Letter to My Younger Self by Dr Shweta Jaiswal in the Series Letter to the Younger You

Dear Shweta,

Let me begin with complementing you for the resilient spirit that you already possess. Yes you got it right you are very strong and the belief that you sometimes have in yourself is bang on! You should have more faith in yourself and try to understand that you don’t need anyone’s validation. You have a beautiful soul and you should listen to your inner voice more often to nurture the carer in you. 

More often than not you feel confused and misunderstood, it’s alright. It’s alright if your parents can’t relate to your thought process that doesn’t necessarily make it wrong. It’s alright for you not to connect with your friends in the social life that they feel is fun. You do what feels good to you. You do what makes you happy. Not all teenagers like to party and you are not an aberration if you just want to stay at home and read books. There’s no need for you to conform to the so called parameters of the society you live in. 

You do have the conviction to carve your own path, don’t give up on that. When you feel that you are different from your peer group, respect yourself for that. You need not be ashamed of standing apart from the crowd. Own your personality and take it forward to a higher level. 

I won’t give you any advice as you are not the one to take advices. I would just encourage you to not give up on your dreams for anyone. You just want to make everyone that you love happy but believe that you can put your happiness first also at times. You should pursue your dreams and the people that really love you would understand and respect you for that ultimately. And those who don’t, don’t really matter in the long run. 

Lastly, always remember you are God’s creation and have faith in his divine plans for you. Your connection with the one supreme consciousness is real and you will get the correct guidance. Just seek it when you feel lost or confused.

Lots of love,

The senior you.

About the Author

Dr Shweta Jaiswal is an Intensivist who has now turned into a health care researcher. She has a passion for writing and reading.