What Would You Tell Your 18-Year-Old Self? (The Answer Might Make You Cry)

Someone asked us a question that hit harder than we expected: if you could give your 18-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be? And honestly, I didn't think I'd get this emotional about it.

We went back to who we were at 18. The insecurities, the overthinking, the fear of rejection, the freedom we didn't appreciate until it was gone. One of us even read a letter she wrote to her future self years ago. And hearing those words now, knowing everything we've been through since, it just broke us. This episode is for anyone who's been so focused on what's next that they forgot to look around at what's right in front of them.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The fear that quietly held both of us back for years — and why it had nothing to do with failure and everything to do with something much deeper
• A letter written at 18 that predicted almost everything — and the three things she told herself to never let go of
• The one Japanese phrase that completely reframed how we look at every season of life — and why knowing something will end makes it matter more

Chapters:

00:00 – Welcome Back and Today's Question

02:14 – Who Were We at 18?

05:02 – The Fear of Rejection That Kept Us Small

06:56 – What I'd Tell My 18-Year-Old Self

08:57 – Why the Hard Path Was the Right One

11:19 – Stop Overthinking — It's Not the End of the World

13:23 – We Were All in the Same Chapter Back Then

15:42 – A Feeling Is Just a Feeling and It Will Pass

17:59 – Did Life Turn Out the Way You Planned?

20:22 – The Japanese Phrase That Changed Everything

25:04 – Reading a Letter to My Future Self

29:42 – Keep Three Things: Hope, Faith, and Love

31:49 – Why You Should Write Yourself a Letter

35:09 – What Gets Better With Age

37:00 – What's Brought You the Most Peace in Your Twenties?

40:02 – Letting Go of Control

42:22 – The 2016 Theme Party That Made Us Feel Ancient

44:21 – Final Message: Every Phase of Life Means Something

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Hey guys, welcome back to In Session with Nat and your name has to go first.

SPEAKER_02 0:08

Anyways. Hey guys, welcome back. Today we actually got a really interesting question, and we kind of wanted to base this whole episode off of it. One of you guys asked, if you had one piece of advice to give yourself at 18 years old, what would you give? And we thought that was really interesting. And you know, in order to ask the question, I think it's really important for us to kind of just recognize like who we were at 18, what was happening in our lives at that point, and like where where what did we think life, where where did we think life was gonna take us? So I guess we can start off there. And I would love to ask you, Angela, like where were you at 18 years old? What who were you?

SPEAKER_03 0:53

That's such a good question. And it like, I haven't thought about that in a long time. Like, who was I at 18? Because time went by like that, you know, like all of a sudden I'm 27. That's crazy. Um, but I don't know, at 18, it's funny because I feel like in so many ways for me, I was a lot more like confident about who I was as a person. Really? Not confident as as confident as I am now, but like in between the ages of like 18 to like 24, you know what I mean? I don't know. Like 18, I was just like living life. But at the same time, I feel like I was an overthinker. I was, you know, like any maybe conversation I'd have, I'd like think twice about, like, oh my gosh, like why did I say that or why did I do that? Or why did I, you know? So I did overthink. Um, but yeah, it's funny because at 18 it just like felt like in a way, it was like life was like free and like I wasn't worried about much, and I wasn't like, it didn't have many responsibilities on my shoulders. I was still doing a lot, but it didn't feel like it does now in certain ways. But then at the same time, there were certain like things I would do or say, or things like that that felt like okay, like I don't know, like I was overthinking too much, or I was like in my head about too much, or I was stressing myself out over, you know? Um, so yeah, I feel like that's who I was at 18. That's the kind of that's kind of what I remember from being 18. Yeah. What about you? What would you say? How would you describe yourself at 18?

SPEAKER_02 2:31

And that was a long time ago, but not us calling an age out or anything, but I feel like I I remember that time because at that time, I think what I was struggling with and and like who I was, it's like I same. There was a lot less responsibility and it felt more free. I think I just was more insecure in my own skin. I was very like, I don't want to, I don't know how to be like everybody else. Or like, I guess I was just trying to fit in and trying to find a way to like not necessarily like like find friends or do this. Like I had friends. It's just, I think I was I was trying to not be invisible, if that makes sense. I think that was an insecurity of mine when I was younger, because I was always like the shy girl at school, and I was always just you know, slow to speak. And I think like how that translated in my life, it just felt like I was always invisible. And I think I grew up with that insecurity. And at 18, I think it's just like I was like, okay, no, I wanna like I want to be seen. I want to be validated, I want to be like, I want what the other girls are doing. Like I wanna, I want the cute boy to like me. I want this. So that's where I was at 18. And I don't, it was a fun time, but I don't think fondly of myself at that age, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 4:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:03

No, that makes a lot of sense. So would you say when, you know, like you knew that you were kind you you were like that. You were the shy kid, you were the, you know, quiet, which I honestly I was too. But what I'm hearing is that you weren't okay with it at the time. You were like, no, I need to like break out of this. I need to like shine in a way, I need to, you know.

