I met my younger self for coffee
Photo by Mary Morgan
There’s something about September that always feels like a beginning even more than January. The rhythm shifts, the air changes, and even if we’re not heading back to school, the season carries an energy of renewal. For me, September has always been a chance to pause, reset, and lean into what’s next.
This month I’ve been really inspired by a conversation I had on the Embrace the Squiggle podcast with author Jennae Cecilia, who wrote the viral poem “I Met My Younger Self for Coffee”. In it, she reflects on what it would be like to sit with her younger self, offering wisdom and compassion from the perspective of who she is today.
It made me think: What would I say if I met my younger self for coffee?
Here's what I came up with:
I met my younger self for coffee this weekend.
She came rushing in.
I was already sitting at the table.
Her hair was dyed brown, covering up the emerging grays. Tentative.
My hair had turned gray. No makeup. Confident.
She was surprised at my coffee. She only drinks diet coke.
She lets out a few tears and asks if she’s making the right choices.
I tell her she doesn’t have to have it all figured out yet.
Her path isn’t a straight line
and though it doesn't feel that way now
it’s actually going to be the best part.
I know that every squiggle will lead her to someone
or somewhere that will impact her heart.
I tell her to keep listening to her gut feelings
as they will guide her better than any well thought-out plan will.
She smiled, relieved knowing that she has the courage she will need.
Before I left her, I reminded her to trust her intuition.
And that I can meet her for coffee whenever she needs it.
September is a reminder that transformation doesn’t need to wait for January. It can start now, with a fresh page, a deep breath, or even a coffee date with your younger self.
I’d love to connect and talk about CliftonStrengths, careers, leadership, or change. Or if you've written your own "I Met My Younger Self for Coffee" poem, I'd love to read it. You can always find time with me here.
