I have had conversations with both my younger and my older wiser selves (and a plant on my desk; glad I’m not the only one talks to plants!🪴) but never considered inviting them both to the conversation!
it is honestly SO COOL to get them both in conversation with one another. a very amazing somatic coach taught me this skill and I try to pass it on with every opportunity I get. brb you just reminded me it's time to check in with my plants, ask how everybody's doin.
Oh Erin, thank you so much for writing this! I had a good cry reading it and now I feel ready to see what younger (and older) me might have to say. It’s a comfort to imagine an older, wiser version of myself existing alongside a younger, wilder me. ❤️
Omg. @Alex Dobrenko is right. You have an incredible, quietly exciting, propulsive quality to your writing. I wouldn’t have stopped reading for anything. Bravo.
whoa, this is probably the most unexpected and kindest thing anyone has said about my writing, which I still feel painfully new to. I can't thank you enough. thanks so much for being here and giving me this gift of a comment <3
I'm working on this per my therapist's suggestion, having conversations with my younger self. She is easiest to talk to when I'm allowing myself to play, like when I'm drawing, but she has come up in conversations with friends/my partner, alone while driving or doing something else mindless. For example, I was letting my mind wander about publishing and the fear of being seen, and she came online, unbidden, saying, "Tell me what I said is okay." All of these fears I have held onto were based out of that one belief, that it wasn't okay for her to speak up. Reconnecting with her has been truly wonderful and I sense a feeling of wholeness that I have been missing.
I love this so much. Every time I’ve found myself in a place that didn’t feel right, I’ve ended up realizing that my younger self would’ve known better. If I’d only listened to her!
Grandmother Willow from Pocahontas is the exact energy, literally I have said the words to my therapist many times, that comes to me when I need wisdom and courage to reflect back. This made my feel less alone. Thank you for sharing your heart. <3
ooo Erin, this is so good. to answer your question, I've had so many conversations between my older (current!) self and my tender, younger self. honestly, writing for the past year on Substack has prompted many of these “discussions” with myself. and the result? I feel pretty good about my dreams as a very young Debbie. I wanted to be a writer; that was my singular wish from 2nd grade on. And here I am (with your encouragement)! One caveat: older, wiser me realizes that being a writer is a process; not a fixed goal that you get to. thank you for this wonderful post.
I loved this - thank you Emily for asking the question and thank you Erin for teasing all of this out.
My younger self always wanted to write. She dropped that dream somewhere along the line and now I’m a lawyer. A lawyer who wishes she was drafting books and not contracts. The kid in me showed back up and nudged me to start a Substack. So it’s never too late to show up for that kid.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about letting ourselves off the hook for changing our minds. We are allowed to change. Pivoting can be powerful.
God, yes. we are allowed to change. we are allowed to start listening to that kid in us whenever and however we want. so so SO cool that you are a lawyer who decided to pursue your dream of writing—reminds me of the stellar Isabel Murphy of The Noble Try.
Thank you. This is such good advice. Sit somewhere quiet. Listen. Feel. Integrate. Discover there is room for all of it and all of us, even our dashed hopes and the dreams we still hold. And the poems that want to be written.
ooo I love the thought of looking back on your younger self but truly asking WHY
also I love this line "I was a child, not an imbecile."
I almost cut that line but it made me laugh so I said to heck with it! it stays! thanks for reading maddie <3
yay so glad it stayed!!
I have had conversations with both my younger and my older wiser selves (and a plant on my desk; glad I’m not the only one talks to plants!🪴) but never considered inviting them both to the conversation!
They both are so wise in their own ways.
it is honestly SO COOL to get them both in conversation with one another. a very amazing somatic coach taught me this skill and I try to pass it on with every opportunity I get. brb you just reminded me it's time to check in with my plants, ask how everybody's doin.
Stunning and poignant, as always 🌸 my younger self yearns to be chosen, so I’ve been trying to show her that *I* choose me every day
Oh Erin, thank you so much for writing this! I had a good cry reading it and now I feel ready to see what younger (and older) me might have to say. It’s a comfort to imagine an older, wiser version of myself existing alongside a younger, wilder me. ❤️
thank YOU for being a friend and an inspiration. here's to the older, wiser selves and their sage discernment. they are so, so needed.
Omg. @Alex Dobrenko is right. You have an incredible, quietly exciting, propulsive quality to your writing. I wouldn’t have stopped reading for anything. Bravo.
whoa, this is probably the most unexpected and kindest thing anyone has said about my writing, which I still feel painfully new to. I can't thank you enough. thanks so much for being here and giving me this gift of a comment <3
You earned it! You write with great economy. Can’t wait to read more.
I'm working on this per my therapist's suggestion, having conversations with my younger self. She is easiest to talk to when I'm allowing myself to play, like when I'm drawing, but she has come up in conversations with friends/my partner, alone while driving or doing something else mindless. For example, I was letting my mind wander about publishing and the fear of being seen, and she came online, unbidden, saying, "Tell me what I said is okay." All of these fears I have held onto were based out of that one belief, that it wasn't okay for her to speak up. Reconnecting with her has been truly wonderful and I sense a feeling of wholeness that I have been missing.
I love this so much. Every time I’ve found myself in a place that didn’t feel right, I’ve ended up realizing that my younger self would’ve known better. If I’d only listened to her!
Grandmother Willow from Pocahontas is the exact energy, literally I have said the words to my therapist many times, that comes to me when I need wisdom and courage to reflect back. This made my feel less alone. Thank you for sharing your heart. <3
OMG REALLY?!! Wow I love that we both conjure her. She is so badass and wise and she never steers me wrong. Love this for us.
ooo Erin, this is so good. to answer your question, I've had so many conversations between my older (current!) self and my tender, younger self. honestly, writing for the past year on Substack has prompted many of these “discussions” with myself. and the result? I feel pretty good about my dreams as a very young Debbie. I wanted to be a writer; that was my singular wish from 2nd grade on. And here I am (with your encouragement)! One caveat: older, wiser me realizes that being a writer is a process; not a fixed goal that you get to. thank you for this wonderful post.
I love that very young Debbie is pleased with today's Debbie and her writing! That makes two of us.
I loved this - thank you Emily for asking the question and thank you Erin for teasing all of this out.
My younger self always wanted to write. She dropped that dream somewhere along the line and now I’m a lawyer. A lawyer who wishes she was drafting books and not contracts. The kid in me showed back up and nudged me to start a Substack. So it’s never too late to show up for that kid.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about letting ourselves off the hook for changing our minds. We are allowed to change. Pivoting can be powerful.
God, yes. we are allowed to change. we are allowed to start listening to that kid in us whenever and however we want. so so SO cool that you are a lawyer who decided to pursue your dream of writing—reminds me of the stellar Isabel Murphy of The Noble Try.
I love Isabel's writing! She's definitely inspiring me.
Thank you. This is such good advice. Sit somewhere quiet. Listen. Feel. Integrate. Discover there is room for all of it and all of us, even our dashed hopes and the dreams we still hold. And the poems that want to be written.