We’ve all said it: “I wish I knew then what I know now.”

Write a letter to your younger self. It could be the key to self discovery!

A group of us bloggers decided to run with this idea and write letters to our younger selves. Take a piece of paper and join us. It’s a thought-provoking way to bring insight to your present life as well as gain an illuminating perspective on the past.

Then visit the awesome bloggers listed below who share their letter to their younger selves.

Just so you know, I visualize my younger self as being about 14-years-old. So ready for my letter?

Here we go…

Dear Younger Self,

There is much I want to say to you, but why not let the future slowly reveal itself to you? I don’t want to spoil all the surprises. I’ll just say that much of what will happen will astound you – but in a good way. I promise. Without giving too much away, I will give you 10 sage pieces of advice based on wisdom I’ve slowly gained over the years:

1. You were always serious about the Bible and staying close to God, even as a child. Never lose your faith and love for God. It will carry you through life and serve you well.
2. Stop being a people-pleaser. This is a personality trait you adapted as a teen and practiced most of your life. Your motivations for pleasing people are noble. I realize you don’t want to disappoint people, sound rude, start a fight, or hurt anyone’s feelings. You just want people to be happy. However, the price for this attribute is way too high. You will never, and I mean NEVER, make everyone happy. Trying to do so only leads to frustration and guilt. People-pleasing not only never works and but also saps your own time, energy, and happiness.
3. The saying that perfection is overrated is absolutely true.  Making lists all the time, a habit you developed very early in life, is just plain neurotic. As a song from a future Disney movie belts out: “Let it go!”
4. You are not dreaming big enough. You will have a career that you should have foreseen by your interests and love for it even when you were very young. However, you did not even consider pursuing this path until you were well into your 20s. But maybe it’s better that way. No worries, you found your passion anyway and went further with it than you ever expected.
5. Let go of all those insecurities. Those people that are making you crazy and hurting your feelings right now – they won’t even be in your life later. So who cares?
6. Never forget to be grateful. This means appreciating life’s many gifts, acknowledging your blessings, and noticing simple pleasures. Focus on what you have instead of what you want.
7. A boy will come into your life way too young. Now, here’s a unique piece of advice for you – and only you – because most of the time this never works. Everyone will advise you not to marry young. But you go ahead. Because that teenage boy who won’t give up on you grows up to be the best husband you could ever imagine. You have many, many happy years together. So quit trying to break up with him.
8. You know how you can be really silly, get the giggles, and be playful? As you get older you will have a tendency to be way too serious and lose some of this delightful ability. Fight that impulse.
9. Here’s a little juicy tidbit, you will have many adventures and travel around the world. Lucky you! Of course, there will also be challenges, heartbreak, and stressful times ahead of you. However, you are much stronger than you think. You will survive.
10. Finally, young Julie, enjoy every single moment of life. Live in the present. Value your loved ones that will travel with you through life. Old people are telling you that life goes by way too fast and you can’t comprehend that right now. But it’s truer than you’ll ever know.

With lots of love,

Your Much Older and Wiser Self

Thanks for stopping by! For more letters to a younger self, visit these #Gr8blogs today:

How a Forgotten Journal Helped Me Move Beyond a Painful Past

Cat shares excerpts from a journal written by her painfully insecure 15-year-old self to Older Darlin’ — the adult she wished to become and hoped she would do proud.

Stay tuned…more letters to my younger self to come! If you’re interested in hopping onto this blog, just link your post back to me or any of these #Gr8Blogs, and we’ll give you some blog lovin’ in return.

Image courtesy of Simon Howden at FreeDigitalPhotos.net