Karen Thom: A Letter to My Younger Self

Oh hello there, beautiful — how are you?

See, I can say that now, at 45, and genuinely know it to be true.
My letter of love to you, dear Karen… you don’t know it yet, but you really are a beauty to behold. Not just aesthetically (which you are, though you won’t appreciate that for another twenty-odd years!) but because of the inner energy, that light that shines through you. Everybody sees it ,  except you.

I wish you could see your radiance. Your resilience. Your tenacity.
The sheer force of your nature is contagious. You dance to your own tune and don’t wait for anyone to give you permission , which is ironic, really, because inside you’re aching for approval. For permission… permission to be. To be you.

But what you don’t realise is , you already are. You’re running a million miles to find yourself, but you already have it. It’s like running with the carrot dangling in front of you, always chasing “the next.”
do you know….. you’re the thing.

If I could wish a few things for you, I’d wish you’d slow down.

I wish you could have an out-of-body moment and watch yourself in action , the way your eyes light up when you talk about something you love, your hands moving wildly, your voice full of passion. You’d be amazed to see what others see.

You’ve already done incredible things with your life, yet you keep brushing them off. It’s been a hell of a ride already and you’ve got so much more to give.

There’s a cliché you hear women of a “certain age” say: “Admire yourself now, because one day you’ll wish you had.”And it’s true. One day you’ll be older, maybe a little wrinklier, and you’ll wonder why you wasted so much time worrying about the shape of that left leg (which was never fat), or the angle of your face you thought was wrong.

As a 45-year-old woman, I can tell you , you really are it.
There’ll come a day when you’ll fall in love with your reflection. Who knew? Certainly not you, dear Karen, who once avoided the mirror.

One reason it’s felt like you’ve walked through life half-blind is this: it’s become the very gift you now give to other women. You help them see again , their brilliance, their beauty, their extraordinary gifts.

What we incredible women often forget is this: we are the being.
We are the light. Our depth , our empathy, compassion, and emotional range , is not weakness. It’s power. Yet we’ve been living in a world that doesn’t value those qualities.

It’s time to rise, to show the world again what that depth looks like and how humanity can be. More than ever, it’s crucial.

So please, put your own oxygen mask on first.
When we’re depleted, we have nothing left to give,  to others or ourselves.

And once your sight is restored, use it to help others find theirs.

You are incredible.
And I love you.

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About the author

Karen Thom is the founder of The Foundation Studio, a space helping high-achieving women stop pretending life’s fine and reconnect with who they truly are. With over two decades in global fashion retail behind her, she brings grounded insight and emotional intelligence to conversations about modern success, truth, and what it really means to feel free, alive and unapologetic.