What Would You Tell Your Closeted Self?

Some of us spend more time in the closet than others. Looking back it all seems rather unnecessary for many of us, but everyone has their reasons for not coming out sooner.

Whether it’s fear of our friend’s judgement, the rejection of our parents and siblings, apprehension about how it could negatively impact our academic or professional careers, or simply a free-floating sense of unease at the prospect of venturing into wholly unchartered territory, exterior and interior forces can all too often conspire to keep us from telling our truth to the world — even if we’ve already faced that truth ourselves.

And it’s a vicious cycle: The longer it takes for you to make that first tentative step, the more time sweeps by that could’ve been spent easing into your new skin and living the life you were supposed to lead.

And, of course, the sooner you come to terms with your sexuality, the sooner you can soldier through all the necessary pitfalls, awkward phases, and transient growing pains that come part and parcel with the process.

In a new Buzzfeed video, a group of men and women reveal what it is that they would tell their fearful, formerly closeted selves in order to bolster their confidence, make the transition easier, and help them better steer their course.

Below you can hear what these folks would say.