This article was first published in May 2021.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. As we grow up, we learn from our mistakes, develop our personalities and discover who we are. If we were to write a letter of advice to our younger self, what would we tell them? What do we know now that we wish we knew then? What have we learned?
For this series of thought-provoking films, we asked eighteen young people to write a letter to their younger selves. This is Dear Younger Me.
Dear younger me.
Finding your voice and having the confidence to speak is quite the skill and a brave thing to do. It is also something you haven't quite figured out yet, at fifteen years old.
Yes, you get along with a lot of people and have a good amount of hobbies to keep you entertained, but you feel like you can't openly express that part of your life and that makes you feel a bit lonely.
An odd thing to say when you have tons of different friends surrounding you. But it's not like you don't have anything to say. You have a bunch of different hobbies from playing guitar in the band to making YouTube videos, and you do get a lot of support and appreciation from your friends.
I guess you just haven't yet found people who you can share your passions with. So you feel uncomfortable sharing your true self and feel like you have to change to fit in.
The most important thing to realise is that it is great to have things you enjoy. That's what makes you unique. It's fine to be introverted but please don't hide yourself. Be open with what you know and what you like. Embrace your passions and people will see you.
Some day soon you're going to be very proud of who you are and your passions. You'll find friends and online communities that share the same hobbies, or even just take an interest and listen to what you have to say, and that has a huge impact on your self esteem and happiness. Of course you'll always chat too much about your record collection or what game you're playing, but you'll feel proud of that. And even prouder when you find the people who get it.
Don't stop being you. Good luck.
Don't stop being you.
Kaden is introverted and often felt lonely when he was younger. In this Dear Younger Me, Kaden tells his younger self that he will eventually find his voice and the confidence to speak. He tells himself to embrace his passions, that he will find new communities to share his hobbies with and that this will have a huge impact on his self esteem and happiness.
If you need support
You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.
If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.
Dear Younger Me: Chloe
If you wrote a letter to your younger self, what would it say? This is Chloe's letter.
Dear Younger Me: Nathan
If you wrote a letter to your younger self, what would it say? This is Nathan's letter.
Dear Younger Me: How letter-writing can help your mental health
Writing a letter to a younger version of you that went through a hard time can really help you - here's how.
