck of where he is. 22 was a step into the forest and he won’t leave for a while. It’d be great if he stopped getting lost looking for an escape he knows will only be found by walking the path ahead and not meandering elsewhere.
He’ll be fine, just surprised that things didn’t turn out how he thought. But he’ll be fine.
This is a very inspiring project. Thank you for encouraging us to join you.
*Warning: Contains medical trauma...*
...
Dear 14-year-old me,
The doctors are wrong. There is no such thing as "too young to be sick". You know yourself and your body. And one day you will be proven right. You will have a rocky ride learning to trust yourself again after decades of medical gaslighting. And neglect. That you're going to internalise and believe for a long time. But you knew at 3. And at 7. And at 11. And in this moment that something was wrong.
You are right. It's not "normal" to wake up screaming in pain every night. "Growing pains" don't last a lifetime. Even though, wildly, you will grow 2 inches very slowly up until your mid 30's. It doesn't make much difference to reaching high objects off of shelves. But it's a fun fact about your future. In the midst of being put down and told you're not trying hard enough to get better. To succeed in the easy way your peers always seem to. That always takes you so much more effort than them.
You will learn that while you're not the only one wearing tubie grips and crepe bandages hidden under every inch of your school uniform. And later, over your clothes when the pain gets too much to bear. It's only the other people who experience similar health issues that have to do this. You are not alone. But you are living through things with an incredible level of strength and grace. Things that would and have felled supposedly greater people than you.
You will go through a period of time when your nickname is rip van winkle. You will spend 48-72 hours unconscious for years. You will learn to live with being temporarily paralysed for up to 3 days. And you'll have to live through some terrible times in human history. And wait 4 years for surgery. And you will want to give up and not be here anymore. A lot.
But you survive it. You learn to love yourself as you are. You test your limits. You find your boundaries. And you develop a voice. And through it all... You continue to create.
Sure, you mess up and have a terrible time at uni doing the wrong degree. And you'll spend your 20's wishing you'd just become an archaeologist instead of an artist. It would have been easier. But you'll find your artform eventually. Through a lot of trial. And even more error. And through it all you create. Beauty. Art. A mess. And it's so hard. But it's a life worth living.
There's still a way to go until we get to where we want to be. But we move forward a little further each day. Sometimes we stall and pause. Sometimes get lost. Sometimes double back. But it's all an adventure. And we'll find our home together. Soon.
I love you,
35-year-old me
Xoxo
Love the authenticity ,, please continue to enlighten more people around this world with your sound storytelling !
você não tem noção de como seus vídeos tem me incentivado e me motivado a voltar a criar.
há alguns anos atrás, fui machucado por trabalhar demais no que amo. Hoje, sou constantemente puxado pra trás por esse monstro chamado medo, que me impede de chegar onde realmente quero, de criar o que realmente quero.
Minha carta para meu eu, mais novo e tão cheio de vida, falaria sobre aprender a descansar sempre que possível, mas nunca deixar de fazer o que ama.
Obrigado pelo sopro de vida, Nneka. Que venham muito mais cartas
te entendo bem demais e apesar de me dizerem que é só ir lá e fazer, é muito mais profundo do que isso. Espero que tu consiga criar o que tu realmente quer
I would write a letter to my 23 year old self (3 years ago). Be patient and stay calm. If it is meant to be it will be. Just keep moving forward and trust in your decisions. If you make the wrong choice it is ok. DO NOT FREAK OUT! Do your best next time and learn from your mistakes. Anima Vestra (Free Your Soul)
My letter would have been...."Never stop" always be you, and nobody's opinion matters. I let me happen and stop doing what I loved only to work for someone else, and I silenced my abilities to have and be what I wanted. 11 years on one job only to leave and work 5 years at another, then 4 years unhappy but complacent, and now 8 years unhappy complacent and attached. I asked the Universe..."What am I doing?" Why am I unhappy? Started Journaling and it happened....I got wrote up at work.....I remembered who I am why I was there and I now I must leave.....I'm returning to my love what makes me happy and how I use to put smiles on others face when I turned them to face the mirror...who am I......A COSMETOLOGIST!!! ❤ THANK YOU, YOUNGER SELF, BUT THE NEW SELF IS WANTING MORE!!! DESERVING.....
I can't put into words how seen I feel, this was so beautiful and poetic, I love your style and creative voice, I will keep coming back...
thank you so much for watching, beautiful 💗
I dont think I'm ready to write to my younger self, because before a certain point, I was more confident, making things with reckless abandon, having a great time being an artist and putting myself out there. But if there was one thing I could say, it would be "you're going to get out". And I would send it to myself at a few different points in my life.
It would pretty much say something along the lines of "I haven't given up on that one thing, I just haven't figured out how to bring it to life."
I would tell my past self who shaved her head bald and felt rejected that she should treat this year as her year of self-acceptance and forgiveness. That the rejection of others was key to her journey to self-acceptance.
The letter I'd write to myself. "However bad you thought your family situation was, it gets so much worse. Don't wallow in it, don't cave in to doing what's best for the family while destroying yourself. You'll find out who your true friends are this year, and you'll be surprised by who they are. Its still going to be OK. Learn to fall back in love with your husband sooner, as he is one of the very few who truly and wholeheartedly loves you as you are regardless of the depression and drama that your family brings. Learn that being an artist is more than drawing, and that you can do things just for you."