Unsent Letter #3: Things I Forgot to Say About My 20s to Myself
Twenty years. That’s how long it’s taken to notice the messages I’ve been leaving behind in crayon and torn paper. Not words—but shapes of feeling. The kind that speak when you’re too young to explain and too old to forget. Notes I didn’t write back then—but wish I had...
Dublin :) M.
P.S.
I might finally send this one—because twenty years ago or so :), extended visuals meant doodles in the margins and clip-art with attitude. Let’s call this my practice sketch in letter form.
Notes I Wish I Had at 20
My friends and family hitting 30 made me think about the strange paths I took in my early twenties. If I could go back and whisper a few things to myself—not as advice, just reminders—I’d say:
Draft with visuals #1:
✈️ Travel
You don’t have a ton of responsibilities yet, so go see the world. Travel light. Travel wrong. Get lost. Go where the questions change you.
🎨 Make Things
Don’t wait for permission. Don’t spend every hour working for someone else’s dream. Start building your own—even if it’s crooked and quiet.
📚 Read
Read people. Read pain. Read beauty. Stretch your mind until it aches with someone else's story.
📵 Put Down Your Phone (Back then: Turn Off the TV)
Staring won’t teach you anything. There’s life waiting behind every screen.
🤝 Trust
Even if it costs you. Even if it breaks. Even if you have to let go.
🌿 Build Real Connections
Most people will pass through. A few will stay. You’ll recognize them—they’ll make silence feel full.
⏳ Value Time
Don’t waste it on betrayal, indifference, or delay. Your minutes aren’t infinite. Spend them like they matter.
🥀 Learn How to Lose
Loss isn’t failure—it’s transformation, if you let it be. Honor what you learn from it.
🏁 Learn How to Win
Winning isn’t loud. It’s quiet persistence. Stack the small victories. They’ll carry you.
🌱 Be Patient
You’re a season, not a spark.
Let things take root.
Draft with visuals #2:
1. ✈️ Travel While You Can
You don’t have many strings attached yet. Explore. Go where things feel unfamiliar. Get lost in cities that don’t speak your language. Those moments will shape who you are.
2. 🎨 Make Stuff
Don’t wait for permission. Build the life you want, piece by piece. If you’re dreaming of quitting your job, listen to that voice. Try things. Fail. Try again. Make it yours.
3. 📚 Read
Seriously—books, blogs, poems, weird essays. Read things that mess with your head a little. It’ll stretch your mind in the best ways.
4. 📵 Put Down the Phone
Scrolling won’t help you grow. Look up. Be bored sometimes. That boredom is fertile ground.
5. 🤝 Trust Wisely
Trust people, even if it hurts now and then. You’ll learn. And sometimes, you’ll grow closer to someone just by choosing to believe in them. But pay attention—some doors are better left closed.
6. 💬 Find Real People
You don’t need dozens of friends. You need a few who really see you and show up when it counts. Those are your people. Hold on tight.
7. ⏳ Protect Your Time
Time is precious. Don’t pour it into anyone who doesn’t treat you right. And don’t be casual with others’ time, either. Being late might seem small, but it speaks volumes.
8. 💔 Learn to Lose
You’ll lose things—love, jobs, ideas, people. It’ll sting. But if you let it teach you something, it’ll be worth more than it cost.
9. 🏁 Learn to Win
Wins take time. Start walking toward what you want now, even slowly. Eventually, you’ll look back and realize how far you’ve come.
10. 🌱 Be Patient
You don’t need to have everything figured out. Most people don’t. Keep learning who you are. That’s the real win.
Postscript
No one gets it right at 20. But if you're paying attention, you’ll get better at being yourself. And that's more than enough.
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