Dear Determined Me: Lai-La’s Letter to Her Younger Self
I'm Determined Youth Leader Since 2024
Dear Determined Me,
As a future youth leader for about 2 years now, I can confidently say that I grew the most in confidence. From the beginning you’ve always been the most shyest in every room and always had to follow someone else in order to feel comfortable going to somewhere unfamiliar. That’s where I’m Determined comes in for help and advice. It was a little bit of a struggle to get myself out there but managed to get the confidence to speak with other people on the first day, even something as little as just say “Hello” is enough. I built a bit more confidence over the next few visits when creating my first One Pager, it really helped me figure out my goals and made me think deeper about what I wanted to do for my future. My confidence skills were then put to the test when I volunteered to do my first ever panel. I was nervous at first but l used my fidget toys to calm me down, and once it was over I felt a lot better about myself. I’m Determined really helped me with some of my anxiety issues, I still have really bad anxiety but it not as bad as it was 2 years ago. I’m Determined also taught me some problem solving skills. For example, If there is a problem with my anxiety I can solve it with different solutions like therapy, medication, or maybe a service dog if I have any sensory issues with taking medicine. In conclusion to my past self, don’t give up just because something may scare you. Be confident in yourself and try to make a difference for others around you. There maybe some challenges ahead of you but you can always find solutions to get around them.