SPEAKER_02 4:26

Yeah. Like I always felt invisible, but I never knew how to like gain that attention. But then it's like anytime like I'd get a little bit of attention, like to me, that was like the driving force of like, okay, like I got that attention. I need more of this, but I don't know how to do it. And then another part of it is I was very like anxious or or scared to go after things or or do what I want to do because I I never wanted to disappoint myself or feel disappointed. It was just okay for me to be like unsure than to feel disappointed. Oh I don't know how to explain that, but that's that makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 5:19

Would you say it was more of like the fear of disappointing yourself or like the fear of not pleasing other people? I think it's the fear of rejection.

SPEAKER_02 5:27

Oh I didn't want to be rejected by the world, by life, by people. I never wanted rejection. So I felt like I never put myself out there enough in order to feel in order to like even take a chance on anything. Like I just never put myself out there. Yeah. And so I think a lot of that part of my life, I I feel like I wish I experienced more in order to grow more into and and become more confident in my skin, where I restricted myself a lot.

SPEAKER_03 6:03

I see. So then that takes me to the question of if you would and could go back to your 18-year-old self and like tell her, you know, this or something else. Like, would you, you know, like what would you say?

SPEAKER_02 6:19

That's a really hard question, but I feel like I have the answer. I just I feel like I would tell her that the rest of your life is going to be a hard path. The rest of your life, you are going to fail a million times. You are going to be rejected a thousand times. You are going to go through things you never thought you'd go through, and you're going to come to terms with a lot of things you never thought would happen. And it's going to be hard, but it's going to be so much more worth it to go through because you are sitting here today having a voice to help other people. And you learn that through all your hardships. You learn that through every experience that came to you. And when you were scared and you had to go through it, it made you realize like you were a person who was able to go through hard things. And you're going to come out of that feeling so much more confident in yourself that you allowed yourself to sit here and speak your truth rather than hiding and running and not taking chances and not and feeling disappointed that you never did. So I I guess I would tell her that. Choose the hard path because the reward is that you're gonna find yourself and you're gonna build yourself and it's going to feel so much better.

SPEAKER_00 8:14

That's beautiful, man. That's so beautiful.

SPEAKER_03 8:18

And like, and like that everything that you experienced and went through, it was for a reason. And now you can see that reason. Now you understand it. Yeah. It's like that thing, you know, when like you go through really tough times, you don't really understand what it's happening for. Like you don't understand the point of like, it's always like, why does why did that have to happen? You know? But then like now down the line, you're like, wait, like, yeah, I can understand what it was all for. It makes sense now. Yeah, it happened to get me to this point in life. And without those experiences and those lessons that I learned, I wouldn't know what I know now, you know? Yeah. I think that's beautiful. I think she'd be very proud of you.

SPEAKER_02 8:57

Thanks, and I think you should be proud of you too. What would you tell yourself?

