Five Years a Writer

Amanda through the ages (from L): about 2 years old. About 21 years old. Heading into her 60s. To mark International Women’s Day on Tuesday, some women are writing letters to their younger selves with advice or wisdom from their older point of view. I took up the challenge. It was an interesting exercise to write such a letter to my younger self — thinking back to what that young woman thought success could look like (the corporate ladder) and how my unfolding life has shown me what it actually has come to mean for me (my own character). In the ‘writing as tool for transformation’ courses I have developed with my creative collaborator, Deborah Schnitzer, we include several writing exercises that invite the participants to write the same story from different points of view. It’s a powerful means to open up our understanding of our own experiences. I encourage you to write a letter to younger self. You might be surprised to read what you’ve learned in the intervening years.  -----...