Dear younger self,
The future is not far at all. It is already here. It starts now. Don’t let anyone make you believe that the future is something that will come in ten years’ time. They will tell you that you are still young and that you have time, but before you know it, school will be over, and you will suddenly find yourself in that “future” they always talked about. The truth is, the future begins with the choices you make today. Every little thing you do now counts.
Start preparing early. Start praying about your life, your career, and even your marriage now. Don’t wait until you finish school before you start planning. Write down your dreams and your vision. Don’t just keep them in your head put them on paper and start working toward them. Take your life seriously, even if it doesn’t make sense yet. Step by step, things will begin to take shape.
I know sometimes life can be confusing. You might not understand what direction to take or how to start. It’s okay. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Ask questions. Talk to people who have gone ahead of you. Learn from them. Don’t be shy to say you don’t know something that’s how you grow. Everyone is still learning, even the ones who look like they know everything.
There will be days when you will face pain, disappointment, or fear. Don’t allow any of those to stop you. Pain is part of life; everyone is passing through one challenge or another. Don’t wait until you are free from pain before you start pursuing your goals. If you say, “I will start when I feel better,” or “I will try when I am comfortable,” that time may never come. Keep moving, even when you don’t feel like it. Growth often happens in uncomfortable times.
Dear younger self, when things don’t go your way, please don’t think you are useless. You are not. You are stronger than you think, and you have what it takes to succeed. Mistakes will come don’t let them make you give up. Learn from them instead. No one becomes great without making mistakes. What matters is that you keep trying and don’t stop believing in yourself.
You will see people doing well, maybe ahead of you, and you might start to compare yourself with them. Please don’t. Everyone’s journey is different. Some people’s success comes early, while others take time. Don’t rush your life because you want to look like someone else. Your time will come too. Focus on your lane and trust your process.
Also, don’t be afraid to start small. Everything big today started small. That dream you have whether it’s to start a business, learn a skill, or build a career — just start from where you are. Don’t wait for the perfect time because there is no perfect time. Start with what you have and grow from there.
And through it all, don’t forget God. Pray always. God sees the things you can’t see. He knows your journey even when it doesn’t make sense to you. There are things that will happen that you won’t understand at first, but one day you’ll realize they were all preparing you for something better.
Lastly, enjoy your life. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Laugh more, spend time with your loved ones, and take care of your mind. Don’t let worry steal your peace. Learn to forgive yourself and move forward. You don’t have to be perfect to be happy just be sincere, keep learning, and keep growing.
So, dear younger self, the future is not far. It is right here, waiting for you to act. You are doing well. Keep going, keep believing, and one day, you’ll look back and thank yourself for starting early and never giving up.
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