SPEAKER_03 9:03

My 18-year-old self. Oh, and and and um, you know, I I don't know how many people can relate to this, you know, and maybe it was just like my experience at 18. Um of the main things I would want to I would want to say is that at 18, I feel like everything kind of feels like it's the end of the world, right? Everything you say, every decision you make, every way that you act, it all feels like it's going to be life-altering. Like it's going to ruin your life, you know. And nine times out of ten, that's just not the case. You know, in the moment it feels so overwhelming and it feels so um powerful, like the things that you're going through, and and they hold so much power over you. And then you get to the point in life that I'm at now where you look back and you're like, I don't even remember half the things I was so worried about, half the things that felt so horrible at the time, you know. They f I I was wasting so much energy and stress and nights over that they really didn't matter, you know. Um and I unless they're life-altering things, like truly life-altering things, I would tell myself to just stop overthinking. Just don't overthink it, you know? That's one. I think that's a big thing. Another big thing that I don't think I appreciated enough when I was 18 was the lack of responsibility and freedom that I felt. Um, and again, everybody has a different situation, but for me, it wasn't like the next step was was gonna be the end all be all. If you know I make this decision now at 27 versus 18, that might be a little different. I have a little more responsibility on my shoulder. It might affect me in other ways. But at 18, that wasn't the case. And it's just like, oh my gosh, 18 was so fun. Like we'd like spend every night at each other's houses, like chilling, playing canesta, even studying together was fun. We would be able to study together, anything, anything. Like I was like out and about all the time, you know. I still worked, I still was in school, I was still doing all the things, but I was still able to like see my friends and like live life and like just be 18 and not having to worry about anything else. And I think I realized it at the time, like, oh, this is such a fun time in my life, but I don't think I appreciated the the present enough. Yeah, if that makes sense, you know, because then now you're like I'm at 27 and I'm like, wow, like when did that stop? Yeah, you know? And it just like it's over before you know it, you know. That part of your life. Don't get me wrong, like it's still like we get to like see each other and and do things, you know, but it's just it's not the same as it was.

SPEAKER_02 12:24

It's not that time was so freeing, so special. Special. And like, oh, if you're an 18-year-old out there, you're in that time in your life where you need to enjoy every moment of it because when you grow up, yeah, we're not gonna get that anymore. No, it's gonna it feels like how many times do we get to see our friends and we get to get together actually? Like it's rare in a blue moon because life is just chaotic. We're all like in our jobs, in in our responsibilities, in different stages of life. We're at 18 we're all in the same chapter. Exactly. And the chapter is just like it's it's hopeful. It was a hopeful time in life where you're just like looking out into the beyond, and you're like, Where, like, where do we go from here? The world is our oyster, and we get to choose whatever we want to do, and like where do we go? And you go with it together with your friends, and you're enjoying the moments of being in your youth and having fun. Ugh, I think I want to go back.

SPEAKER_03 13:29

I know I'm like feeling very nostalgic now, like thinking about all the memories, but like I think that is the biggest thing. What you just said is like so important because that's what it is. At 18, we were all in the same phase of life. And then the older you get, the more it gets confusing, right? Like some of your friends are still studying, some are, you know, married, some have kids, some, you know, like it's just things change and naturally that's just how life goes. But again, I don't think like we or I appreciate it enough of enjoying the present. So I would say stop worrying about tomorrow. Tomorrow is always gonna come, but the now is never gonna come again. I love that. The now is temporary, you know, the moment living in that present time. You're not gonna get that back, you know. And so that's like my biggest thing that I wish I could go back and tell myself, like, really, really appreciate right now. Yeah, you know, this freedom that you have, the the sense of like, okay, so if I make this decision, it's not the end of the world. You know, like remember that it is not the end of the world because it's not, it's not, it really isn't.

SPEAKER_02 14:43

I think at 18 we all do think that. Where it's like, oh my god, like this is going to ruin my life forever. It's not. Yeah, it's not. Your life is going to go through so many things, and whatever happened in that particular time in life, you won't even remember it.

SPEAKER_03 15:00

No, like a year from now, it's it's not it's not gonna be something you remember.

SPEAKER_02 15:04

I don't remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday. Like literally, that's that's how much we grow and evolve. Like we are just constantly moving, and I think we said it in the last episode a moment is a moment and a feeling is a feeling, and feelings are fleeting. So just like whatever you're feeling in that moment, it's gonna go and it's gonna pass. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 15:27

Don't speed up life faster than it's already speeding in your life. Like you have the rest of your life to worry about these responsibilities, and they're gonna come whether you like it or not. So don't force them to come now, you know? Yeah. And so I think that's something that we all tend to forget. And again, people are at different phases in life, you know. I'm just speaking from my experience at 18, but someone else at 18 could be going through something else that it's like it doesn't feel as um easy to say the decision I'm gonna make right now is not gonna alter my life. Because for them, it might, you know, for the situation that they're in. So, you know, take what we say and and try to apply it if you want in the best way that you can for your life and your experience. But I just say to all the 18-year-olds out there, like, just have fun. Just have fun, just have so much fun, you know. Life comes, worry comes, responsibilities come, and it can just get crazier from there, and you're just never gonna get this time back. So, really, really live it.

SPEAKER_02 16:30

Yeah. Did you at 18 have an idea of what your life would look like now?

SPEAKER_03 16:36

I did. Is it true? No.

SPEAKER_04 16:39

Did the idea come to life? No. What did you think would happen?

