Recently I have been asked what do I want to tell my past self. Not what I would change, but what I would want myself to know. When I heard this question, it made me reflect on all the events that have happened all these years to make me who I am. We are always telling ourselves our own story. We replay memories through social media and storytelling about experiences. But of course, there is two sides to each story. We have the one we talk about publicly, and the one that includes the bumps and bruises of our lives.
For sure, I would want to tell myself that the sky is the limit when it comes to opportunities. Each new opportunity that comes, think of how it could help you and where you want to go. Take advantage of anything that comes your way. Each new opportunity could have a hidden surprise and lead somewhere you didn't know you needed.
Fall in love with yourself. In the age of selfies, there is no reason to hide your self love. No one is going to love you as much as you can. Treat yourself to things, even if it is simple things like getting some of your favorite coffee, going to watch a movie, or even going to a restaurant. Learn things about you that you didn't know. Life is all about make yourself happy. Sure, it takes a while to get accustomed to alone time. But just because you are alone does not mean you are lonely. Get to know yourself and grow into who you want to be.
Everything happens for a reason. Whether that be for a positive or a negative turn, they just do. At the moment, you sometimes might think things came into your life to hurt you, but they don't. If you had chosen to do things differently, they would have turned out different. But sometimes people are meant to leave your life, accidents happen, you get rejected, you don't pass a test, or anything along those lines; they lead to a multitude of opportunities. And you get back on your feet and go on. Without those mistakes and failures, you would have not learned. Everything comes to serve a purpose, and then it will go.
It's OK to feel unsure about the purpose in your life. Sometimes it feels like you have lost your meaning, and every single time you try to figure it out you seem more lost and confused. I was always that person that plans out my life and, I wanted to know where I would be a year from now. One thing I learned is that plans always change when the time comes. Life is not meant to be lived through schedules. The planning process can teach you something, but don't be too fixated on plans. They always change, and that is OK. Go out there and try new things. Enjoy the journey, and once you look back, all the dots will connect and it will make sense.
It's pretty simple, really. You can sit here and reflect on all those times you could have saved yourself, or you can keep going and live the life you have created. All those experiences have made you who you are today, and things come and go. You have nothing to lose, but you have everything to gain.
