Remember who you are
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The JD Letter December 14, 2024 "She remembered who she was and the game changed."— Lalah Delia Most people experience moments when life feels heavy. The weight of responsibilities, the comparisons, the fear of failure. The feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected. Like the person you used to be has been buried under the weight of daily life. In these moments, it’s easy to believe the voice that says: "you haven't worked hard enough". It’s a common feeling, but what if the solution isn’t about becoming someone new? What if it’s about remembering who you already are? The one who laughs freely, dreams boldly, and loves deeply? If you feel like you stopped doing these things, it's no wonder you feel like life has dimmed your light. It's no wonder you feel like you've lost your soul. But forgetting about who you are doesn't have to be the end of the story. This newsletter is your invitation to remember. Remember what's already within youPlato’s philosophy of anamnesis: "the recollection of innate knowledge acquired before birth. The concept claims that learning involves the act of rediscovering knowledge from within oneself." This suggest we aren't blank slates searching for meaning. Instead it suggests that everything we need is already within us. We just forget about it. This means you’re not broken or incomplete. You’re out of touch. But forgetting about who you are comes with a cost. The cost of losing your confidence. The cost of doubting your abilities. The cost of feeling like you’re not enough. The cost of valuing other's opinions more than your own. Forgetting about who you are affects:
You can't keep living a life where you're disconnected from your core. Dimming your light to fit in will lead to a life of quiet dissatisfaction. The return to selfNietzsche’s philosophical concept “Eternal Return": "time repeats itself in an infinite loop, and that exactly the same events will continue to occur in exactly the same way, over and over again, for eternity." What if, every decision you made, every thought you entertain, and every moment you experience would loop forever? Would you live your life differently? Now think about forgetting about who you are. Forgetting about your strengths, your purpose, and your joy. Think about having to relive the same anxious moments, the same self-doubt, and the same unfulfilled dreams on an infinite loop . According to Nietzsche's concept, would you look back and wish you had done something different? For many of us, the answer is a resounding yes. But here’s the beauty of Nietzsche’s thought experiment: It doesn’t have to be a philosophical trap. You can choose to see it as a call to action. You can chose to remember who you are, starting right now in this present moment. What if you can look back at your life as something worth living fully? As something that will repeat itself for eternity? I’d like to clarify that viewing life through the lens of an infinite loop doesn’t mean you should cling to traumatic events. Trauma is something that happened to you, it does not need to define the whole you. It is it's own beast and there's no philosophical approach that will help heal that fully. This concept works for those who wish to revive the good, the creative, the happy, the dreamer, the hopeful, the silly, the inner child. Think about all the things you’ve said no to because you forgot your worth. Think about the joy, love, and success you’ve left on the table by believing the voice in your head that said, "you’re not enough.” In case you forgotSometimes you just need to remember who the f*ck you are. Remember all the problems you solved and overcame. Remember everything you achieved. Remember every person who’s life you positively impacted. Remember the simple things you enjoy. Remember what you’re good at. Remember your blessings. Remember how powerful you are. Remember how bright your light shines. Remember how loud your laughter sounds. Remember how warm your presence is. Remember how deep your eyes look into someone's soul. Remember the smell of the ocean. Remember the sound of the waves clashing. Remember you survived 100% of life's curves. Anxiety and overwhelm are reminders that you’ve drifted. But they’re also invitations to realign. Do one thing that makes you feel alive today. Something simple like laughing, dancing, or creating. Remember who the f*ck you are. For those who would like a deeper dive to remember who you are, you can read this previous letter How to find yourself. I hope you enjoyed today’s letter. I had a lot of fun writing it. If you did, please consider sharing with a friend who may need it. Chat next week, Jess Inspire, Empower, Transform. P.S I'm helping clients on X:
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