SPEAKER_03 16:45

Oh gosh. So 18. Well, I I've the one thing I was sure of, and I knew, and I always say this: the only thing in life that I was like pretty positive about was that I wanted to be a therapist, which is crazy. I don't know why, but it's just like that's how that's what I always knew. Everything else I guessed from my life, right? I was like, okay, you're 18. By like 23 at most, you're gonna like get engaged. I was literally being engaged for a couple years, get married at 23, have a kid by 26. Like, that is the way like we planned our life, and like by the years.

SPEAKER_04 17:24

Obviously, nine years later. None of that is the case.

SPEAKER_03 17:30

Um, but it doesn't mean that it was bad. It's bad now because it wasn't the way I expected it to turn out. You know what I mean? Um, I'm a therapist, yes. I'm not married. Um, I don't have kids. Um, but with that being said, I'm very happy in life. I'm very content in life. Like I'm very focused right now on like, you know, work and like this, and like that brings me joy and that brings me contentment. So um, yeah, I don't know. Like, I definitely had like expectations for where I thought I would be by now. But again, just because it didn't happen the way I thought it would doesn't make it bad or wrong or mean that I feel like right now I'm not fulfilled in life because I am in different ways.

SPEAKER_02 18:20

I love that. And I I feel like the same advice you would give your 18-year-old self, I think applies to you this time right now, because every moment and every phase of life deserves the appreciation because maybe 10 years down the line we look back and like this was the time.

SPEAKER_03 18:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 18:40

This was the time. And that's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_03 18:42

I already know it. I already know. 10 years down the line, we're gonna look back and be like, man, I wish I appreciated appreciated like when I was 27.

SPEAKER_02 18:50

Like you're gonna have like five kids later in the future, and then you're gonna be like, they're gonna be screaming in your face, and you're gonna be like, oh man, I wish when we sat down and had incession with that and ange in peace.

SPEAKER_04 19:01

Oh wait, now I'm gonna cry because it's gonna be over one day.

SPEAKER_03 19:04

But yeah, like everything is temporary. Oh my gosh, it's like tattoo. Oh my gosh. Wow. The tattoo. You're a tattoo in Japan, yeah. Oh, yes. So in Japan, um, I found this phrase, and it's funny because do you know Sienna? I don't know how you say her name. She's a singer. Sienna Simpo, Simpo, something like that. Um, amazing singer, beautiful voice. Anyway, what are the odds? Christy sent me the TikTok the other day, and I had Saw on my on my TikTok. Um, so when I was in Japan, I um found this phrase, okay, that really, really like I don't know. I I just fell in love with the phrase. Um I and the Google way of saying it is, um, or what the translation was is um everything ends. It's it's called mono no-aware, is how you say it. I don't think I'm saying it right, um, but that's how I pronounce it. Mono no aware. And it basically means that everything ends, and because it does, it matters more. Another way I heard Sienna say it, and she has a song titled that on her album. It's a beautiful song, so give it a listen if you if you can. Um and it's basically the it's also a way of saying it's the gentle sadness of knowing that everything ends um and everything is temporary. And so appreciating the beauty of it more because it's all fleeing, you know, and it's all gonna go one day. So just appreciating the temporary things of things. So right now, when we were talking about like in session one day down the 10 years later, and we look back at this time and we're like, oh, when we were able to do in session, it's like, yeah, this is gonna be temporary.

SPEAKER_02 20:56

Everything is, everything is, you know.

SPEAKER_03 20:59

But like when you're aware of that and you realize that it is temporary, it really does make you appreciate like taking in this stuff more, you know, like this isn't gonna last forever. And it's sad, but it's also beautiful knowing that because you get to appreciate it.

SPEAKER_02 21:13

That's the same meaning my dot tattoo has. Same meaning my period on my shoulder.

SPEAKER_04 21:21

Everything ends. Everything has a meaning for tattoo until she heard about this phrase. Now that's the meaning of the dot meaning. And it makes sense. It makes sense. It actually does. It's a period. They know about it. I don't think they they know.

SPEAKER_02 21:35

They don't need to know, but it's a period. It's a period. You know, there's a period at every every sentence. So really, really take it all in. Enjoy that moment, enjoy that sentence. Beautiful enough. Write it, beautiful, and don't worry about it. It's it's gonna end. Please.

SPEAKER_03 21:52

But anyways, not to get into our tattoos right now. What did you think adulthood was gonna be like? Like what What did did you have expectations for you know your age now that you know you thought about when you were 18?

