A message from my 18 year old self

How wonderful is it to feel inspired to write? If you like to write - you can resonate. If not - imagine you really want to have a clean kitchen but you just don’t feel like doing the dishes and then you finally get a wave of energy and you say f*k it I’ll do it. It’s sorta-kinda like that.

When I was 18, I received the holy sacrament of confirmation within the Catholic church. If this is a foreign concept to you - it’s the 3rd sacrament to being “received” into the Catholic church, the other two being baptism and holy communion. Read more here.

All this to say - I was “officially catholic”.

During my confirmation classes I had to take, I wrote a letter to my future self. My confirmation teachers sent this letter back to me a year later. Now, reading my letter a year later didn’t exactly have a big impact on me.

However, it was today that it did. Ten years later.

18 year old Siobhan wrote,

"I want to be remembered as someone who was never afraid of speaking about what she believes in, and someone who’s a leader, in a positive way. And someone who worked so hard for what she wanted, and someone who tried to change people for the better, and someone who could always put a smile on someone’s face. I want to help people. When I graduate, I want to have a job that allows me to help people and makes all the college years of studying worth it.” - March 30, 2014.

So naturally, reading this pulled at my heart strings. Let’s dissect.

"I want to be remembered as someone who was never afraid of speaking about what she believes in (Today’s Siobhan has a podcast called MindGoals - where she authentically speaks about her difficult experiences and how she isn’t afraid to speak up), and someone who’s a leader in a positive way (Today’s Siobhan coaches young soccer players, teaches athletes mental skills, and is learning to be a yoga teacher to spread positivity and teach mindful movements through vinyasa). And someone who worked so hard for what she wanted (Today’s Siobhan has worked tirelessly to reach her goals of playing soccer professionally, and finished her two degrees in the field of Psychology), and someone who tried to change people for the better (Today’s Siobhan is spreading her wisdom and knowledge any way she can - through social media, podcasts, you name it), and someone who could always put a smile on someone’s face (The smirk on your face should speak volume). I want to help people. When I graduate, I want to have a job that allows me to help people and makes all the college years of studying worth it.”

Today’s Siobhan is proud as hell. No way did I think I would be where I am today, as strong as I am today, or … even in Katy Texas of all places to reside (lol). But we’re here. And one thing I can cheers to? Doing exactly what I said I would do. Has it happened immediately? Of course not. Has it happened seamlessly? F*k no. But it’s made me a resilient human being who has an abundance of energy and experience to share with others.

Apparently I am a “master” of Sport Psychology, but let me tell you, I’ve only just scraped the surface. I know that my journey will continue to pivot, pause, stall, and propel, but I am all the more equipped to endure the ride. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you will always be a student, no matter who you are or what your position is.

In the end, there’s nothing more respectable than someone who says they’re going to do something, and does it.

Cheers to doing the damn thing.