Dear Mrs.Shumsky,
When I entered your 4th grade class way back in the fall of 1960 I was the most quiet, shy and insecure little girl. So shy, I never spoke to any adults ever except my parents and grandparents.My teachers leading up to 4th grade were cold and distant and probably did not like me because I was a weak student with very sloppy handwriting. I probably required more attention then other students and that meant more work for prior teachers. But you, Mrs. Shumsky, saw something sweet and vulnerable in me. I think you saw some actual potential because while other children were reading at their desk, you brought me to your desk and quietly tutored me. You helped me write my cursive letters correctly. You helped me improve in math. All this attention made me feel special and hopeful that I could succeed in school. The piece de resistance was being handed the lead role in our class play. I was to be a weeping willow for Arbor Day. This simple gesture made me incredibly happy and gave me the most valuable gift, a hint of confidence. I still had a long way to go but Mrs.Shumsky, you put me on the right road to a more fulfilling, “step out of your comfort zone”, life. Thank you my dear sweet teacher.

Shelley Ann Kalstein
Memories from 1960
P.S.165
Kew Gardens, NYC

Dear Anxiety,

You have been in my life for a very long time. I first met you when I was five or six years old. Even at that age, I thought I needed to be the best athlete, dancer, and student to stand out in the world and reach my larger-than-life dreams. My parents never pushed me, so I am unsure why you entered my life or why I felt so much pressure. But because of you, I had sleepless nights and daily body aches. You had way too much power for a very long time.

Through the years, we have had our ups and downs. Sometimes, you consume me, and other times I have been able to keep you in check. The worst of you appeared in my late teens when a sexual assault led to paralyzing fear and endless stomachaches. I lost 30 pounds all because of you. Terrified about my health, I started to fight back against you. That’s when it hit me. I cause you.

I discovered that you, Anxiety, are the result of my thought process, habits, and attitude. Once I realized I was in control, I started to pay attention to the activities and behaviors that made you less present. Exercise, writing, and conversations with family and friends all helped to stop you from overwhelming my life. The more I engaged in behaviors that helped me, the less you hurt me.

In my 30s now, I recognize that you will probably never entirely disappear from my life. You are probably a part of life. But whether it’s stress from building my company or disappointment from a relationship, I now know how to take power from you. And that’s important because the less power you possess, the more happiness I can feel.

Anxiety, you’re tough, but I am way tougher.

I remember when I was a little girl, about 8 years old I watched a movie with Marilyn Monroe. I thought she was so beautiful and glamorous. I decided I wanted to be an actress. This was the very last career suited for an extremely shy child who never spoke to any adults except her parents. But something about being on stage or in front of a camera excited me. My child’s mind told me I could be someone else on stage and be liberated from my timid personality.

In 4th grade, I tried out for the class play and to my surprise, I got the lead. In high school, I was in chorus and performed in two plays. Amazingly, this shy 17 year old was chosen to play the role of a stripper in the play Gypsy. At first I was terrified to go on stage in a bikini costume in front of 1,000 people, but my high school drama coach insisted it would all be ok and I would be a big hit. When opening night came, I went out on stage as Electra, the stripper. I shook the light bulbs on my body. Well, this was definitely my glass ceiling and I shattered it. I was never shy after that night.

I did not go on to be a great actress, but I did have a 40-year career in pharmaceutical sales, which required me to be very outgoing and confident. Sometimes life prepares you for your future without you even realizing it.

Your life’s events are so pivotal and amazing.

Dear Unsealers,

I remember the exact day I started to dream about my future. It was 1995, a year after the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup. My dad took me to Game 4 of the second round of the postseason. The Rangers were playing the Philadelphia Flyers. New York was down 3-0 in the series, and we went to the game hoping we’d witness the beginning of New York’s comeback. While that didn’t happen, I still had an incredible night. Before the game, my father and I started walking toward our seats in the nosebleeds section when a woman approached us. She was a VP at ABC sports and told us she had an extra ticket in the first row. Then, she asked if I wanted it. Of course, I accepted. Luckily we found another seat nearby for my dad. As I asked this woman about her career, a light bulb went off. I could one day get paid to go to sporting events. My ten-year-old self was sold. That was the moment I decided I wanted to be a sportscaster. From that moment on, I was determined to make my dream happen.

In college, I interned at CBS and ABC in their sports departments. During my junior year, I began working in the NBA’’s broadcasting department before accepting a job as a full-time writer. A year after graduating college, I got my first on-air job, working for MSG Varsity, a high school sports network in New York. Then, I worked as a reporter and anchor for local news stations in Buffalo, NY, and Cleveland, Ohio. From a World Series to the NBA Championship, I had the opportunity to cover some pretty incredible moments as I truly lived my childhood dream.

However, after ten years, I realized I had developed new interests. As a sportscaster, I conducted a lot of interviews and fell in love with the art of storytelling. Meeting people from all walks of life made me more interested in social issues. I wanted to be an advocate and journalist, and after flying all over the country for interviews and meetings, I realized the job I wanted didn’t exist. So, I created it. I started my own company called The Unsealed, a platform that helps us amplify the stories and voices of people with various perspectives. I am genuinely thankful that I achieved my childhood dream because it was my dream that helped me discover my purpose.