SPEAKER_02 22:07

And I mean I kind of thought the same thing as you. I was like, oh, I'm definitely gonna be married. You are definitely gonna be I did I did think I was like, I'm gonna be a therapist one day. Um I don't know. Like I thought adulthood would make me I think I I thought more about how adulthood would make me feel rather than like what adulthood looked like. Oh does that make sense? Yeah, really insightful as an 18-year-old. Okay, tell me more. Like, I think I just had a lot of hope for myself that I would grow because I was aware at 18 that I was not fully developed. That makes sense. That makes sense. I actually I wrote myself um a letter to myself later in the future, and I actually really wanted to. 18? It was like around that age. It was like my like 18 to 20. Yeah, um, like I don't know, it was like 2019 I wrote it. I think it was like 2019, and so I'm I'm gonna read it just because I thought it was cute. But I love yeah, I just like this is just how my mind was working with it. I'm so excited to hear. Yeah, okay. So here is how it starts. Dear Nat, as I write this to you, I find myself struggling with the thought of you because in this era of your life, you really don't know what you want. Your mind is still exploring everything, and you're worried that you aren't going to be able to commit to a particular path. But I hope this isn't the case for you. I hope you've experienced so much of life in the best ways possible, and I hope you grew wiser from every experience. My biggest wish is that you are doing something right now that is going to help someone else's life. As for your life, I hope you've made some of those amazing life stories you always talked about, and that you'll be able to participate in more stories with a husband and kids by your side. I hope that you are now more confident and developed with your talents, and that you have found ways to share them with the world. May you forever be open-minded and excited to learn. You'll be strong, intelligent, and fearless, but you will always remain a good person with good intentions. A fear you once had was loneliness. Yet ironically, you always sought out moments of silence to understand yourself. You fear love, but you desire it. You fear yourself, yet you know there is no limit in your capabilities and strengths. But you fear anyway, because you always thought that it's easier to be unsure than disappointed. I hope in the future you don't fear any of these anymore. I wish you a full house of people that surround you with love and who always uplift your self-worth. May disappointment be a feeling you rarely ever feel because I hope at this point in your life you'll know how to go after what you want. I pray that you never stop dreaming and never let anyone convince you that the sky is the limit because you've always believed the sky is infinite. That was the new letter. I really liked it. I was like, oh my god, what the heck was I going through like 18 to 20?

SPEAKER_04 25:19

Oh my gosh. That was beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 25:22

Oh. It was, I cried myself to sleep reading this. I was like, wow.

unknown 25:28

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 25:29

Little me. Oh, yeah. How did it feel like reading that? It felt like God is real, to be honest with you, because that's I was like, my whole life, I've been obedient in my faith, and I've been like strong in that God is watching out over me, and that I am a manifester of my own life. Like I've always believed that, and I will always believe that. And so, like seeing it and seeing how everything I ever imagined happened in its time and is happening in the time I am in is a crazy wild thing to me. And it's just like I I hoped more for my for my growth than I hoped more for what what would happen. And I think that led me to a much better place. If that makes any sense. Like I just I feel like I found my confidence, and because I found my confidence, I was able to accomplish and and go after what I wanted.

SPEAKER_01 26:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:44

And how I found my voice to be able to even do this. Dude, like I'm not a tal I don't talk. To be on a podcast You don't talk?

SPEAKER_01 26:54

No.

SPEAKER_02 26:54

But I'm seriously kidding. I grew up very silent. Like, I'm like, I don't need to share my opinion because I didn't feel like it was worth anything. And to feel like to be sitting here and to be a therapist and feeling like I can advise people to to live better lives or make better choices is like such a such a testament in itself where it's just like, man, like you, you really experience so much and you're you've been put in this position because you were worthy enough to give other people a lending hand. Like that's that's a big deal. I don't know. And it's just like I found that in myself. And I keep finding it. It's not like I I have it and it's there. It's just like that's that's the beauty of life. You're it goes up and down, up and down. And when you find it, you're like, yes, you're on a high, and then something happens and you're back down and you're confident, and then you have to experience more of life to really build it up again and be like, okay, I remember now this is how it goes. Let me pick up my cross and walk. That's so beautiful.

SPEAKER_03 28:01

Yeah, I'm proud of you. Thanks. I'm proud of you. Thanks. So if you could like answer her, like answer your 18-year-old self and like reassure her, tell her of anything that you'd want that you'd want her to know from like based off of what she asked or she hoped for you, what would you say to her?

