I think about the younger me and how much I got in my own way.

The early-20s me who spent so much time wrestling with himself in his own mind.

The passionate me who could be both wildly idealistic and deeply insecure in a single moment.

The me who dreamed of living a diverse and fulfilling life, but found everything about his current reality to be somewhat off—never truly at ease.

If I could reach back in time and offer my younger self something of value, what might that be?

I might say: what you are searching for is inside you. Don’t forget that. No matter how alluring the outside world may become, be true to yourself. Slow down. Listen closely.

I would also tell him that I still need these kinds of reminders.

You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.

Franz Kafka