What Letter of Inspiration Would You Write to Your Younger Self?

May 15, 2019 · 32 comments
Lily Elbel (Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC)
There is so much I would want to tell my past self. How to handle new situations I was involved with or different people I had to deal with. Through all of it I would let myself know that she'll make it through. No matter what happens she would push through. Doing the little things in life that make you happy aren't stupid or silly no matter what the other girls said. Life is all about enjoying yourself and others. Doing it your way is the best way to do it as long as nobody else is getting hurt. The things you love are what support you when you are down. If you love it thats all that really matters.
Jihoon Kim (Anyang, ROK)
I would like to say that 'You are the one who could change the life of yourself' I was often frustrated at the situations I was confronting to. And I just blame the 'GOD'for pushing me into the situation. So, I'd like to tell myself that sentence
Jordan (Minnesota)
Dear Jordan, Remember who you are and what you stand for. Always set goals, strive for happiness, and love yourself. Try to remain the optimist that you are but also realize that it´s okay to not be okay sometimes. Love, Jordan
Jordan (Minnesota)
Dear Jordan, Remember who you are and what you want in life. Live for yourself, strive for happiness, and set goals. Uplift others and be kind to yourself as well.
reyzz (california)
I am my this letter because its my job to finish my school you know what im sayin, and that i hope for my young self to do positive things and to keep my head up. (btw i love navereet natt)🤪
z (caruthers)
If I were to give advice to my young self I would tell him to never give up because after all these year it is what's keeping me alive and my head above the water. I also wish I had made more mistake and act like a kid so that way I can learn from my own mistake instead of trying to prevent it. I would try hard on my work and always turn in my assingments. i Would always do my homework so i cant fail.
T (minnesota)
If I were to give advice to my young self I would tell him to never give up because after all these year it is what's keeping me alive and my head above the water. I also wish I had made more mistake and act like a kid so that way I can learn from my own mistake instead of trying to prevent it.
navreet (Jatt life 2K19)
The message i would give me older self would be to If I could write me a letter when I was 10 years old from today. I would have to write to me continue your own way. You try to spend more time on your studies and try to learn English so you will live on U.S.A. on your future. I just give you these lottery numbers and please, bet all your money and share with our family.I would state to the stranger to never do something you would regret. Next, I would say that to do this you have to always do things you believe are right. Obviously, this is impossible. People are bound to regret some of their actions and will feel remorse over it. Nevertheless, I believe that those kinds of events should not happen often. Besides, as long as you keep doing what you believe is correct, then there would be few cases where you actually regret what you did.
T (minnesota)
@navreet i totally agree with you about the learning English because as someone who is an immigrant the struggle of coming to the U.S. without knowing English was hard enough so it would be a good thing for the young me to learn and took English seriously so that way I would't have to struggle.
Francis_2B (YC-CLIP)
If I could write me a letter when I was 10 years old from today. I would have to write to me continue your own way. You try to spend more time on your studies and try to learn English so you will live on U.S.A. on your future. I just give you these lottery numbers and please, bet all your money and share with our family.
Grace Hare (Texas)
To Me, I wish I could tell you that life was easy. I wish I could say that living wouldn't sometimes make you feel like you were simply falling apart, every day, over and over again. But I'm not going to lie to you. The life that you are going to live is going to inevitably be riddled with mistakes, shortcomings and embarrassments, and maybe when they happen it won't seem like the sun will ever shine again. You need to remember who you are. You need to never loose sight of every ambition, and dream, and wish and aspiration and most importantly you need not ever loose sight of the fact, that even though life may seem short, and fleeting, your adventure on this planet is only beginning. The mistakes, shortcomings and embarrassments should never just be painful memories, but instead they should be lessons. And, the most important thing you need to know, is to love living, and never let a lesson leave your life; unlearned. Here's to years of living better than ever before, Your future self
Karolina 2B (YC-CLIP)
If I would write a message to my younger self I would tell her that everything will be good. It does not matter what is happening just keep going and never give up. Everything pass for a reason. I know it is hard but you can do it. You are strong, everything leave but the most important thing that you have is your family and it is enough for you. Value each thing that happens to you and if you fall, get up. Always work hard for your studies and be proud of yourself.
T (minnesota)
@Karolina 2B I totally agree with you what happen but as long as you keep trying and never give up. because when i was younger it was easy for me to give up and not face the consequences. Now that I'm older looking back I wish I had not given up.
June Lee (Glenbrook North High School)
I would state to the stranger to never do something you would regret. Next, I would say that to do this you have to always do things you believe are right. Obviously, this is impossible. People are bound to regret some of their actions and will feel remorse over it. Nevertheless, I believe that those kinds of events should not happen often. Besides, as long as you keep doing what you believe is correct, then there would be few cases where you actually regret what you did.
Sidney Holman (Northbrook, IL)
I think that Mr. McClure wrote the letter because he wanted for someone to remember that anything is possible. He wanted to give the person sitting in that seat a real life example, and not just an example from a famous sports athlete. I think his post exploded because he was trying to spread a message in a really unique way; hence, the letter got so much attention on social media. I do agree that people crave sentimentality no matter who it is or what age they are. I believe that everyone is always trying to have fun, and create memories that will one day become sentimental to them.
Jordan (Minnesota)
@Sidney Holman I agree with your perspective. I believe that that the letter was written as a symbol of hope for anyone who needed it. It´s a good thing that it got so much exposure and most likely touched a lot of lives.
