Maybe I should do this one every five years!<\/p>\n
In 2010<\/a>, I wrote of clear idealism. In 2011<\/a>, I wrote of ways to move on. In 2020<\/a>, I wrote of ways to believe in myself.<\/p>\n Future Self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?) <\/i><\/p>\n Dear Jenn of 2030,<\/p>\n For some reason, so many people have been calling me wise this year. Each time it happens, I laugh it off, because I certainly could never describe myself like that when I was younger. I am now more jaded, more opinionated. But more confident, because I know what went wrong and am motivated to help others not make the same mistakes. I know that I told some people about what it meant to be diagnosed if they were going through some scares, about how to make sure that they’re not evicted, about how a personal injury lawsuit really is like. And of course, why I hate certain books.<\/p>\n For my future self, you might know all of this. You might even be wiser. But I guess, don’t lose that humility that you were once like me.<\/p>\n I also want to say: you got this. Because of all the horrible things that have happened that I couldn’t have anticipated a few years ago, it’s the fact that I keep going. I am keeping the dream. Keep your eye on the ball. I am not talking about the next medical appointment or the next big bill. I am talking about what you want your life to be.<\/p>\n You have always talked about being a writer. So keep doing it. Even if it means that you haven’t published a novel yet. Or got that memoir going. It’s because your voice deserves to be out in the world.<\/p>\n Or maybe in a parallel universe, you already are a parent. That very different world that I can’t imagine. Thinking of that from this standpoint, I would say without any experience whatsoever except on Instagram reels and the like, it doesn’t matter what people think. It only matters what you do and what you think.<\/p>\n Also why not write about it? And be that annoying person to skewer all those things.<\/p>\n By this point, you’re off the medication, I think? Fingers crossed for no recurrence. But whatever happens, know that you already have everything that you need to take care of it. You got this. As I did.<\/p>\n Dear Jenn of 2015,<\/p>\n Trumps wins. Twice. It’s as bad as it can be. <\/p>\n You don’t need to be a food writer. You can be the creative writer that you want to be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Maybe I should do this one every five years! In 2010, I wrote of clear idealism. In 2011, I wrote of ways to move on. In 2020, I wrote of ways to believe in myself. Future Self. Imagine yourself five … Continue reading
\n
\n