I met my younger self for coffee today ☕

I've been busy piling up content and pictures for the upcoming A - Z writing challenge (keep your eyes open) but today, I want to dive into something - and you're welcome to join me:

30 year old author Jennae Cecelia wrote a poem about meeting her 15 year old self for coffee and a chat.

This piece, featured in her upcoming book "Deep in My Feels," has inspired millions, particularly women, to reflect on their personal journeys regarding body image, career planning, housing, and relationships with parents and romantic partners.

Fun fact: In-between exploring, I literally had coffee with myself today - before I even came across Jennae Cecelia's viral poem. So, unfortunately, I missed my younger self at the table. 

Let’s be real though - if my 25-year-old self had shown up, she wouldn’t have ordered coffee anyway. 

Back then, I didn’t drink coffee at all. My fuel of choice? Tons of Diet Coke. In fact, almost a decade later, when I had my first interview with Starbucks, I was so nervous they’d somehow find out I wasn’t a coffee drinker and reject me on the spot. Spoiler: I got the job. ☕

Let's assume she still showed up, how would the encounter have played out?

She would have been a mix of fierce independence and quiet uncertainty. She was just coming out of a lengthy on-off relationship, living alone (and loving it), working intensely as a personnel agent, and building a huge network, both professionally and personally. She went out for dinner with acquaintances every single weekday, even though she couldn’t really afford it. And on weekends? She stayed in her PJs, ate sweet corn straight from the can, played endless rounds of Tetris, watched Beverly Hills, 90210, and had the Cranberries, Corrs, and Cardigans on repeat.

Photo by Aedrian Salazar on Unsplash

So what would I tell my 25-year-old self over her beverage of choice?

💬 Good for you—enjoying your youth, making your own choices, and not having to answer to parents, boyfriends, or anyone else. Growing up with strict curfews, you had some catching up to do, and you did it in style.

💬 You built an impressive network, but don’t expect most of these connections to last. Turns out, you're not in touch with any of those people today, except for a few on Facebook, where your interaction consists of an annual “Happy Birthday” post. 

💬 Maintaining deep friendships may never be your strongest suit, and that’s okay. Apart from your two high school friends, you still mostly rely on "situational" friends - former coworkers, moms of Colin’s school friends, fellow hockey moms. And guess what? Those connections still bring value and joy.

💬 Money talk: You were underpaid! I get it, you valued the perks of your job, a great personal responsibility, a wide range of tasks, nice colleagues, customers, and clients. These kept you around for a long time, but you sold yourself short.You could have had fewer financial worries if you had had the courage to speak up and demand a raise.

💬 Lessons in love: While your friends were all tied up in relationships, you weren’t in a hurry - you believed destiny would send the right one when the time came. Instead you got caught up in romantic dreams, believing love would triumph against all odds. In retrospect, it’s also those experiences that shape who we become. It’s all part of the journey. Listening to too much Phil Collins probably didn’t help, either. What I do wish? That your creative ad for a “casual jeans meets Chanel” guy would’ve had a movie-like happy ending.

💬 Cozy Sundays lounging at home? Keep enjoying them guilt-free. These days, (no) thanks to hockey, they’re rare, but when you do get them, you have zero FOMO.

💬 Oh, and about music? While the three Cs (Cranberries, Corrs, Cardigans) were solid, let’s be honest: the real musical era was the 80s. I may be repeating myself, but 1984 was, hands down, the BEST musical year EVER. 🎶

💬 And to conclude: You were eager, energetic, and driven, and that’s what helped you get ahead. I applaud your passion and engagement. But while performance and achievements are important, they don’t define your worth. You don’t always need to strive for perfection to be valuable, important, or appreciated. What's more, you’re not responsible for everything and everybody - it's okay to kick back and just be. 

If you could have coffee (or Diet Coke) with your younger self, what age would you choose? And what would you tell them?