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laurhirs526 submitted a contest entry to
Write a letter or poem to your younger self about why he or she shouldn’t worry about the future 8 months, 3 weeks ago
The Hourglass
Counting down to proms and graduations,
Students running to and fro–
One question plagued my adolescent brain:
How could I continue when there was so much I didn’t know?People told me I was smart,
“Just like her siblings,” they’d say.
But for all my potential and book smarts‐
I was still stuck in my own way.Struggling to embrace myself in the present,
Always trying to appear impressive,
It felt like life was crushing me into the ground,
And so I began to recede without making a sound.I withdrew inward, convinced no one would notice,
To disappear would have been my only wish.
I felt sure the world was swallowing me whole,
And who would really care if I happened to go?How I wish I could put my arms around that 17 year old,
And let her know that she could be bold.
I’d tell her: the things that she worried about
Were not a checklist of choices everyone else had all figured out.Her nerves were valid,
her feelings allowed,
And wanting to love herself
Did not make her “too” proud.I’d hold her until she knew she didn’t have to simply survive,
Until she felt‐ truly felt- that in this life she could thrive.
That even though it seemed that she’d lost her drive,
There were still so many reasons to stay alive.I wish I could give her a key
Some magic word that would fill life with glee.
But I think I would tell her the secret
Isn’t in some lofty work position or college leaflet.That throughout her life it would be
The people around her that would help her feel freed
From the weight of expectations,
Of turning into someone else’s “successful” creation.The people who would see her heart,
Who would champion her softness and art,
Who would be there for the steps between finish and start,
And would help her believe in the path only she could chart.Time wasn’t running out, the world wasn’t ending
But she could start anew to find herself and leave behind pretending
That she had to live her life like anyone else,
Suppressing her true desires like being under a spell.Eventually, she’ll discover a way to break the hourglass
And know that the best moments of life
Are when time stands still,
And you let yourself BE.Voting is closed
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Lauran, I LOVED reading this poem. I can relate to feeling the need to attain a certain level of outward success to be validated by others. I know what it feels like to hold the weight of other people’s expectations and how crushing it can be to your self-esteem. I’m SO glad you’re breaking free from that “hourglass”, creating YOUR version of success, and trusting your path. That takes a lot of bravery so I commend you for taking life by the horns. So few people do.. Wishing you the best on your journey. Please keep sharing your art <3 Juvi
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Juvi! Thank you so much for your kind words, I felt like I was getting a big hug as I read them! I appreciate you seeing where I’m coming from and encouraging me as I work to push ahead on my own path! I wish you all the best on your individual journey as well! 💗 xo, Lauran
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Lauran!!! You are so insanely talented with your words. This is so good and expresses your thoughts so well. I think so many of us, myself included, can relate to the way you felt at 17. I am so glad you are freeing yourself and allowing yourself to just be. You are so wonderful (and talented) just as you are. Thank you for sharing. <3 Lauren
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Thank you so much for your encouragement in my writing!! These challenges have helped encourage me to keep using my voice and finding the purpose. 💗🙏 I feel so seen, and I can hardly express how much that means to me!
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