Dear Sid,

"We did alright," I'll be real with you; life is for living and enjoying the moment. I don't want you to do things half-heartedly and regret it. You accepted mediocrity because it was easy; plodding along meant you could get by under the radar. But that never helped you. Do you remember the instant regret when your GCSE results came in? The disbelief when you saw your peers getting good grades.

Suddenly you were faced with the dreaded task of repeating. What if you just tapped into that potential? Fear was a factor for most of your young life. It's a shame because you are so great; you had the ability to brighten up the room with your wit and charm. But you were afraid to let people in, in-case they didn't get you or just didn't like you.

Once during P.E, there was a mini-Olympics, and you purposely ran slowly so you wouldn't have to compete with the next person. This was purely the fear of being judged should you lose or even fall over. You knew you could beat that person, but you didn't even try. I want you to banish all negativity and embrace who you are.

People love you for who you are and what you can offer. That transition to becoming an adult was always going to be hard, but there were some memorable moments. Getting that A in your Maths retake, those distinctions in your GNVQ. You took those results and left them there.

CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESSES!

YOU worked hard for them; YOU outperformed most in your class. But the guilt of having to retake made you feel so small. It was what you should have achieved or done in the first place. Every success, no matter how big or small, is worth talking about! Mum and Dad and the bros are proud of you and what you have done. People do care and want to listen.

When the Folks moved to Ghana, it left such a hole in your heart. Your home had been taken away from you. It was a hard transition. Your sense of belonging and security are now on the other side of the world. You weren't ready to accept this and struggled for a long time to talk about it. What helped was having the older bro by your side and amazing friends that you could call upon.

Never feel alone and keep things in; you will come to realize that being open and discussing your feelings is the best way to come out of that dark space. I guess what I am trying to say is that

things ALWAYS work out in the end.

There is no need to stress and doubt yourself. You will travel to many places, experienced different cultures, meet some cool people, and go on to achieve greatness.

Be bold and be brave and never doubt yourself again.

Your older self,

 Sid

I’ve known Sid for a number of years and every time we talk if i’m not laughing we’re having authentic conversations. I’m so excited about his plans and future projects. I can’t say much now 🤐 but what I will say is watch this space!

Dear reader,

We often compare ourselves to others. If you had the chance what would you tell your younger self? - Let us know in the comments section.”

Nate