A letter to my younger self: Lessons on confidence, growth and saying yes

Written by Daniella Campbell, Chartered Financial Planner and Laura MacLellan, Executive Assistant 

Speaking on the ‘A Letter to My Younger Self’ panel at the International Women’s Day event gave me a real moment to pause and reflect on the things I wish I’d understood earlier in my career.

I’ve learned that you don’t need to have everything figured out from the start and real progress often comes from saying yes to opportunities and trusting yourself to learn as you go.

I’ve also seen just how much the right people around you matter; building your network, leaning on others, and supporting people along the way can make all the difference.

And perhaps most importantly, confidence doesn’t usually come first, and it tends to follow action, not the other way around.

Events like this are such a powerful reminder of the value of sharing experiences openly and continuing to lift each other up.

“You can’t be an imposter if you’re just being you”.

This is something that Hannah, my boss, frequently says. It’s something I’ve needed to hear in the last few years, as I finished my studies and began my career. It can be scary entering the world of work, which seems so slick and intimidating when you’re 21.

At times, I certainly felt like an imposter, especially feeling like I wasn’t polished, knowledgeable or experienced enough to be working in my job.

When I inevitably made mistakes, it felt like a huge personal failure, leaving my confidence diminished. And I’m not alone; some studies show that around 70% of young women have experienced feelings of imposter syndrome in their work.

This is why conversations, like this panel, are so vital for young women to be exposed to. 

Hearing that Ruth and Rebecca, experienced women who are slightly later on in their careers, have had similar experiences was deeply reassuring.

They spoke honestly about beliefs that they have had to unlearn and advice that they would give their younger self about speaking up and backing themselves. 

What struck me most was the collective belief that they both wished they’d been more confident earlier in their careers.

They reflected that they’d tell their younger selves that they don’t have to have everything perfectly figured out, but instead that they’d say ‘yes’ and step out into new opportunities.

From there, their abilities, and in turn, confidence grew. It was a great reminder from two incredible women to let go of self-limiting beliefs, to reduce the power of what others think, and to grasp opportunities that may feel daunting at the time.