A Letter to the Younger Me

I have written a letter to the younger me once before and it can be found at this link here. I have decided to write myself again. I find that this writing exercise can be very empowering and helps to process the things learned over the years. Memories are wonderful things, because they are yours alone and no one can take a memory away from you.

Dear Emily Rose at 17,

Not everything in life will be enjoyable. There will be tough situations thrown at you that will require you to control your emotions and think with a clear head. In order to make progress and move forward in your life, it would be beneficial for you to learn how to control your emotions sooner rather than later. This skill is very valuable for you and I want you to be more comfortable in your own skin. When you finally learn about how to control your thoughts, controlling your emotions will become easier. Don’t give up on yourself and stay focused on your goals. I know you can overcome anything life throws at you, because I know how strong you are and how much you have overcome already.

Some things will happen in life that nothing I could say to you would prepare you for. I would like to warn you not to explode your emotions on everyone else when something bad does happen. You may very well push away the one person who has always been there for you. I just want you to think about your actions and words before they happen to cause damage to the rest of your life.

As time goes on, so does life. Things will happen in life that you cannot control and although you would like to be able to control everything, it would be best to learn how to let some things go. The past is gone and dwelling over what you should’ve done differently will not change what has already happened. Instead, I want you to try your best to learn from those situations. You will see that everything happens for a reason and although you may not understand the reason at first, have faith that in the end everything will work out for the best.

A very important thing to remember is that not everything in your life will be difficult or unpleasant. There will be great times with fantastic people who enlighten your mind and warm your heart. I wish more than anything that you would spend more time appreciating the enjoyable and less time worrying or dwelling. The more time you spend being grateful the better you will feel inside. There are many reasons for you to smile. You just need to open your eyes and see how beautiful your life can be.

I need you to know you have potential and will accomplish the things you set your mind to. I am very proud of your achievements in college and how you managed to graduate with your bachelor’s degree. Yes it may take you longer than you had planned, but nothing in life will always go the way you had planned. Remaining flexible and being able to adjust for life’s unexpected events will ensure that you continue to succeed in your life. You have what you need to succeed inside yourself. You just need to look deep inside and you will see it.

You are going to be a beautiful woman with many opportunities in life. Make sure you are present in your own life that you recognize the great opportunities offered to you. Daydreaming is fun; I’ll give you that, but don’t do it so much that you miss out on everything going on around you. At the same time, do give yourself a break at times and forgive yourself, because everyone makes mistakes. Just be sure to learn from your mistakes.

I know 10 years may seem like a long time for you at this age, but in reality those 10 years will go by quicker than you expect them to. You will have a daughter who depends on you to help her grow up and be an adult on day. Don’t let the precious moments slip away. Make sure to enjoy the little things, because once they are gone, they won’t seem so little any more. Love your life, because it’s the only one you will have. Make the most of each day and don’t let a day go by that you aren’t loving life. Even when it’s hard, life is still beautiful.

Most of all remember to be there for yourself, even when you feel like no one else is.

Love forever,

Yourself at 27