Do you ever imagine past events with the knowledge you know now? Life could have been so different. Perhaps the mistakes you made wouldn’t have happened, and certain negative thoughts would be subsided. Here are a few things I would want to tell my younger self.
1. Love Your Unique Self
I was incredibly insecure when I was younger. Sure, I still am, but it was much worse then. Being insecure is mostly internal. You may tell yourself you are not beautiful, that you are not good enough or smart enough. Many of these thoughts come from ideals of modern beauty as well as comparing yourself to others. Loving yourself helps you become a happier individual. It helps you become humble of your accomplishments and accept your shortcomings. No way is this an easy trait to have, but once obtained, it is extremely rewarding.
2. Don’t Worry About What Others Are Doing
I seemed to always worry about what others were doing. I think I did this because I felt like knowing would make sure I wasn’t falling behind. But what was falling behind? I have now learned to compare myself to myself. I want self-progression, because what other progression is there, really? I wish I hadn’t been so caught up in other peoples’ lives, while being more concerned about building my own life.
3. A Bad Grade Is Not The End Of The World
It is so common to believe that your grades determine not only your intelligence, but yourself as an individual. The truth? They determine neither. Hell, good grades are great, but they aren't everything. I would seriously argue that being a kind, genuine, and empathetic being is much more important than good grades. Let's say you do get a bad grade. Did you at least try? Then see where you went wrong and move on. Maybe you didn't try due to external or internal factors. Hey, that is OK too. Life moves on. It does not define you. Believe that.
4. Be More Confident In Yourself
Whether it’s your looks, your personality, your talent, or your intellect — be confident! Being confident is not a bad thing. It shows you are able to be comfortable with who you are, even if that means to accept the fact that maybe you aren’t so great at certain things. Being confident will ultimately help you do well in interviews, connect, and meet new people as well as taking on more opportunities and getting what you want, not what you wish you had.
5. It’s Ok To Not Know Everything
Young people tend to think they should know everything. Really, how could they? They have only lived for a very limited amount of time. They will look up to older people and think, “Why don’t I know that much?” or “Why aren’t I that smart?” I used to do that with my grandfather. After he would explain something to me that I didn't understand, I would be frustrated because I felt like I should have known it in the first place. He would sit me down and say, “Sweetie, I cheated. I was born 30 years ahead of you.” I don’t think I truly knew what that meant until I was older. I smile and laugh about it now.
6. Everything Will Be Ok—If Not Now, Eventually
When I was younger, I always worried that nothing would be alright. Of course, all of those worries were temporary. I would take everything to the extreme, thinking my life was over. My grandmother used to pat my back and say “Hey, everything will be OK. The world isn’t going to open and swallow you up.” I actually find myself saying that to my friends now. Eventually, I found out that all the pain and worry was temporary. I had a hard time seeing the future when I blinded myself with the current burdens. I now can take on bad situations in a more efficient way. I can take it in, internalize it but then move on. The world will not swallow me up, and life will go on. I will be OK.
Although there are tons of things I want to tell my younger self (this advice as well as fashion trends…phew, that’s a whole other story!), I am also happy it happened. If it weren’t for all of the misconceptions I had, the beliefs that were completely untrue, and all of the mistakes that I made, I would not have learned from them. I am glad I made so many mistakes at a young age, because I am stronger and wiser now, which is a great thing to have in college. So although you may be ashamed of your younger self, be happy that it happened. Your past self was a great help in forming who you are today.
