Dear Peter, the one sitting in his apartment room having just graduated college, looking forward to the next chapter of his life,
You’re gonna find it hard to believe much of what I’m about to tell you, but it is for that exact reason that I want to write to you.
First of all, you live in a van now.
Yes, you read that right.
You quit your job, bought a van, and you now live in it full-time in Colorado.
Actually, I’m not even sure that you know where Colorado is on a map right now, lol. Don’t worry, you’ve become quite the adventurous Western U.S. kid, barely venturing east since your graduation.
Not much of your current life resembles what it was back then.
Each morning, you wake up excited for the day ahead. You head to a coffee shop almost every single day and work from your laptop, documenting your thoughts, learnings, and exploring your curiosities.
You’ll spend most of your time in an app called Obsidian building a “second brain” for yourself, something I think you’ll be quite intrigued by.
Also, I know you don’t really like coffee much at all right now, but you may or may not develop a bit of a coffee addiction along the way.
In fact, it’s through those coffee shops that you’ll make one of the biggest decisions towards crafting that meaningful life that you’ll desire.
Right now, I know you’re feeling high on life having just graduated with a nice fat six-figure salary and can’t wait to move to SF to start working, but just be aware that you’re gonna hit a low point soon, lower than you’ve been in a long time…
However, that period of your life will be the trigger for the changes that will shape your life.
It’s in those changes that you’ll find the answers you look for. Just keep that in mind.
Aside from that, I’m doubtful that you’d recognize me now. I’ve gone through some pretty crazy changes. You get into self-improvement, business, travel, nature, hiking, and get back into skiing again.
In fact, you become quite an avid skier, skiing double blacks and chutes in some of the best resorts in the U.S.
And brace yourself… You end up buying a rugged and intimidating Toyota 4Runner, unlike anything you could imagine.
And that 4Runner becomes your home every weekend night of the winter 2021/2022 ski season as you ski all day and sleep in it at night so that you can get those fresh turns in the morning.
You were right about the entrepreneurship thing, but it’s not really what you expect. The courses you took will pale in comparison to what you actually have to endure.
Oh, and that overseas trip you barely planned but got disrupted by COVID? Don’t worry, you’ll eventually get back around to it 😉
But the reason behind your desire to travel abroad will be intrinsic this time. It’s a newfound fascination with urban design and walkable spaces that will fuel your curiosity.
You’re also kind of a professional photographer now.
I cannot wait for you to see the images you capture in the next few years.
On a social front, you made the right call about that girl.
You said you wanted to explore, travel, and broaden your horizons. I know it doesn’t feel good in the moment, but you’re absolutely right about that hunch. I’m grateful for you.
Many of your friends will look to settle down and get engaged, leading lives similar to their current ones. The Facebook profile that you won’t update since you graduate will serve as a lens into the past; a lens into your current life.
I know you never really felt like you found your group of people and that’s okay. Just continue to be grateful for the moments you got to spend with them now. You’ll have your chance to go through quite a transformation, evolving in ways you can’t even imagine.
Your social skills will deteriorate as you more or less use COVID as a nice excuse to never really push yourself on that front. That said, you focus a lot more intentionally on yourself and your own direction, which is incredibly valuable.
You still have a lot more to learn from those little notes you started to write about yourself.
Which, speaking of…
Those little notes and documents you starting writing and organizing about yourself and your personality?
That is the thread of curiosity to pull on. Keep asking questions, learning about yourself, and writing down your thoughts.
And one last thing.
When you end up staying with your grandmother, do me a favor and cherish that time with her. When you get off work, be present and enjoy the little moments with her.
Doing so will be one of the best decisions you make. You’ll thank me later.
I wish you well,
Your future self