A letter to Myself : Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

I often sit alone wondering how life has changed in the past few years. How my hobbies have become acquaintance, my friends are just floating heads or mere voices behind the phone, my parents are juts a part of my life and I am surrounded my people who are neither close, nor loveable, but mere professionals.

This year I turned 30 and thought was a good time to look back to the three decades that went by, wondering if this was the life I wanted.

The first decade (0–10)

The first half of this decade was spent just leanring abut how to start my jorney. Right from my childhood I wasnt a very people’s person. I preferred staying alone and playing with my imaginary friends, than going out with and mingling with my cousins.

In the second half I started my school journey and got troduced to the concept of friends. I made quite some friends, but as I shifted cities, the old ones were lost and new one took their place.

What I want to say: I am not sure if i actually want to say anything to my 10 year old self. This was the time when I was exploring life and under the guidance of my family, just learning to live.

The second decade (10–20 years)

This is an important phase of each idnividual’s life. This is the time when you are introduced to various aspects of life and yourself. The hormones are at its peak, you get a little aggressive and rebellious. While everyone around is asking you to focus on your studies, while you are on an adventure to explore yourself.

This was the time when you are attracted to other people of the same or the opposite gender, while your parents are very specific in mentioning to stay away from all of it.

While it is easy to ignore such things, in my case I grew a little more aggresive towards the boys.

This is also the time i left home for the first time and went to college. bBeing from an all girls school, entering into a co-ed education system was different. I wasn’t sure how to communicate, where to draw the boundary line, while my other friends were facing no such problem.

What i want to say: I would really like to meet my teenage self as most of my knowledge and shortcomings are from that phase. Had I been a little more practical, I would have been a completely different person.

I would like to tell myself to not be so serious in life and enjoy. This time is precious and what you do today, will reflect in what you become in the future. So make your chocies wisely. Have more friends, learn from everyone you meet and instead of studying, learn from life as that is the lesson that will stay with you forever.

The third decade (21–30)

This was the time i had graduated, and started my first job. First salary, first buying, first savings, so mnay things happening at the same time. From being called just ‘Ankita’ people treat you as a grown up ‘Ankita Ma’am’. All this seems very nice at first, but you later realise how there are two sides to life.

You can either be happy with what you have, and move from job to job without thinkingabut what you want.

Or

You can treat the job as a source of income, and work on building yourself. Learn new things, meet new people, don’t just live life, experience it. Fall in love, go on dates, eat what you want, inculcate new habits and much more.

What I want to say: To this Ankita I would say, well you did screw up the first few years, but you were on the right track. Fall in love, start writing, travel and always follow your heart. Fight for what is yours and do not think of perfection. This will be a great part of your life, which will shape you. All the best.

Don’t be afraid of failure, this is the good phase, take charge and march on.

A letter to my present self: Never change. People might not understand, might call you crazy or just stubborn, but know that the decisions you have made is why you are today, and if you want to stay happy, just be true to yourself.

Letter to my future self: I hope you are still having fun, and enjoying life and not folloiwing rules. You rock, keep going. Always remember how you reached here and just be thankful for what you have.

Grow old with someone you love and life will always be beautiful.