Letter from my Future Self

Dear Jason,

Great news! In the future, you're still the king of procrastination. This letter comes a month after Hendric and Jac (that's future Hendric and future Jac to you) wrote theirs. Hendric is still travelling the world, just that he has stopped piking. The missus gave him an ultimatum on that! As for Jac, she's currently on a project to convert what you know as the Logistics Hub to her personal walk-in wardrobe. She never stopped shopping.

First of all, you're still alive and even better - you're no longer afraid of death or more specifically, never existing ever again once you're gone. Morbid, I know. You think you'll never get used to the idea that you will never be you again but that's the fun part about being human. One day, you'll rest forever. Till then, you get to be alive! So spectacularly alive. There's much holding you back - fear, responsibility - and you, being you, crave adventure. There's no such thing as the right time. Go after what you want. Granted you're cautious and not that spontaneous, but strike a balance. You're a Libran after all.

Of course, as you make big changes to seek the lifestyle you want, be more prudent with your finances. You'll most certainly get where you need to be some day, just that it'd be great to live on more than oats and fruit daily but then again at my age, steak is too much trouble.

Eat all the steak while you can.

Good food does not whet your appetite as much as good conversation. And you can always count on friends for good conversation. But friendships are a little tricky. You appear easy to get along with. You've no problem getting friends. And then you turn out to be a little tricky to get along with. That costs you friends. You are fond of saying, "The door is closed but not locked." They are welcome to leave whenever they want. Guess that's a pretty good mantra. You could keep it. Those who accept you for who you are, and who know how to deal with your quirky behavior, will stay. They deserve better so treat them better. But if you don't, they're cool.

As for love, you never had a problem with that. (I mean, just look at us.)

Be less superficial.

Don't be afraid to spend more time with people older than you. Stop being intimidated by the fact that you don't know everything. Keep your need to be in control under control.

Think more long-term. Although that seems at odds with the search for adventure. Figure it out.

Be critical of how you spend your time and energy. Figure that out.

What you really want out of life would not be immediately present itself to you. Figure that out too.

You'll have one regret though, and that is not having written more. It doesn't matter if nobody cares, if nobody reads your words, if nobody follows your thoughts. At the end of the day, you will enjoy reading what you've written. It's most valuable thing that you'll own.Writing costs you nothing, except time and guts. There's a certain vulnerability in letting everyone see your thoughts, but it's also your greatest weapon - the ability to share, to inspire, to influence.

Sometimes it feels like work, and sometimes you do it for work. But as they say, do what you like and you'll never have to work a day in your life.


P.S. The Dauntless tattoo still looks as good.