Letâs get Personal
What if you could travel back in time and tell yourself what you know now? What would you say to your younger self? Â As the year comes to an end, I started thinking about what Iâve learned and experienced in this decade. Ten years ago, I was only 16 and in high school!
I never thought much about the mistakes I made and the chances I was afraid to pursue as lessons. Especially as lessons that would stick with me years later. These are the four major lessons I wish I knew ten years ago.
This is a letter to my former self: Â
(Jessica circa 2010, Age 16)
You are stronger than you think you are
Iâm not saying physically because honestly, we never wanted to become a body builder, but we are a mentally and emotionally strong person. Â There will be times when life brings you down and breaks you to your very core. There will be times when you canât think beyond your darkest thoughts and just want to end it all. But I promise you that whatever youâre going through will pass. You are resilient and life becomes better. You will get through this.
Youâll regret the risks you donât take
Jessica, you may never be 100% ready to go out of your comfort zone it is necessary. Donât let the fear of failing stop you from trying and to excel in life because thatâs what makes you stuck. Â If you are not happy where you work, quit. There are other opportunities elsewhere. If you are not sure how he feels about you then directly ask him because one-sided expectations can linger longer than a painful truth. Â If youâre scared of getting a rejection letter to the fashion school of your dreams because you think youâre not talented enough. Apply anyway because they might find a potential in you that you may not see. What Iâm trying to say is donât waste your time wondering but instead just act on it.
Follow to your intuition (inner voice)
Deep down you know what you want and life circumstances always come in patterns. If things donât feel right to you then let them go. Donât let a moment or one quality keep you in a bad situation. You think you can fix the problem and things may change but sometimes you need to accept that some things arenât always fit for us no matter how much we try. You are stubborn and want to show people wrong but is it worth it in the end if youâre not happy?
Donât lower your standards
Until you realize that you deserve happiness and respect you will always end up lowering your standards. Until you realize that you canât please everyone and the decisions you decide to make in life then you will continue to mold into a lesser version of yourself. Surround yourself with people who know you. The real you. Let them remind you what you deserve when you donât see it. Just because you havenât found what youâre looking for yet it doesnât mean itâs not out there. You will know when someone is right when it benefits you and doesnât hinder your growth.
