Learning to exercise a little patience (an open letter to myself)

To: Ruth

From: Your Sanity

Subject: Stop being an impatient little wotsit!!!

Dear Ruth,

I know that you have good intentions and that you have ambitions to fulfil, which is great...it really is...but how about you take a wee pill of the chill kind and relax a little about your future?!

Gary Barlow wasn't wrong when he told us to 'have a little patience', and now I am asking you to follow the sound advice of GB (although maybe avoid asking him for tips on your taxes- that didn't work out too good for him).

I understand that you went to university under the guise of wanting to further your studies but mainly to avoid working full time for three years and simply because you had the grades to go, and I also understand that you chose to study for a BA in English Literature solely on the premise that you enjoyed reading books.

On the surface this may seem a trivial reason to go, and maybe at the time it was, but I believe that deep down you knew that you wanted to study English Literature because you wanted to find yourself, some day, making a living by writing in whatever form possible.

It's fine that you partied a little too hard and your studies suffered whilst at university because you were young and a little reckless, it's fine that you decided to travel and live abroad for the next three years after obtaining your degree because you still didn't have the confidence to really go for your dream job. It's even fine that you're at the grand old age of 28 and are now figuring things out for your future. Heck! People have career changes in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

But please note this: It's not going to be easy. You have to work bloody hard if you want to succeed. It's not going to happen overnight! So HAVE A LITTLE PATIENCE.

Hone your skills. Keep learning. Write everyday. Stay positive. Be open to all experiences. Have confidence in yourself. Don't give up.

Yours sincerely,

Your Sanity

ps- I know we've lost contact a little in the past but let's be friends again now.