SPEAKER_02 28:20

Oh, that's hard. What would I tell her? I would tell her keep three things in your life. And those three things are your delusional hope. One, that's one. Your your faith in God and yourself because those get you through the hard times. And the last thing I would tell her never give up on love. Never give up on love of yourself, love of other people, and just love of life because it's so worth it. And it's so to feel love is better to not feel anything. Just having it is just so worth it. So I would I would tell her those three things.

SPEAKER_04 29:10

I would say Wow, that's so beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 29:16

Just keep those three things and you're good. Yeah, yeah. What would you tell yourself? And just like it full and cry, Louise.

SPEAKER_04 29:26

I need a tissue. I don't know how we don't have a box of tissues in here from the amount of times we cry on this podcast. I'm surprised.

SPEAKER_02 29:36

Yeah, I'm surprised you haven't cried too. I know. I'm like, I I told you I cried enough today. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:43

You got all the tears out. Yeah. Now it's my tears. Yeah. Ugh, that's beautiful. I think where the emotions are coming from are, you know, you're reminding me of some of those fears that my 18-year-old self had, and I can relate to so much of it, you know. And then like the difference between then and now, and like, I don't know, like I related to so much of it. Like the the I would have never imagined if I told my 18-year-old self, like, you're gonna start a podcast with Nat, and you guys are gonna just like talk in front of a camera, I would genuinely think I've lost my mind. Like, there is no way. So it's just like it is like you reflect, you know, and I think it's like as you were speaking, all that stuff was coming back to me. Like those fears that I also had, those, you know, feel and then also just like I'm just so proud of like you and like us, and like how you know, we're we're how far we've come. And it's just like sometimes like when like I don't know, I don't know. Sometimes you feel like you're not doing enough, you know, in life. Then you look back and you're like, no, wait, like I've grown so much and I've you know. So yeah, that is so that's where the emotions are coming from. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:03

Like to just take a second and reflect. Yeah, like even though you might think like, oh, I didn't do anything, you probably did a lot. That's why letters like this are so beautiful.

SPEAKER_03 31:12

Yeah, maybe guys, like write yourself a letter to the future.

SPEAKER_02 31:16

Dude, seriously, I want to start that. Like even with George and like all of it, like just every year we write of maybe not every year, but every five years.

SPEAKER_03 31:25

This is our this is what we hope for. Yeah. I think that's beautiful because you really can just look back and like see how far you've come and what's you know, how you've changed, how you've grown as an individual, as a couple, like all of it. I love it. I love it too.

SPEAKER_02 31:40

Have you ever written yourself a letter?

SPEAKER_03 31:42

I have, I think they made us do it in grad school. They um told us to do it for us. Was it I think it was the beginning of the program, and then we got them back at the end of the program. But I also feel like we did it our last year, like the last couple months, and they were supposed to like mail them to us. I don't know, I don't think I ever got that letter. But yes, I did, but I don't I don't remember um like ever like reading it back or like yeah looking back at it, you know.

SPEAKER_02 32:16

Yeah, oh I I love reading back like letters I wrote to myself, or just like that'd be just reflecting. Sometimes like you can even just look at a photograph and just be like, man, like who who was she at that time? Yeah, where was she? What was going through her mind exactly? Or like videos or anything.

SPEAKER_03 32:34

The only thing I've ever found from myself was I found like a little diary I had when I was like eight years old. And it's like the funniest, cutest little entries. It was like a more like a prayer journal. It wasn't like a diary, but I was like praying to God as I was writing.

SPEAKER_04 32:52

I'm like, dear God, like um, oh my god, the funny, like, please help my mom because her teeth really, really hurt. Like, and please also make sure I get A's and B's. And please, like, please let my mom go to the dentist because she doesn't want to go to the dentist. Like, things like that. They're so freaking cute. What are the odds my mom just texted me out? I need to go to the dentist. Literally, go to the dentist's mom, it's a sign. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:16

But yeah, no, I would love to do things like that. And I think that's even like from year to year, it's kind of like New Year's resolutions in a way, when you like start the year, you know, with your hopes for yourself and whatever for yourself, and then you look back at it at the end of the year. But I feel like it'd be fun to do in a letter format, you know, of like this is what I want for you this year, you know. I, you know, this is how you're feeling now. Like, I hope by the end of the year you've you're feeling this. I hope you've learned this.

