My colleague Robert Shimsley has written a column for the FT Weekend magazine for years.

They're often satirical and sort of making fun of his own first world problems.

And he wrote one recently that made me think of this letter that I had written myself back when I was 19.

It was meant to predict the course of my career.

And it kind of did.

It was really funny to read, actually.

I sounded exactly the same.

And I was borderline prophetic.

I said I'd tried to leave journalism and then come back,

live in another country,

maybe write features one day for a place that seemed

impossible to work at the time. The letter reminded me that we may grow and evolve and learn,

but fundamentally, we kind of just are who we are. That was the gist of Roberts column, too.

He wrote it giving advice to his older self. Someone once said to me, like, we don't change that much, we just understand ourselves better. How does that change the way you think about your advice to your older self? I don't know. I mean, it's a really key point because there are lots of things that I could advise my older self to do. example, go to the Glastonbury Music Festival, which I've never done, because I know I'll hate it. And I've never done it because I know that even if the ghost of John Lennon appeared on stage, all that I would ever be able to focus on is the fact that it was muddy and it was, you know, it was going to take me three quarters of an hour to get to the toilet. And that's who I am. I've known Robert for a long time.

And when he's writing this column, he likes to walk around the newsroom and find whoever's in his

line of vision and just wrestle through that idea with him. It's like ping pong. It's fun. What about you, Lila? What advice would you give to the older you? Oh, God. Always go cheer at a marathon, even if you're tired that day or you're going to regret it. Always what? If there's a marathon on, like the London City Marathon or the New York City Marathon or the Boston. And you're like just hanging out at home, go. Why? That's a ridiculous idea. Because it's the best day. Because it's the best day in the city. I mean, like everybody's excited. They're cheering each other on. It gives you energy. And I've missed some and I've really regretted it. So I would say, do that.

That's not, you would be bothered by the crowds and how to get to the bathroom.

When the London Marathon is on, I will absolutely avoid anywhere.

That the root touches.

That's terrible advice to your future self.

Don't do that.

Take it from me.

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