A series, from Jamie in India

Dear Me at 18,

You’ve been so focused and worked so hard to ensure you have the grades for a good scholarship to BYU. You’ve joined clubs, held leadership roles in those clubs and competed in everything you could to fill your portfolio and win that scholarship. So I know how disappointed you were when that disappointing letter arrived.

What you don’t know yet, is using that scholarship to SUU is one of the best things you’ll ever do. There you’ll discover great professors who will inspire you and the types of friends who will stick with you for a lifetime. You’ll walk away at graduation knowing you were exactly where you belonged – even if it wasn’t what you planned.


Dear Me at 25,

I know it’s been hard watching your classmates find jobs in cities or with companies where you were hoping to go. Graduation is just around the corner and you thought by now you’d know what was next in life.

When you agree to that last minute interview trip to Dallas, I know you don’t think much will come of it; and I know Dallas isn’t your dream city. So you are going to be shocked when they offer you the job on the spot.

Go ahead, tell them yes. What you don’t know yet is that you will enjoy life as a Texan and the opportunities that are coming will change your career path and prepare you for something very exciting. So, say yes, pack up and move to Texas – even if it wasn’t what you planned.


Dear Me at 29,

You are nearing the end of what is likely to be the best job you’ll ever have, and luckily, you recognize it and have cherished every single minute. Being a part of the Olympics is something so few people get to experience and to do so at home makes it doubly special.


As you look to the future I know you are worried about settling back into a job in the “regular world.” And I know you are uneasy about moving away from your family again, but what you don’t know yet is that you are going to love Seattle, you’ll feel more at home there than you’ve ever felt before. Your family will love visiting and will do so frequently; best of all you will meet some incredible people who will inspire you – in ways that you could never have planned.


Dear Me at 32,

I know the call came out of the blue; you were happy living live in Seattle with no plans for any moves or career changes. So when the call comes asking you to uproot your life and move to Rio de Janeiro, a place that you’ve never even been tempted to visit, you are, understandably, scared and excited. You’ve always wanted to live and work abroad, but Brazil is an unknown and you are very comfortable where you are.


What you don’t know yet is this change is going to change who you are at a fundamental level. After living and working in Brazil you will view the world and its citizens differently, you will be more compassionate, patient and flexible. Your world will be bigger and your confidence in your skills and abilities will grow in ways you couldn’t have imagined.

Be adventurous, put your condo on the market, quit your job, pack up your life and head to paradise – even if it wasn’t what you had planned.


Dear Me at 35,

Your adventure in Brazil some how morphed into a gig in India, something else you never saw coming. I know you spend a lot of time wondering if you are on track and what should be next on your life’s agenda, marriage, babies etc. I hope today you are finely wise enough to recognize the patterns of life and the lessons you’ve learned along the way.

Let go of your rigid plans- because what you don’t know now is that life has things in store for you that you simply don’t have the power or imagination to dream of today. There is no way the you at 17, who was worried about the college she was going to, could have imagined at 35 you’d be sitting in New Delhi doing a job you can’t even explain to most people. Let go of your preconceived notions of what you or your life should be and enjoy the adventures that come your way – you’ve yet to be disappointed.