SPEAKER_02 33:42

Like New Year's resolutions, yeah, but in like a letter. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:46

And doesn't have to be like, oh, do this, go to the gym, go eat healthy, blah, blah, blah. No, but it can be like, you know, like this is what I hope for you.

SPEAKER_02 33:54

I like those so much more than like like actual goals for you have for yourself. Obviously, you can have those, but like, I don't know, just like being hopeful always sets up a great year for me because it's like, no, I'm just gonna live myself that everything will work itself out and it's time. Like, yeah, that's why that's why I think hope, faith, and love are so big because they keep you going and they push you to endure the trying times and the hard times. And that's essentially what makes you who you are. I agree.

SPEAKER_03 34:25

I totally agree. Um, question what would you say is one thing that gets better with age that no one really talks about? You know, like the older you get, the better it gets.

SPEAKER_04 34:45

Let's give them some sort of hope, please, for the future.

SPEAKER_02 34:50

Oh god, one thing that gets better with age, I I would honestly just say your confidence. Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. Yeah, like I yeah, I think your confidence, like you're more responsible. You have more responsibilities to take care of. And I feel like because you have those responsibilities and because you've probably experienced more of life, you know that you know, you you can you can do hard things. And I think essentially that's what it is. Like you grow more confident in your ability to be in society. Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_03 35:28

And I think also like uh making decisions, you know, you're more confident in making certain decisions of like um so many things of of you know, your next steps, of the next conversation you're gonna have, you're more confident and you you think more before you do, you know. 100%. Like you're not as impulsive as you used to be, you know, and I think like that gets better with age of that, like taking your time and and and and really thinking about certain things before you do them, and it saves you so much stress.

SPEAKER_02 36:03

For sure. I actually have another question, and I I love I love this one. What has brought you um the most peace like in your 20s? Like after 18 till now, what has brought you peace and what has gotten you through all of all of your days? I feel like this is a rapid fire question at this point. Yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_03 36:35

This is the segment, guys, we're in rapid fire. Rapid fire. I don't think it's gonna be rapid because it's gonna take me forever to come up with an answer. No, I think that okay, I think that the beginning of my 20s were very confusing. This is where I mean I felt like less confident than I was at 18, you know. Um, I feel like they were very, very confusing because you know I I was uncertain about so many things, right? And then life started changing so suddenly with myself and everyone around me. Yeah. So I just was like confused all the time. And then towards like the mid now, like later, I don't want to say end of my 20s, but end of my 20s. Don't say it like that. Um, I think what's brought in me peace is knowing that I know it sounds so cliche, but I will be okay. Because in times in the past where I thought I wasn't going to be, and I didn't know where what life was gonna look like, and then now I'm like, look at you, you're fine, you know. So it's just like knowing that that's just gonna happen again and again and again and again. Like I'm gonna have moments where I feel uncertain of things, but then it's just it's gonna work itself out. And again, it sounds so cliche, and I wish I had a better answer than that, but it really is, and that my faith, like I know, I know God has a plan for me, you know, and so I trust him wholeheartedly and I want whatever he wants for me. And so once I kind of surrendered like that control of my life and I put it in his hands, it brought me so much peace, you know, of like knowing like I I I don't want to control it and I don't have to control it, and I can't control it. There are so many things I was so worried about before that I can't control. So I don't want to stress any anymore over it, you know.

unknown 38:30

I love that.

SPEAKER_03 38:30

And knowing how much I've learned in my 20s, where you know, and I genuinely say I hear this all the time, and I know I know it that 30s are like some of the best times in your life because your 20s are so confusing and it's they're lessons after lessons after lessons, but then you you get to like this stage now in your 20s where you're like I'm I'm more sure of things, of who I am as a person, you know, of what I want, of what I allow and what I don't allow in my life. Like, so I think that's brought me peace. Everything I've learned, surrendering to God, and just like letting go.

SPEAKER_02 39:10

That is perfectly said. I love that, really. Dude, that was like a blabber. What about you? You honestly took everything I would have said, exactly what you just said. Like every everything will pass, surrendering to God, letting go and letting him guide, and just not learning how to like release control, because I think that's that should be a podcast episode, how to like let go of control and just be like love to do that. Okay, you know, let's surrender. Let's surrender because life is gonna move how it's gonna move, and you're gonna you're all you need to know is how to get through it.

