Letter to my 10 year old self

By Lucas Ciechanowski, client, and employee of Endeavour Foundation.

If you had the chance to go back and talk to your 10-year-old self, what would you say? Lucas, who has lived a life different to most, thought about this and whether he would make any changes. His letter is as follows.

Dear Lucas,

There are so many things that could be said to you now, what to do and what not to do to improve in life but there really is not any point because I know you probably would not listen to a single word that is being said to you, because you were set in your ways. Looking back, it is difficult to believe there was once a time when you would refuse to wear underwear because you found them to be one of life’s most uncomfortable inconveniences. It would have been wise for you to have started wearing them at a much earlier age because there are things in life that people just do not need to see.

Primary school was unfortunately spent on your lonesome with wishes of friendships that would make you feel whole. You did not think you were worthy of anyone’s time, and you had spent nights in tears as a result. Eventually though, you fought through those negative feelings by forcing your way out of your shell and realising you don’t have anything to lose, and you were able to find yourself friends who showed you that you can be loved and valued for the person you are.

You knew in your heart that you were destined to be a star, but you were afraid to shine because of your fear of the opinions of others was holding you back. You soon found you were able to let go of that dread through self-acceptance as well as the love that friends and family give you, and you were able move forward with your life. It is only a matter of time before everyone in the world knows your name and sees you for the person you really are rather than the idea that they have of you in their head.

There is so much to be proud. At 10 years of age, you knew in your heart that you were worth more than the opinions of those who thought nothing of you and with each passing day you have continued to prove those doubters wrong. Every now and then, you will have a day more difficult than others with your mind often telling you that you are better off dead and gone but you will continue to move on forward through the hardships in life, again through love and self-acceptance. Eventually, you will realise you are no different to anyone else in life. You might not have become a pizza delivery man or drive a garbage truck like you had once wanted but that is okay because soon enough, you will still be able to look back and smile because you have made it this far. Your writing that you always had confidence in is steadily becoming more noticed, with you now creating content for Endeavour Foundation and you have the company of friends on the weekends, as well as music concerts aplenty.

Life can be best described as a journey that consists of many difficulties, but fortunately, through self-acceptance and love given to you by friends and family, you are well on your way to being the person who you want to be and where in life you want to be. Again, it needs to be said that there is so much to be proud of for all that you have done in life thus far. Keep going.

From you, in the future.