As we grow older, we gain a sort of wisdom that only comes from life’s experiences. It is a tried and true formula, that comes from walking around the stumbling blocks, or leaping over them, or having walked through the fire.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit yourself down and have a little chat with your younger self? What would you say?
One of the best pieces of advice that I would give to myself is to simply slow down. It isn’t necessary to try to do it all, it isn’t required that we put a fast pace on our life in order to live our best life. It’s okay if you take a few baby steps at a time, we can still make progress. It is often best to challenge our self, but not at the risk of not taking the time to use the resources that are around us, or savor what the world might be bringing in and teaching us.
I’d tell myself to think about what I can learn from these circumstances. It took me a while to learn to step back and not to react from emotion but to think things through logically and come up with a response or solution. I gave myself permission to be the turtle rather than the hare. We all have our own inner set time, and it is okay to set the alarm to snooze now and then. There is no real time clock for getting through life. A life well-lived is one where we are fully present not only enjoying the view but seeing the possibility.
The five things I would tell my younger self–
- Slow down- “Cool your jets” You don’t have to have everything now.
- Enjoy the view- See the possibility in the moment.
- It’s okay to fail- Really, the world will not end.
- You will be scared- Do it anyway!
- People will misunderstand you- You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone.
Don’t rush through without taking in all of your surroundings, you could miss something truly important, like love, true connections, and the opportunity to grow into the best version of yourself.