I swung by the library to get @CarolineKepnes book and thought, “I should tell them to pre-order my book” and 11 year-old me hopped out like, “BOOK?? WE GOT A BOOK???” And now I’m in the parking lot emotional as fuck.

My entire adult life has been something that would thoroughly impress the 8 year old in Stillwater, Oklahoma who learned to speak English by watching TV. But adult me has spent way too much time feeling like she failed.

Child me thinks adult me is fucking fierce but it’s adult me that has trouble believing it as often as she should. So that’s why I asked. Now I’m going to read your answers.

Were y’all really concerned with mortgages and spouses as a kid? Wouldn’t child you be thrilled you could get on a plane or order pizza whenever you wanted?

I think if child me thought of me as an adult, they would be disappointed in my inability to (redacted) or choices I’ve made, but that I was even around to have choices would be a big deal. Is that too Pollyanna?

I think my new motivation is to make childhood me see me like I used to think of those mystical and magical “teenagers” of my youth. 😍

Follow up question: What can you do right now to make childhood you proud/happy/excited? Stay up until midnight or eat a pizza is acceptable.

Some of y’all went super dark with this.

Thank you to all who shared their stories and responses with me. Some of you were so brave and sad; I hope you find one thing a day, no matter how small, to please your childhood self.

One of my favorite responses was the ones who realized they had “MacDonald’s money” and love to the trans kids who got to love and live their fullest selves.

@Basseyworld Childhood me would just think I'm lying: "You'll write a bestselling book that Hillary Clinton will quote after she loses the presidential election to...Donald Trump. Yes, that one. You'll go on "Late Night" to discuss your book and meet Ice-T, who your *mom* now loves..."

@Basseyworld childhood me would be proud but adult me isn't

@Basseyworld I don't think childhood me would recognize adult me.

@Basseyworld She didn’t think that she would make it this far, so yes.

@Basseyworld She probably could give me a 12 point analysis of where I went wrong.

@Basseyworld Childhood me would definitely be surprised and proud of me, namely being that I've lived this long

@Basseyworld @Darian_Robbins Childhood me would be beyond flabbergasted at adult me. In a good way.

@fabuLaja I don’t want to get in your business but I know therapy helped me a lot with this.

@Basseyworld I think she would be now (maybe not so much a year ago)...super proud of me for putting myself first for the first time and not letting what ppl think of me stop me from figuring out who I am meant to be.