Conversations of inspiration | Letter to my younger self.
One of my all-time career crushes and fellow # dyslexic - the amazing Holly Tucker Founder of NOHS & Holly & Co (one of the original female tech entrepreneurs who paved the way for me & thousands like me) recently interviewed me on her brilliant podcast ‘Conversations of Inspiration’.
Holly asked me to write and read out a letter to my younger self. I must admit it was quite an emotional experience writing this letter, but in honour of #dyslexiaawarenessmonth below is the full letter - this one's for every dyslexic who may be currently struggling...because if I can, YOU can too!
“Dear Pip,
I know that you're really struggling with your dyslexia at the moment, and I wish I was there to give you a massive hug.
There is no shame in what you’re going through. Yes - it’s beyond frustrating that your brain works so much faster than your pen and you struggle to articulate in words the ideas that are in your head, but that’s because your brain is wired in a weird and wonderful way :-)
But I’m not going to sugarcoat it - the coming years are going to be tough - really tough! You will keep falling behind in school… and reading and writing will feel like an impossible feat at times. People will call you stupid, even some of your teachers, but please don’t let the buggers get you down. Before long you will be grateful to them for building in you, a deep well of resilience and determination to prove them wrong.
I’m so proud of you for working so bloody hard! I know that missing time with your friends to do remedial classes isn’t fun, and I promise that all those late nights with a torch under your duvet practising reading and writing will be totally worth it.
Eventually it will get easier, and while it won’t feel like this right now, one day you’ll come to see your dyslexia as a superpower!
It has given you the gifts of empathy, resilience, intuition and creativity - gifts that will grow into some of the most valuable parts of your future. You’ll come to realise that your brain connects the dots, in ways that most people only dream of - this is why 35% of entrepreneurs and 40% of self-made millionaires are dyslexic…. everyone from the amazing Richard Branson, Anita Roddick, Steve Jobs and even the lovely Holly Tucker who I’m chatting to now. Lots of people dream of being entrepreneurs darling Pip, but dyslexia means that you are actually designed for it!
So just keep leaning in, kid, once you get through this you’ll be able to get through anything!’
Love Pip"
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