I found a letter from you when you were just a wee baby! Sounds like you had the foresight to write a letter to your future self. Great thinking!

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Dear future me,

I am guessing that the years of lived experience have caused you to forget some of the wisdom you had when you were my age.

You knew a lot when you were a baby. I can see that life has separated you from that wisdom, and I am writing to remind you of the deepest wisdom available to you.

1. BABY WISDOM BOMB #1: You can trust yourself.

I came into this world with all the wiring I need to trust myself. I have a self-regulation system that tells me when I am hungry and when I am full. I stop eating when I’m full because I listen to this self-regulation system. It is impossible for me to overeat. 

What happened to you that you lost this trust in yourself? You have an internal compass that will guide you throughout your life. If you listen deeply, your body will give you important signals that will help you eat the right amount, sleep the right amount, get the right amount of movement and exercise, and this same compass will help you put boundaries in the right places with others, learn what you need to, and make sound decisions. Trust yourself.

2. BABY WISDOM BOMB #2: Failure brings you closer to success.

When I learn to walk, I promise you it won’t happen the first time I try. Nope, I’ll fall down many, many, many times. And I’ll get back up and keep trying. One day I will take one step. The next day, two or three. Within a week, I’ll walk across the room. But I trust the process. And I will walk.

It seems you may have forgotten this. You seem to have a fear of failure, of falling down. Remember, failure is part of the process. In fact, it’s the only way you will succeed. Keep trying. You’ve got this.

3. BABY WISDOM BOMB #3: Take time to process and integrate. Full stop.

I sleep 15-18 hours a day, because my brain is forming hundreds of millions of synapses each second that help me process what I’m learning. While I sleep, connections between the right and left hemispheres of my brain are formed. I store memories and categorize information while I sleep.

You need sleep too, and you need white space–time when you aren’t working. Your creativity and emotional resilience are impacted by your sleep. Your ability to form new neural pathways requires you to be well rested and have white space to think and process. You can do this by going for a walk, doing your favorite exercise workout, or lying under a tree watching the clouds. Don’t ignore your need for rest and white space. I promise it will yield returns in creativity, new ideas, and insights.

4. BABY WISDOM BOMB #4: Don’t ignore your needs.

I know when I am hungry, when I am tired, when I have a dirty diaper, and when I need to be held. And I communicate my needs to my parents so they can help me meet them. 

I see you now sometimes ignoring your needs, because your work is so demanding or you think you have to sacrifice your needs for others.

I wouldn’t dream of suffering silently, of not making my needs known. I wouldn’t survive. You won’t either. Remember how to tune into your needs and start meeting them.

5. BABY WISDOM BOMB #5: Guard your concentration at all costs. 

When I focus on something, my brain is lit up with new connections. I can focus on the leaves of the tree, the mobile in my room, or even my own reflection in the mirror for longer than you might think. When I concentrate, I am learning how the world works, increasing my energy and mental capacities, and building self-mastery.

You can concentrate for a much longer period than I can–up to two hours before needing a break. Guard this concentration. Precious circuitry is being formed in your brain. Set up your environment to minimize disruptions. Go deep. Build mastery. 

6. BABY WISDOM BOMB #6: Stay curious.

Curiosity is to me like white is to rice. I am fascinated by the world. My curiosity leads me to explore my surroundings, how relationships work, and how the world works.

Curiosity can be replaced by judgment. Don’t let this happen to you. If it already has, you can remedy it. Remember how to be curious. Stay open to new learning. It is our life-line.

I hope this letter arrives at the perfect time to remind you of the wisdom that has been present with you since the day you were born. It is the deepest wisdom available to you.

Love,

Me