Brandon (Illinois)
If I was the person who found the letter I would have probably done the same thing, however I would have also tried to talk to him after the show. I think its cool that he got to perform in the same house that he got to watch a show in when he was young and shows how life can be so unpredictable. Also talking about unpredictable his family wasn't really into arts at all and he wasn't either until he saw that show. A lot of people like to post positive and negative things online but the true straight from the heart post are the ones people love to see. It shows to them that anything can happen and can motivate people to do things they never thought they would try.
Andy Lee (Northbrook)
I wish my future self had to give me a heads up about this school. I wish you gave me ideas about how to get through this school year; meanwhile, you are probably relaxing on a flying car. I want a letter that shows me that I can do anything instead of giving up already. I wish I had a letter about cherishing memories and, maybe all the answer for the final. I just hope that I could be better in the next future.
Rebecca (Northbrook IL)
A piece of advice that really hit me was yesterday, I was out with my friend who's a junior. And a couple of her friends who are in college told me to enjoy life right, and not to worry about college. I thought they would give me a life lesson on how to always do your homework and to focus on academics. Nevertheless, advice as simple as that would have done my younger self some good. For I was always doing school work , and missing out on activities, but now I've learned to balance the two out.
Brady (G)
The inspirational message I would want to receive is a statement that explains how I can't give up easily and need to work hard. I have periods of time where I am lazy and give up on things easily. This includes during sports when I am in a slump, or even school when my grades are not as good as I want them. My attitude about things that are difficult to me is bad; furthermore, I let my emotions get the best of me in a lot of situations. The harder work I put in, the less I would give up over things. I need my mindset to be stronger, otherwise, I would be supporting the things that I need to work on. Hard work could lead to giving up less, and this is something that can be useful for me. Situations would be a lot easier if I improved my ability to do these two things.
Elizza Moon (Northbrook)
If I had the chance share a letter or advice with a complete stranger I would say to just to be happy. With some people like me someone can give us advice however you might not take it because they are to stubborn. I wouldn't give my younger self any advice but if I did I would just tell her not to do certain things then what I would have no bumps in the road no feelings that I needed to experience in life. Sure there are things I wish I knew but I'm glad that that I didn't know because I got to solve all my issues myself . The point is that there are things I wish I knew Growing up, but I wouldn't be who I am today if I did know certain things.
Jason (northbrook, Illinios)
If I would send an inspirational message to my self it would be a long paragraph on what I should do and what I shouldn't do. But one thing that I would want my younger self to understand is procrastinating is bad; therefore, my younger self wouldn't make that mistake that I make all the time. I would say this to my younger self since I failed a lot of test and quizzes because of procrastination, and if I could go back I would try to fix that mistake.
Emmett Cuncannan (Glenbrook North Highschool)
If I would have been sitting in seat D8 I would have felt excited; however, I would use the note to help my future self. I would have tried to contact Mr. McClure because I feel like he could give me good advice for the future. I would also want to contact him because I think that I could ask him about how he got to where he was today. I have received unexpected advice before and in the past it has been very beneficial. All in all Mr. McClure wrote that letter to inspire the youth to follow their passion.
Kade (Northbrook)
If I was the person sitting in that seat I would be very surprised; however, I think I would still have taken the letter. I think I would contact him to let him know that someone actually received his letter. I think it would be good because it better for him to know that someone has it and that it wasn't pick up up and thrown out. I think that this would inspire me because it was coming for a person who most likely also started at the bottom. Over all I think that this was a good message and could have ended up inspiring some one to go out there and do what they want.
Brianna Kim (Northbrook, Illinois)
What stood out to most about this was how the person sitting in the seat D8 didn't just throw away the note. Instead, they decided to take a picture of it and post it. If I were McClure and checked my phone after a run to see thousands of retweets I would feel like I had made some kind of impact. This would make me feel happy that the seat I sat in had another person who cared enough to read the note and do something with it. This makes me wonder how many other times this has happened in the world without it being known.
James (Yo Mama's House)
There would be so many things that are probably useless to my younger self but at the same time teach big lessons. For instance the answers the a final that hell take years from then. Or just the overall idea of cherishing time. Other than that, nothing that inspirational :)
Radha (Chicago)
The inspirational message I would like to receive right now, quite honestly, is that the numbers that the school is claiming I am worth is really not all I am. After years of being a point on some graph for the school system, students are almost artificial.
Ajit (Yo Mama's House)
If a had chance to write a letter to inspire my younger self I would start it off by outlining everything that will happen to him in the future. This allow him to inspire himself to work hard to ensure that he will do complete the right choices. As an ending sentence I would finish the letter off by don't let the little things affect the larger things in life
Dylan (Carol Stream)
I would want to be told that if I put hard work into something, the result will pay off. I would also tell myself to not base my interests and passions off of other's opinions.
James (bloomingdale)
one thing i would tell people for inspiration is not let negative thoughts get to you, always be positive and have a happy approach to everyone you meet because if you do this everything you do will have a positive impact in your life
Sheck Wes (Wakanda)
If I could give my younger self some advice, I'd go back into 8th grade and tell myself that not everyone in school are bad people, and that being a little more social can go a long way.
Brett (Haley)
If I were writing to my younger self I would suggest to take my education more seriously than I did before.