If you could write a letter to your younger self what would it say? We asked these amazing people in our community to write letters, and were blown away by the love, compassion and humor they shared. Dianne Bondy shares her letter here.
Dearest Dianne,
It’s me, your older self. I LOVE YOU. I want to tell you something important. If everything seems overwhelming, I assure you that childhood is just a phase, a small part of your entire existence. I know it’s tough; you might feel small, awkward, and unseen. But your uniqueness is what makes you special. School is temporary, and it’s okay to feel this way. It’s just a tiny part of your journey.
I know no one looks like you at school or in your friend circle, and it makes you feel ugly. But you are not ugly; you are beautiful. Societal beauty standards are ugly. Authenticity is what makes people beautiful.
People will make fun of and underestimate you based on their insecurity. Kids are cruel. I know school is hard. You will learn later in life your grades don’t reflect your intelligence. You are not stupid. You learn differently. You have a learning limitation that is not yet diagnosed or known. You will overcome it. You will learn to manage it. You will teach yourself. The teacher in 12th grade who told you that you were illiterate will eat those words when you write two best-selling books. Yes, you will become a writer and published author. Yes, you, the one with the bad grades. School is a limiting force for you. You need to get through it.
Ignore the bullies. With all its challenges, high school is just a temporary phase in your life. It is meant to teach you important lessons. One of the most important is to choose your friends carefully, observe how people treat you, and keep your friend circle small and close. Not everyone is for you, and that’s okay as long as you know who you are and what you believe.
Stay true to you. I want you to celebrate your fierce independence, outspoken will, and dedication to justice. These qualities will serve you well in the future. Your independence will help you make bold decisions, being outspoken will give you a voice in important matters, and your dedication to justice will guide you in making fair choices. It feels inconvenient for people around you who want to keep you small. It is because of their insecurity and small ideas of how young women and girls should behave.
One of your most significant challenges will be believing in yourself. Your father will both feed and thrive on your insecurities, not out of malice, but from his unhealed wounds. Your strength threatens him, yet you will be the one to break this cycle of generational pain. You will be the one to chart a new path forward. Stay strong and trust your instincts — you’re exactly where you need to be. Trust the little voice in your head. It’s your higher self moving forward. Ignore the voices that drag you down.
You are brave, strong, and beautiful. You don’t look like everyone else, which makes your beauty unique. Stay true to your dreams, and don’t let anyone shake your confidence. You are brilliant, and one day, the world will know this. You will survive this and flourish.
Believe in the future that awaits you, Dianne. You will be a changemaker, an innovator, a disruptor, a culture shifter. You will build a beautiful family and lead a good life. All this is possible if you trust the process. The challenges you face now will only make you stronger. Your unique qualities and experiences will make you a successful and compassionate individual.
Trust in yourself and the journey you’re on.
Dianne