With love and hope,

Dear someone who is about to give up,
I have just finished my freshman year of college. I have made many good friends and achieved good grades, and even joined a few clubs. However last summer if you told me that was going to be my freshman year experience I probably would not have believed you. My whole life I have had a speech impediment and for as long as I can remember my biggest fear was speaking to or meeting new people. It terrified me to have to put myself out there because I never knew how people were going to respond. And up until my freshman year of college, I was always able to hide behind my twin sister. Me and her are so close and do everything with each other because of this we had the same friends and I always let her take the lead on making them. When this happened I was always there by association or friends by the association at least I felt like I was. It was not until I was literally forced to go out at and make friends at school without having my sister by my side(we went to different colleges) that I realized I was even capable of this. So trust me I understand firsthand how scary things can be especially if they do not go the way you thought at first. However, I also understand how fear can hold you back and keep you from achieving your goals and dreams. Please do not wait as long as I did to let fear stop me from reaching my accomplishments

Dear Teens,
As a teenager, I too struggled with low self-esteem and insecurities. In high school I would watch other more confident students run for student government, try out for sports teams, cheerleading squad or audition for school plays. I never felt smart enough or athletic enough or even pretty enough to succeed at anything I went for in school. I was a prisoner of my own irrational fears. Then one day my english teacher, who was the drama club supervisor, suggested I try out for the yearly school musical. I was so afraid to go for it even though I secretly would have loved to be on stage. Well I decided to audition and lo and behold I got a part. The really scary thing was I had to play a stripper in the play “Gypsy”. I had to wear a skimpy costume in front of the whole school. I was terrified. Well opening night came. I danced and sang in front of 1000 people. That was the moment I learned that it is important to face your fears, try new experiences and know that its all part of our journey in life. That night I gained a lot of confidence. I suggest, don’t be afraid of the unknown. You will be surprised what you are capable of accomplishing. The sky is the limit!
Shelley

Dear Unsealers,

It’s hard to express how thankful I am for each of you. When I started this company, I was motivated by the idea that my personal experiences coping with sexual violence could inspire others. For me, this company allowed me to turn what was once a deep and dark secret into a superpower. While each of you has supported me on this journey, I am proud to say this company has become less about me and more about all of you.

I have connected with many of you, assisting you in writing your stories and sharing with you the wisdom that others have offered.

While starting any business from scratch (with nearly no startup cash) is incredibly difficult, the myriad ways we’ve deeply impacted people have given me a clear vision and pushed me to march through numerous obstacles every day.

A father whose teenage daughter struggled with a stutter wrote to me, “While teaching Morgan to relearn to talk will always be a challenge, we quickly saw the mental support she needed was far more important…There will never be a magic pill, and we knew that. Then, the Unsealed happened. It provided Morgan with an unbiased platform. It was safe. She found a place to tell her story from her perspective. …. The letter, told from her words, has acted like a coming-out party for Morgan…I am not totally sure Morgan even knows it, but I’ve seen the before and after… She has more confidence than ever to go get the life she wants.”

One of our members who has battled depression and overwhelming grief after losing his mom at a young age just recently posted, “Without The Unsealed, I most likely would be buried in the plot meant for my father, besides my mother. I wouldn’t be doing my best to offer my particular brand of hard work to my job. I wouldn’t be speaking out for the underprivileged. I wouldn’t be taking care of my father as he continues to wage his battle against Carcinoid Cancer. I am eternally grateful that the younger you became who you are in the present moment. ”

And an 18-year-old sexual assault survivor emailed me the following:
“I had mentioned that you were the sixth person I had ever told my story to, and I just wanted to follow up and say thank you for giving me the space to do that. Interestingly enough, I did not tell you my story because you were affected by a similar — and yet very, very different — experience. I told you because the way you instantly conveyed yourself as a strong female role model (but also a total stranger) created what I recognized as a safe space. You have no idea how much it means to me to see women like you… I know nearly nothing about you, but whoever it is that you are, you made me want to tell a seventh and an eighth, and a ninth person about my story… I’m not entirely sure where this sudden willingness to share my story came from, but I attribute it to you because you are the first woman I met face-to-face who used her experiences to drive her passion.”

Sometimes simply reading these testimonials make my stoic personality crack. My eyes well up with tears, and my heart overflows with emotion. I am simply amazed by what we’ve created so far. But I also realize that I am only one person, and the potential impact we can make as a community is far greater than me alone.

That’s why I have decided to add a new element to The Unsealed. Instead of just connecting with me, it’s time for you to write to each other – to be the light for one another. We created a community of pen pals – a safe place for you to express yourself and connect with people, most often strangers, who want to see you win in life. You can add friends/penpals and @ your letters to them in our specific groups, or you can post a letter in one of our groups (divided by topics: mental health, chasing your dreams, women’s empowerment, etc.) and wait and see who from our community responds. You can even start your own group. Also, you can make your letters public to share with the world or private for just our community. It’s up to you. Feel free to repost any contest entries into one of our groups so that people can write you back!

If you would like to be assigned a pen pal, reach out to me at lauren@theunsealed.com. In the meantime, please log in, explore our new interactive community and add me as your first friend/pen pal.

I hope you take part in writing, sharing, reading, and exchanging Unsealed Letters. Your words will not only impact many people on The Unsealed, but your truth will reverberate throughout the world. We as a community have the chance to bring to each other’s lives what you have all already brought to mine: hope, love, and peace.

Thank you all. I love you, and I am forever grateful for all of you! Now, it’s your time to take part in transforming many more secrets into superpowers.

P.S. Click “Write me back” below and write me back about my story, any ideas for the community, or anything else that this letter inspires you to share (You must log in and join the group to respond). I can’t wait to be enlightened by your truth.

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