I’ve always enjoyed really good time travel movies and books. I often find that adding personal stories to my writing makes it more relatable.
In both the Imperfectly Honest podcast and blog posts, Elizabeth and I are intending to share our past and current, successful and not-so-successful, attempts to be honest with others and, more importantly, ourselves. Our desire is to pass along the lessons we have learned from our own past, current, and future life challenges in the hope that others might identify with them and benefit.
So, just for fun, I’ve leaned into that time travel/personal narrative thing to give my first posts a bit of a twist. “Past Me” (from my early 20’s to today’s mid-60’s) will be writing a letter to “Today Me.” That former self will briefly outline a troubling situation with which she is currently struggling, with a request for some hindsight advice.
Today Me’s response will include whatever wisdom (fingers crossed!) she has accumulated over the subsequent decades, including what road was taken in the past and where it led.
Sometimes, Today Me will reach out to Past Me for advice as well.
The problems and emotions expressed are all real, and each had enough of an impact that these are easily summoned back up in my aging brain.
Quoting a line from a favorite song from the 70’s may also help explain the inspiration involved. “I wish that I knew all I know now, when I was younger.”
If this still sounds confusing, I invite you to take a look at my first attempt below.
Here goes…
Dear Today Me,
I’m 50 now and newly unemployed. The youngest of my kids is leaving for college soon, and the on again/off again romantic relationship I’ve been navigating for the last six years seems to have run its course. I visited Boulder, Colorado, earlier this year and would like to make the leap to move there. With no job, family, or friends within a thousand miles, I’m hesitating. Should I go for it?
Dear Past Me,
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!! Some leaps of faith are worth taking in life.
And, I’m happy to report, you did it and it was one of the best decisions you’ve ever made! It took lots of preparation and planning, and that’s a big part of the lesson here. Before you moved, you started the process to get your Colorado law license and you flew out there a month ahead of the move to find a place to live, which helped you to feel safe and secure when you first arrived. Then you hit the ground running by being open to jobs in both the law and the non-profit sectors. You volunteered all over the place, which introduced you to the area and also connected you with a bunch of great people.
Staying in touch by phone with your family and kids A LOT during this time helped minimize the loneliness, homesickness, and “What have I done?” factor. Frequenting the same nearby grocery stores, coffee shops, and restaurants boosted your familiarity and comfort levels.
To repeat, it WAS a major leap of faith, but you knew in your gut it was the right thing to do.
It led to some of your best life moments and memories, including living next door to Olympic triathletes, working with “Shark Tank” entrepreneurs, and hanging out on the Boulder Flatirons (literally!).
You definitely proved the wisdom of the saying “Look before you leap.”