SPEAKER_03 39:52

Yeah, and even if it's not like religion-based, you know. Yeah, even if it's not religion-based, you know, but there I you know, I really, really uh understanding what's within versus outside of your control is for me has been such a life-changing perspective.

SPEAKER_02 40:09

It's my favorite perspective because it's changing. I realize like there are really are things you you can't control it. I can't control what you say or what you do or how you act, but I can control what I do and what I say and how I act. And I it it's my responsibility at the end of the day to know what my choices are gonna are gonna get me. So I need to know how to make those choices for myself, and that is my control, that is how I move and operate. So that's a great episode. Let comment down below if you guys want control.

SPEAKER_03 40:48

Let us know for real. But yeah, I think um to the 18-year-olds out there, I just like, oh man, I wish I could go back sometime. I'm just like, wow, what a time, you know? And but then at the same time, I feel like again, this doesn't have to go for everyone. Maybe I'm just like lucky enough that I feel like I got to experience what I did at 18. Me too. And I was privileged enough to not have to worry about much, and I was privileged enough to like be able to like live my best life and like not worry about the whatever it was to come, you know. Um yeah, just like I have such a good time in life, dude.

SPEAKER_02 41:28

You know what? I just reminded of you know the 16-year-olds who are having like theme parties now? They had one that was themed 2016. No. When I tell you, it's such a cute theme, guys.

SPEAKER_04 41:40

It's not we're not we're not making fun of it. I hope you don't know that. But it just made us feel so old, dude.

SPEAKER_02 41:46

I was like, that's 10 years ago. Oh my god, like we used to dress like that. When I tell you there were people that came with the double Dutch braids, the flannel around the waist, and then the halter tops that I still wear, and the big hoop earrings and the buttons. Literally, I was told that, like, oh my gosh, we were so inspired back when you used to be our Friday school teacher, like this was the inspo for the thing, and then you went on our Facebook to see what we dressed like. And I was like, Oh my gosh, what an era, what an era, but just being there, I was like, man, what a time.

SPEAKER_03 42:23

That's crazy. What a time to know, like I was 17 in 2016, and these kids were like what three?

SPEAKER_04 42:30

Yeah, to know to think we were in costume back then, that's so crazy. Like we had a certain look to us, that's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 42:40

Oh my gosh. And like the I don't know why 2016 makes me think specifically of um chokers. That they were wearing the chokers, I'm sure. And then the dog filters, like on the dog filters.

SPEAKER_04 42:54

I was like, Yeah, that's so 2016.

SPEAKER_02 42:56

Oh my god, yeah, yeah. But it was definitely like it felt like a blast to the past, and I was just like, man, that's that's where I was like sitting, and I was like, wow, what a time it was to be 18, living in 2016 with all that music, and oh dude, I just remember the kickbacks, the kickbacks, going to the concerts, all the music was just amazing. And I'm sure you guys are thinking the same thing of where you're at, but like just thinking about it is like, oh, what a time. Enjoy it.

SPEAKER_03 43:29

It really does go by so quickly. That's the thing. It's just like I don't know how or when it kind of ended, but it just did one day. It did, you know? It came all of a sudden, yeah. And it's like there wasn't, I didn't feel that like I don't remember it being that slow transition. I don't know if if for you you remembered it being like that, but I feel like just one day I realized like, oh, we don't have that privilege anymore. Like, oh, I have to keep saying no to like seeing my friends because I have to like really focus on my career right now. I have to like all that, and it was just like, huh. Like, when did all that change?

SPEAKER_00 44:04

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:05

So enjoy it. And then every every phase of life has its beautiful moments, you know. It really does. Like the 20s are so fun, you know. They're confusing. Confusing. They're very confusing for me anyway, but they're the fun. You learn so much. Yeah, they're the most they're they're important, they're gonna shape the rest of your life. You change so much in your 20s, you really, really do. You know, like I feel like every couple years you're you're a whole new person. Yeah. Um, so it's wonderful.

SPEAKER_02 44:37

It is, it's wonderful for sure. Yeah, and every moment has has its thing, and every moment is um, not every moment, but every phase in your life means something. So, like, make the most of it. I guess it's a final message.

SPEAKER_00 44:55

I agree. That is a final message.

SPEAKER_03 44:57

All right. Well, thank you guys for tuning in to In Session with Nat and Anne. We hope you enjoyed today's episode. And like always, please let us know what you were interested in hearing about, what you want to learn about, what you want to know more about. Um, and yeah, we'll see you guys in the next video. Bye.