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
First I want to say how brave you are. You've been through so much and not only are you still standing, you're still full of love and kindness, don't ever let that go. I know you want friends more than anything in the world. I'm so sorry you don't have that right now, but school isn't your whole life. You will meet the right people when you're able to choose where you are. For now you have to be your own best friend. The more you love yourself, the more you'll find others who truly love you.
You're so good at nourishing yourself with music and books and TV shows that make you feel less alone, that's one half of the self love equation. The other half is how you present yourself when you're out in the world.
You're scared of being yourself because you're being bullied. You've been told to ignore them, so you're trying to fade into the background, but it's not working and the smaller you make yourself the more you lose yourself. Remember, you have inherent worth and just as much right to this world as your bullies. You need to let them know it's not okay for them to treat you like this. This power is within you. You're so good at sticking up for other people, you can do the same for yourself. And tell people you trust how bad it really is and how much it's affecting you. I know you feel like you have no control, but I want you to know that you do have agency. You can choose to communicate your feelings to assert yourself, to not be a victim. If you're open to change, you will find an environment you feel safe in. Your emotions are valuable: embrace them, channel them, scream along to punk, cry at sad films, paint a beautiful sunset, immerse yourself in nature.
It will get better I promise. You will make it better.
The more you love yourself, the more you will find others who truly love you.
Amy was bullied when she was younger and felt alone, especially in school. In this Dear Younger Me, she tells her younger self that she is brave, full of love and kindness and has inherent worth. She says that things will get better. She tells her younger self to stand up for herself, and to tell others how she is feeling.
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 BBC Action Line.
Dear Younger Me: Kit
If you wrote a letter to your younger self, what would it say? This is Kit's letter.
Dear Younger Me: Amanda
If you wrote a letter to your younger self, what would it say? This is Amanda'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.
