ADVICE TO MY YOUNGER SELF
Time is probably the best teacher I’ve come across.
Time has taught me a lot over the years. Unfortunately, I can’t go back and
implement what I know now; I have today and the rest of my life to do that. However, if I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self the following:
Change Is Inevitable
Looking back at my life, I now have the wisdom to see that I always tried to resist or stop any change because it scared me. I now know that change is what living is all about. You can’t control or fight change; it’s inevitable. There will be times of happiness, challenges, peace, being busy, etc. The people in your life will also change; some will stay, and some will go. You will change, both mentally and physically. Your desires will change; how you dress, what you like to eat, etc., will change over time.
I now look at change as a positive certainty in life. I would tell my younger self to stop trying to resist or fight it because it will happen. And thank God! Life would be so dull and monotonous if everything stayed as is. I now embrace change and work with what is. Live in the present moment, love life’s unfolding, and focus on what’s at hand.
Love Myself
I would tell my younger self to stop giving myself such a hard time.
Being critical and constantly giving yourself a hard time doesn’t work. Not loving yourself causes unnecessary pain and dissatisfaction in life.
I would tell my younger self to be my own best friend and be more patient and loving on this path of life. Love does heal all, and even if you got it from the whole world, you would never feel it or heal if you didn’t love yourself first.
Set Standards
I would insist on my younger self setting standards on how I want to be treated by others. Over time I have realised if I don’t set standards, everybody else will, and their standards are always a lot lower than I would like or feel comfortable with. So I decided to raise the bar on how I want to be treated, and most importantly, treat myself that way, and everybody else naturally mirrors my behaviour. You teach people how you want to be treated by how you treat yourself.
Everything Is Connected
I would tell my younger self to be highly aware that everything is connected. Your thoughts, beliefs, the food you eat, people you let into your life, choices, etc., all collectively create your present and ultimately build your future. Life becomes beautifully simple once you become more conscious of what you think, believe, and do.