Looking back now with the wisdom, happiness and dream life bought with sweat, tears and setbacks, what would I say to my younger self? That ambitious, fearless yet scared and idealistic girl fresh out of grad school who was bent on making a positive difference in the world?
I would tell her first of all that I love her. She is just fine as she is. Relax. It is ok to make mistakes. You can learn and leverage them for more good the next time. Yes there will be other opportunities in work, life and love. You will not only survive from what you think is the worst disaster ever, but you will actually do better and be happier than you can imagine now.
Laugh. Life is to be lived with joy, wonder and humor. Bad things are going to happen. They are easier to deal with when we take them and ourselves less seriously. Enjoying a sunset, a shared moment with a friend, reading a good book are all worthwhile activities not to be rushed through. Stay in the moment. Forget about multitasking. All you’ll end up doing is many things quickly and mediocrely.
Remember whatever “facts” you learned in school are going to be outdated, and probably sooner than you can imagine. What will remain useful and relevant from school is how to ask questions, research and come up with solutions. And that is all you really need.
One more thing to always keep in mind: the truth and the answers are already within you. You already have all that you need to be successful, happy and healthy. Listen to your inner voice. Believe in a power greater than humankind. Call it whatever you wish, God, nature, divine energy, etc. but trust it. Connect with it.
Share and give back now. Do not wait till you’ve made your first million, ten million or whatever number. Giving back will enrich you faster than anything else you can do. It is the only way to multiply what may seem to be a finite resource, be it time, money or energy, and especially love. Share, it’s magic.
When you follow your life purpose everything else will fall into place.
Again I love you and I’ve got your back. You are beautiful inside and out. Blessings, love and hugs.
Originally published at medium.com