“You will hear many NOs. They are good NOs. They are delicious NOs.”
‘Letter to My Younger Self’ allows artists to imaginatively interact with, advise and encourage their aspiring identity from long ago. But whether you identify as a creative or not, you’re still bound to receive some welcomed and wise words.
Dear 18-year-old self,
You can’t even imagine. Your mind can’t fathom the thought. Not even close.
Hold on. You really can’t imagine. Not even close. My letter, I know, finds you screwed up, confused and befuddled. It makes sense. Don’t fret. Everything around you is black. There is a gloaming darkness all around. It makes me sad that you let everything get inside you so often. You will probably throw up with the cliché I am about to throw at you, BUT:
“This too shall pass.”
There is more darkness to come. You can’t imagine. Not even close. There are so many worse things ahead but guess what? (Insert more throwing up here) You will survive. Even the worst. There will be more. Uncomfortable stuff. Difficult stuff. Thicken your skin, tighten your fists and force yourself to not lose your sense of humor and your vibrancy. And your smile, too. Don’t sacrifice them for some elusive, feigned perfection. It’s a trap, mate.
I know you like to keep to yourself. Being an introvert is not necessarily a bad thing. Don’t worry about the times you would rather be by yourself instead of being out and about. You will see later on that there is nothing wrong with spending your alone time, well, alone.
The constant comparison to others. The struggle to be perfect. This is all a selfish trap. Force yourself to let loose. You do not need to succeed. You do not need to be liked or likeable. You need to find what you like. I’ve got another cliché for you: stop seeing yourself through other people’s eyes. Clear your vision and see the whole world. Denude the opinions of other people and in the quiet of today, make an effort to hear and see what it is you really like.
And guess what? You are going to be very good at it. Not perfect, you don’t have to be anyway. But very, very good.
Of course, not everything will work out fine, this is not a fairytale. Mistakes will be made and wrong choices will be a part of you. And I know you will want to turn back time but alas, there is no “back in time” card in this game. Time is your biggest friend here. Use it to make your life and personality better with truth, humility and forgiveness. At any given second.
Don’t be afraid of love. Put love in everything. Oh, there are some more terrible clichés coming your way: WORK. HARD. Don’t think. Just work. Don’t dream about successes and fame and glorious everydays.
IT WILL NOT HAPPEN THE WAY YOU IMAGINE.
Let go and work. You will hear many NOs. They are good NOs. They are delicious NOs. They are absolutely necessary.
Love. Love. Set yourself free. You cannot even imagine. Not even close. Everything will be so awkward! Smile.
Your Future Self
Photos of Frank Moth by Maria Georgiou
A doctor and former editor make up the mysterious Greek design duo, Frank Moth. Born in 2014, Frank is a persona used to anonymously share the artwork of these two creatives as they strive to navigate the art world without the burden of personality. Together, their subtle, nostalgic collages are captivating and have been featured in publications such as Huffington Post, Buzzfeed and MTV.
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